What is Punganur Cow?

About Punganur Cow

• Standing at just around 70-90 cm tall and weighing less than 200 kg, it is among the world’s most dwarf cattle breeds.
• It is native to Punganur village in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
• It has high resilience to drought and can adapt to low-quality feed.
• It is also prized for its milk, which boasts a higher fat content, making it ideal for producing ghee. 
  • A Punganur cow can give around 1 to 3 litres a day, and the milk fat content is 8 percent as compared to 3 to 4 percent in other native breeds.
  • The milk is also rich in nutrients such as Omega fatty acids, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
• Body colour: It is white, grey, or light brown to dark brown or red in colour. Sometimes, animals with white colour mixed with red, brown, or black patches are also seen. 
• It has a broad forehead and short horns. The horns are crescent-shaped and often lose curving backward and forward in males and lateral and forward in females.
• Punganur cows are considered eco-friendly, requiring less water, feed, and space compared to hybrid breeds.
• Cultural Significance: Even today, many temples in Andhra Pradesh, including the famous Tirupati Thirumala Temple, use the milk of a Punganur cow for Ksheeraabhishekam (milk offering to the deity).

Q1) What are fatty acids?

Fatty acids are the building blocks of the fat in our bodies and in the food we eat. During digestion, the body breaks down fats into fatty acids, which can then be absorbed into the blood. Fatty acid molecules are usually joined together in groups of three, forming a molecule called a triglyceride. Triglycerides are also made in our bodies from the carbohydrates that we eat.

Source: PM Modi Feeds Punganur Cows On Makar Sankranti, Here's Why You Should Adopt This ‘Golden' Breed