Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) on Thursday received registration certificates from ICAR for its two newly registered pig breeds named Banda and Purnea.

Since the registration of any animal breed is essential for further research work and policy making by the government, now decks are clear for the conservation and promotion of these important breeds.

Notably, in Jharkhand pig rearing is very popular among farmers. Jharkhand has the second largest population of pigs (12.8 Lakh, as per census 2019) next to Assam. However, there was no registered pig breed earlier.

The certificates were presented by Dr BN Tripathi, Dy Director General (Animal Science), ICAR; Abhijit Mitra, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, GoI; Dr BP Mishra, Director, NBAGR Karnal; and Akla Nagina Arora, Special Secretary, ICAR at a special function at ICAR headquarters Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar participated in the programme online.

The two Jharkhand pig breeds namely Purnea and Banda, registered/discovered by Dr Ravindra Kumar, Scientist, Dept of Livestock Production and Management (LPM) after about a decade of extension research are very popular among farmers mainly because of low maintenance/rearing cost and is very compatible for rearing under extensive/scavenging system of management.

Sources have claimed that pig rearing is not only the backbone of rural farmers but also provides nutritional security to the farmers. Dr Sushil Prasad, Chairman, Dept of LPM, BAU and Dr Santanu Banik, Principal Scientist, National Research Centre (NCR) on Pig, Guwahati were the co-applicants for registration of the Banda breed while Dr Banik and Dr Shivanand Kanshi, Veterinary Officer, Govt of Jharkhand were co-applicants for registration of Purnea breed.

Application for registration of these pigs, having distinct peculiarities from other recognized pig breeds were sent to ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal (NBAGR) and finally registered. Previously these breeds were considered desi/local pigs. With these two registrations, the total registered breed of pigs in India has now become 11.

Scientists have claimed that Banda breed pigs are mainly found in Ranchi, Chatra, Hazaribagh, Koderma, Giridih, Ramgarh, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Gumla, Lohardagga, Simdega, Pakur, Bokaro, Dhanbad districts. This small-size, black-colour, small-snout, disease-resistant and hardy breed is very active and well-adaptable under agro-climatic conditions of Jharkhand. Annual growth of this breed was observed to be 20-30 kg with litter size 3-5 in one farrowing.

Meanwhile, the Purnea breed of Pigs is found in the Santhal Pargana region of Jharkhand along with north Bihar districts Purnea and Katihar. This breed has medium body size and black colour. The hairs are straight and long in the neck region and the snout is long in size. Hairs of this breed are also utilized for making brushes. This breed is mainly reared under an extensive/scavenging system of management. Net income from the rearing of one pig is approx Rs. 10000-12000 per year without significant input cost.