The Mithun (Bos frontalis) potential animal of Manipur

Paisho Keishing - Mithun Researcher *

The Mithun - Pix Credit :: Wikipedia

The Mithun (Bos frontali), the "Gavaya" in Shanskrit, "Gavi" or "Gayal" in hindi, " Gvaya Goru' in Bangali, " Mithun or mithan" in Assamese apart from above synonyms every tribe in north east uses their own name in Arunachal Adi tribe call it as "Eso" or Hoho while Nyishi call as "Sebe" , Apatani tribe cal it as "Seobo'; the Mizos call it as "Shinl" and Naga tribe call "Wei" and Tangkhul tribe call it as "Seizang", Manipuri it call as "Sandung" and "Sia' in Myanmars so on.

Mithun animal is most importance and essential ingredient of tribal indigenous people of Manipur; it associates with the folklore and culture. Mithun or Gayal (Bos or Bibos frontalis) is a magnificent bovine species which originated at Indo- Myanmar border somewhere 8000 years ago. This animal distributed in four north eastern states of Arunachal, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, bedsides India this animal found in Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Western Yunan of China and Malaysia in less numbers.

Mithun (Bos frontalis) is often referred to as - "The cattle of mountains" "Forest asset of Manipur", "Pride of the north east", "Pride of the hill people of Manipur", "ceremonial ox of the north east" forest loving animals', "The ship of highland", and is a good example of integration of agro-ecology, sustenance livelihood, culture and livestock rearing; it is known to be a symbols of status and prosperity, peace and harmony among the tribal people of North East India. This animal is well adapted with humid climate and hilly terrain at an altitude of 300 to 3000m above mean sea level. Mithun owners keep this animal in the jungle through the year and allow breeding naturally by using the bull of their own herd.

Description: Mithun is strong built magnificent ruminant in the size of medium to large. The overall shape of this animal is comparable with domesticated cattle or buffalo. Mithun is similar in appearance to gaur except in size and horn. The size is smaller and the horns are more or less straight unlike gaur. The animal has a huge head, deep massive body and sturdy limbs. The forehead is broad and concave. Breadth between the eyes ranges approximate in between 9-10 inches in adults.

The animal has no hump above the dorsal ridge but the ball has an exuberance of flesh immediately over the shoulder. It has broad ears and small dewlap. The length of ears ranges approx. from 9" to 10 "inches adults. The legs and tails are shorter than those of cows. The horns are straight more or less and are either black and white. The horns of young ones are smooth and polished but in adults, the horns are rugged and indented at the base. The length of the horns in adults ranges from 14- 15 cm.

The neck is short and length varies from 20 – 21 cm in adults. Its average body weight ranging from 400 – 500kg in 4 to 5 years, it has different colors mostly black and white and mixes maximum life span about 15 years. It is semi wild type produce calf one in a year. Mithun is herbivorous animal eating 188 kinds grasses, tree leaves, herbs and shrubs in the forest. Currently, farmers rear this animal under free-grazing system in forests.

Mithun is an extremely efficient grazer on steep hilly slopes compared to other animals. Mithun are essentially hilly animals and they come down to lower altitudes except in quest of pasture because they never prefer plain areas. They come out for grazing in the morning and graze till the evening. During hot hours, extreme cold or cloudy day, they retire in their shelter and seclusion of the forest.

Mithuns have the habit of liking salt that why easy for domesticated, Mithuns are shy and timid animals by nature. The colors of adults Mithun is black white the shank and forehead are white in colour. White colored Mithun are found rarely. Animals with white parches in an around the ridge and belly are also commonly encountered. A newly born calf is generally light golden yellow which soon changes to fawn, then to light brown and ultimately to coffee or jet black in adults. Mithuns are semi-wild in nature. They are well adapted to the hilly terrains at varying degree of slopes.

The Mithun are sure footed animals in the hilly region. They can climb easily in sloppy, steep terrain unlike domestic animals such as buffalo, cattle, etc. The animals roam in forest for moths together and sometimes, the owner goes to locate them. They are found to thrive well on fodder available in the hills in the form of tree leaves, shrubs and grasses. They are known to utilize the coarse fodders which are left unconsumed by other ruminants. Mithun are not close grazers like cattle but browsing in nature like goat. The peculiar characteristic of this rare animal is its ability of grazing on the steep slopes of hilly areas of the state.

Mithun has an important role in the socio-economic, cultural and religious life of the tribal people of Manipur. It is one of the underutilized animals but has got tremendous potential especially meat production. This animal is basically raised as ceremonial animal and used to be sacrifice for meat during festival and social ceremonies by tribal people. Tribal people also use for bridal gift and in barter trade. The animal is reared by the tribal only in the hilly regions mainly for meat purposes and is considered as a sign of prosperity and superiority of an individual in the tribal society of the state.

The animals are sacrificed in the marriage ceremonies, religious function or big feast. The animals are also offered as the prices of bride by the bridegroom's family to the bride's family however due to the unavailability of mithun bridegroom family paid in term of money which is contrary and threaten tribal beautiful culture. The currency value of mithun varies from one region to other, it spoken as currency because of their being present in the value system and being used in exchange of land. Mithun are also employ in payment for ransom, tribute, fine or bride price.

Having Mithun was and is regarded prosperous family in the tribal societies. Mithun meat his highly preferred and well relished as traditional delicacy among the tribal people, people considered mithun meet as more tender and superior over the meat of any other species. Higher growth rate (450-600) gram/day) and high adult body weight (400- 600 kg) with high dressing percentage of 58 – 62 compare to those of cattle and buffalo make mithun a better meat producing animal in north east. They can attain body weight of 400-550 Kg by the age of 3-5 years.

The livelihood of the people in Manipur is mainly on livestock based; development of an organized system for production and marketing mithun meat may change the socio economic scenario of Manipur. Earlier mithun milk was not considered as a part of food habit of the tribal people but it is normal milking of mithun milk, it milk is highly nutritious, it produces approximately 1 to 1.5 kg of milk per day. Mithun milk is very rich in fat, protein; one kg of mithun milk has nutrients and energy value which is almost equivalent to two kg of cow milk. Mithun milk is rich in nutrients and therefore for human consumption. Mithun milk is highly suitable for making different diary product like lassi, curd, ghee, barfi, rasgulla, etc. One litre of mithun milk yields about 400 to 450 gram of high panner.

There exists further scope for technological interventions to produce certain other diary product like cheese as mithun milk is rich in protein. Mithun hide can be processed and converted into valued added excellent quality leather. NRC on mithun in collaboration with Government College of Engineering and Leather Technology, Kolkata has produced superior quality of leather from mithun hide. Mithun hide processed with intact hair is an excellent stuff for sofa outer cover.

The Bag leather process from mithun hide is much superior compared to that of cattle. NRC has produce different leather product like executive bag, ladies purse, wallet, shoes etc. Therefore mithun hide is potential raw material in the crisis riddled hide market. It is very potential source of meat and can also be used as a draught and pack animal due to its sure – footedness on the steep slopes. Mithun animal is not like wild carnivorous type and nor religious animal like cow its meat consumption may not be effect to the belief of non tribal in India, it meat may replace the present meat varieties which are easily effected by various flu's.

Its meat is high demand due to its high quality and delicacy but due to its less population the demand from the local market is yet to be fulfilled. When it will be possible to increase the population of mithun through scientific rearing and community farming, the demand of market may be fulfilled with more availability of meat and meat product from this animal. This will help the farmers to get more income from high quality hides the mithun possessed.

Upliftment of socio – economic status of the farmer can be attained through mithun farming. Looking at the diversity of this animal in terms of utility among tribal farmers, adaptability, quality of meat, thrive on coarse fodders, grazing on steep hills, there is ample scope for the improvement and utilization of this species of animal for the benefit of human beings Intensive plantation programme of nutritious fodder and edible trees will be taken up for generous feeding of the mithuns. The animals will be encouraged to live in the green forages and fodders as they have been doing under natural grazing system.

Mithun rearing alternative for jhuming cultivation- The main occupation of tribal's is jhuming cultivation, shifting cultivation is thought to be one of the major contributing factors for reduced available forest area in Manipur. Jhum is generally practiced by all tribal population that accounts 80% in the mithun rearing state. In this system of cultivation there is rotation in land use between long fallow periods with forest, followed by short cropping phase. With the increase of human population the fallow period of 1- 3 years jhuming may not survive in long term due to increasing population thereby less availability of forests that bound to shorten the jhum cycle, hence bringing about continuous deterioration of soil fertilities and ecological balances.

To maintain biodiversity, forest conservation is an important steps and mithun being a component of forest base production system, it needs to strengthened by incorporating some other component with it to make it a viable and sustainable forest based integrated farming. For this we need to develop water bodies for fish culture. The forest area can be explored for orchid and other valuable timber and fodder trees for supporting the poor farmers with sustainable income. This will also to help in conserve the forest by discouraging destruction.

Therefore conservation of biodiversity will largely depend on creating condition to revert to traditional long fallow jhuming through finding suitable alternative to jhuming, or a combination of both. For example, the Government of Nagaland is presently discouraging jhum cultivation and has identified the unique economic contribution of mithun as alternative to jhuming cultivation which would also directly or indirectly prevent global warming. Mithun also help to conserve some rare plant species having medicinal plant species only in mithun rearing areas.

Mithun was reared in semi domesticated condition in the jungle. They keep them under free grazing conditions in the jungles with zero expenditure on feeding and management. No housing and feeding of concentrate are required because they can fully depend on natural forages and green vegetation which are abundantly available in the jungles. So far, nothing was done for large scale development of mithun in hill areas of Manipur. If attention is given towards the development of this massive neglected animal, it can become income generative and alternative to the jhuming cultivation, now the hill tribal who are primarily jhuming cultivators could not produce crops sufficient for sustenance for their families due to decreased soil fertility following deforestation, erosion of soil and increased population etc.

The average annual income of jhumea is Rs, 10,000/- - 20,000/- approximately. As they could not depend on jhuming cultivation, they are now looking for an alternative means for earning their livelihood. Meanwhile, many farmers look for animal husbandry like pig rearing, cattle rearing and mithun rearing for self employment and for earning their livelihood. The cost of grown up mithun under prevailing rate is Rs. 40,000/- to Rs, 45,000/- only per animal which is more than the average annual income of the jhumea.

One female mithun can produce 14 mithuns in 13 to 14 years amounting of 4 lakhs and if 10 mithun rear then it may reach to 40,00,000/- in ten years and if we reared 20 mithuns then amount will double ie, 80,00,000/- As such, many farmers come to realized profitability and feasibility of mithun rearing, and it will be the right time for the government to intervene for the exploration and popularization of a mithun rearing among the inhabitant of Manipur hill areas for our pride, security, economic, nutritional and food security.

In spite of the wide scope for Mithun rearing and its economic viability, Mithun rearing was not popularized as it could be and it is rather on its declining trend for the following reasons:

• Lack of proper planning and development programme which hindered production of better germplasm for propagation and improvement of indigenous Mithuns.
  
  
• Lack of awareness on the part of the farmers regarding the profitability of Mithun rearing and over emphasizing on jhuming cultivation which, however, is no more productive and profitable than Mithun rearing.
  
  
• Lack of purchasing powers and capital fund by the poor villagers for purchase of breeding Mithuns.
  
  
• Massive deforestation which has been going on over the years due to population pressure.
  
  

• To conserve and promote the germplasm of semi domesticated mithun in their natural habitat with the maximum participation of village based farmers for socio-economic development of the hill people of Manipur.
  
  
• To tame semi wild natured mithun by grooming, patting, salt feeding, milking etc. and making it economic animal for production of milk and meat.
  
  
• To produce maximum numbers of improved breeding stock of mithun for distribution to increased farmers for rearing.
  
  
• To motivate the farmers for taking up large scale mithun rearing for replacement of jhuming cultivation which is unprofitable and destructive to the forest? It will help in a big way to maintain ecological balance as well.
  
  
• To organize awareness campaigns and impart training to the farmers on economic rearing and management of mithuns.
  
  
• To establish as many as possible mithun shelter cantre in the jungle adjacent to the village where mithuns are on free range conditions.
  
  

• Identification of actual numbers of mithun population and village based mithun reader's problems and formation of action plan for their remedial measures.
  
  
• Plantation of nutritious grasses, herbs, shrubs and edible trees for onwards feeding to the animals.
  
  
• Formation of village based mithun reader's co-operative society which will be linked up with district and state level mithun readers federation.
  
  
• Improvement of marketing facilities and maintenance of uniform selling rate of mithun and its products.
  
  
• Routine vaccination of mithun against common diseases like F.M.D., H.S.&B.Q. etc. And proper risk coverage under livestock insurance policy.
  
  
• Holding of awareness campaigns for scientific rearing of mithun and organization of local farmers training and if need be deputation of batches of farmers to
• National Research Centers of Mithun outside Manipur to acquire more practical knowledge for economic and scientific rearing of mithun.