Kinniya cattle: A locally bred draught cattle population in Sri Lanka

Indigenous cattle in Sri Lanka consists of several geographically isolated populations. Due to lack of descriptive information, they remained non-descriptive. With isolated breeding with directional selection, some of these populations have developed unique features allowing the opportunity to establish indigenous breeds. The Kinniya cattle population is one such breed, which is featured by unique selection and breeding system under specific management circumstances. This study was carried out to identify the unique characteristics in Kinniya cattle, while unveiling the associated social, cultural and economic background. Comparison of the distribution and characteristics of Kinniya cattle of those with different indigenous cattle populations in Sri Lanka was done using descriptive statistics. The results revealed that the Kinniya cattle are reared extensively in large herds, and bull calves are selected for well-defined draught characters at three months of age. Having undergone directional selection for generations, the population has now stabilized to feature well developed horns with uniform orientation, prominent hump and dewlap. The comparison with other populations revealed that, despite the ancestral similarities that could exist with the Thamakaduwa cattle, Kinniya cattle showed a distinct morphometric attribute. The study disclosed the directional selection and breeding strategies adopted by the communities over generations, and the distinct herd management strategies adopted have helped developing the uniqueness of Kinniya cattle as a separate indigenous population in Sri Lanka and the only population bred for draught purpose.