The Kangayam cattle are an indigenous breed of India. The breed derives it’s name from the Kangeyam town located in the Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu state. It is mainly raised as a draught animal but also pretty good for milk production.
The breed conform largely to the Southern Indian Mysore type. And it is thought that there is evidence of the blood of the grey-white Ongole cattle in their composition.
Possibly this mixture has given the Kangayam cattle their larger size in comparison with other cattle of the Mysore type. They are also known by some other names in their native area such as Kanganad, Kangeyam and Kongu.
Currently they are available and bred in the southern and southeastern area of the Coimbatore district of Madras state in India. In case of size, the Kangayam cattle are of two type, one is small and another is large.
The larger variety is found in the areas of Aravakurchi, Karur and Dindigul subdivisions. While the smaller variety is found mostly in the Kangayam, Erode, Dharampuram, Pollachi, Paddadam and Udmalpet subdivisions. Read more information about the breed below.
Kangayam Cattle Characteristics
Both small and large varieties of the Kangayam cattle have compact bodies with short, stout legs and strong hooves. The smaller variety has nearly straight with a slight curve backwards horns.
While the larger variety has much longer horns which are curved upwards and backwards. Their head is of moderate size with slightly prominent forehead.
They have small, erect and pointed ears and their eyes are dark and prominent with black rings around them. Their back is short, broad and level and the neck is short and thick.
The quarters of the Kangayam cattle are slightly drooping, and the dewlap is thin and extends only up to the sternum. Their sheath is well tucked up to the body, and the hump in bulls is well developed.
Their skin is dark in pigment and fine in texture, and the hair is short and fine. They have tail of moderate length with a black switch reaching well below the hocks.
Main coloration of the Kangayam cattle is generally gray or white. The cows are mainly of white color, and gray with deep markings on the knees and just above the fetlocks on all four legs.
While the bulls are usually of gray with black or very dark gray coloring on the head, neck, hump and quarters. Photo and info from ansi.okstate.edu and Wikipedia.
Uses
The Kangayam cattle are mainly used as a draught cattle breed. The cows are also pretty good milk producers and their milk is of good quality.
Special Notes
Kangayam cattle are very active and powerful animals. They are highly valued as draft animals in South India. The bullocks are very powerful and have good capacity for work.
And the bullocks are used for different types of agricultural works and for other works like sugarcane load hauling. The cows are not among the good milk producers. They produce an average of 540 kg milk per lactation.
Their milk is of very good quality and highly nutritious, containing about 3.9 percent fat content with no bad fat. Total number of this breed is decreasing, mainly due to poor government support for indigenous cattle breeds.
Although, individual conservative efforts are bearing some good results. Review full breed profile of the Kangayam cattle in the following chart.
| Breed Name | Kangayam |
| Other Name | Kanganad, Kangeyam and Kongu |
| Breed Purpose | Mainly draught, also milk |
| Special Notes | Active, very hardy, good for draught |
| Breed Size | Small to medium |
| Climate Tolerance | Native climates |
| Coat Color | Grey or white with black markings |
| Horned | Yes |
| Milk Yield | Poor |
| Rarity | Common |
| Country/Place of Origin | India |
