Semi-Intensive mithun farming is the alternative means for doubling the income for the mithun farmers.

1. Jayanta Kumar Chamuah, Senior Scientist
Sapunii Stephen Hanah, Senior Scientist
Kobu Khate, Chief Technical officer
L. Sunitibala Devi, Scientist
ICAR-NRC on Mithun, Nagaland
MITHUN FARMING
A boon for tribal people

2. Mithun rearing scenario under free range
forest ecosystem
 Left at mercy of nature with
zero input and more organic
 Occasional Salt Lick
 Loss of animal due to predator
 Conflict with crop/horticultural
activity
 Requires huge community forest
land-which is steadily deceasing
 Impossible to monitor and
implement scientific management
tools (vaccination)
 No breeding record/ Inbreeding

3. Semi-intensive system of mithun rearing
Less space requirement
Scope for diversified use of
mithun for meat, milk, hides
and draught purposes
Better nutrient
supplementation and
increase in productivity
Animal identification is
easier
Regular monitoring of
animal growth, health,
breeding and reproduction
Reduce incidence of
predator attack on calf

4. Water
Animal
crate
Basic components for developing Semi-intensive rearing system

5. Identification: Broadly 3 methods
• Relevance of technology
 Prevent ownership dispute
 Maintenance of individual accurate
record
 Proper health record
 Ear notching
 Ear tagging
 Chips implantation

6. Mithun as a source of Meat and Milk
Mithun meat:
• Composition of mithun meat muscle (%):
Protein:14-19; Crude fat: 0.4 -3.5; Carb: 0.4 -
4.9
• Higher dressing percentage than cattle: 58.82±
0.62 vs 55.96 ± 0.60 (On similar level of
feeding)
• Mithun meat is leaner (12.93±1.89 vs 28.47±
1.09 kg fat) and more tender than beef
• Developed value added meat products (patties
and nuggets)
Particulars
(%)
Mithun Cow Buffalo Goat Sheep Yak Huma
n
Fat 10.2 4.4 8.0 3.5 6.0 7.2 3.6
Protein 6.8 3.4 4.5 3.1 5.4 5.3 1.8
Lactose 4.6 4.8 4.9 4.4 5.1 5.0 6.8
Total Solids 21.6 12.6 17.4 11.0 16.5 17.5 12.2
SNF 11.4 8.2 9.4 7.5 9.5 10.3 8.6
Ash 0.9 0.7 0.8 0.8 1.0 0.9 0.1
Mithun milk:
 Mithun milk composition and its comparison
with other species has been characterized
 Developed value added milk products
(paneer, lassi, dahi, and rasgolla)

7. Mithun Hide as Leather
• Mithun hides are consumed as a delicacy, among some tribes
though it’s non-nutritious
• Mithun leather is soft and having better body and roundness, a
potential raw materials for the leather industry
• Mithun leather is better than cattle leather
Popularizing the use of mithun hide for making leather products

8. Mithun as draught animal
Mithun as draught animal
 Exploring of Mithun as a draught animal in the higher altitude (up to
3000mSL) where other livestock or mechanical means may not be
feasible.
 Mithuns are conditioned and trained in the institute farm regularly
for estimating its draught capability
 Preliminary estimation of the power of the trained Mithun bull has
been done based on the draft and walking speed of the animals.

9. Fig : Photographs showing FMD lesions in Mithun
FMD in Mithun (Bos frontalis)

10. MITHUN
AFFECTED WITH
FMD

11. Disease control
Disease
 1. Foot and Mouth Disease
(FMD)
 2. Hemorrhagic Septicemia
(HS)
Remedies
 Protected by vaccination at
six monthly interval
 Protected by annual
vaccination
Vaccines for cattle & buffaloes are equally effective in
Mithuns and are readily available at affordable price
ICAR-NRC on Mithun as well as State agencies are doing
the routine vaccinations.
Mithun Health Calendar developed by ICAR-NRCM
Regular deworming of the animals

12. Health calendar for better health and Prevention of diseases

13. List of commonly used Anthelmintics
Sl. No. Anthelmintic Used against Dose (mg or ml / kg body wt.) Route
1 Tetramisole Round worm 7.5mg S/C ly
2 Levamisole Round worm 7.5 mg S/C ly
3 Pyrantel Tapeworm 10mg Orally
4 Morantel Broad spectrum 10-20 mg Orally
5
Benzimidazole
group
Broad spectrum 7-15 mg Orally
6 Niclosamide
Fluke
infestation
90 mg S/C ly
7 Oxyclozanide
Fasciolosis
Amphistomiasis
10mg Orally
8 Triclabendazole Fasciolosis 9 mg Orally
9 Ivermectin Broad spectrum 0.02ml S/C ly
10 Doramectin Broad spectrum 0.02ml S/C ly

14. Activities of Animal Health
Scientist attending vaccination
programme at Porba village
Outreach technology injection
programme at Thevpfisu village
Scientist with farmers
interaction at Thevpfisu village
Medication at forest

15. THANK
YOU