The Ponwar is small and compact with frequent white markings on the forehead, dewlap and limbs. Black and white color is often seen in the hill type of cattle and these features are also common in the Ponwar breed. However, the horns are inclined to be lyre-shaped, which may be due to some mixture of the nearby plains cattle. The breed is restricted to a small geographical area of Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh, India.

 

 

Characteristics

The animals of this breed possess a small, narrow face, small ears and big, bright eyes. The forehead is slightly concave and often has white marking. The horns are long, upstanding and lyre-shaped. They measure from 12 to 14 inches in length. 

 

The neck is short and powerful. The barrel is moderately long. The sheath is short and tight. The dewlap is light and thin. The hump is well-developed in bulls but is small in cows. The cows have small and poorly developed udders. The tail is long and tapering with a white switch. 

 

Ponwar cattle are usually black and white; the color markings do not have any particular pattern, but large patches of black and white are intermixed. 

 

The cattle of this breed are active and often fiery-tempered. They are observed to thrive well under free grazing conditions. The bullocks are good for draft purposes. They are quick movers. The animals of this breed are observed to mature late. The cows are poor milkers and are rarely milked even in the flush of their production.

 

 

References

Joshi, N.R., Phillips, R.W. (1953) Zebu Cattle of India and Pakistan, FAO Agriculture Studies No. 19, Publ. by FAO, Rome, 256 pp.