Red Chittagong Cattle (RCC)

IDF has started a research project on the ‘Preservation, Development and Expansion of Red Chittagong Cattle’ and thereby generating sustainable income and employment opportunity for the poor people with the technical and financial assistance of Palli Karma-Shahayak Foundation (PKSF) in November 2014.

Red Chittagong cattle are one of the renowned varieties of cattle livestock in the world. It is indigenous and most potential type of domestic animal genetic resource in Bangladesh. It is one of the improved and promising varieties of cattle in the country. This variety is now at the stage of extinct. It is mainly originated in the greater Chittagong district of southern Bangladesh. It is found throughout the district, especially in Satkania, Anawara, Raozan, Hathazari, Chandanaish and Patiya upazilas.

RCC differ from other indigenous breeds by their red coat color. The color is deep red to light brick-red to yellowish red to whitish red. The color of other parts of the body like horn, hoof, ears, eyeball, eyebrow, vulva and tail switch are also red.

Special features of RCC

  • Immune of RCC is much higher than the other variety of cattle.

  • Breeding and rearing of RCC are not expensive. Farmers can rear it in local environment with local feeds.

  • Good reproductive performance (one calf per year).

  • Fat contents in meat is lower than the other variety of cattle.

  • The average lactation length of RCC 242 days.

  • Lactation milk yield 960-1450 liter.

  • Daily milk yield 4-6 liter.

  • Average weight at birth 15 kg.

  • Weaning weight 47.04 kg,

  • Age at weaning is 8 months.

The main objectives of this project are:

  • Preserve and protect this variety;

  • Develop and expand RCC in the country;

  • Provide practical training to people on RCC;

  • Establish Demonstration Farm;

  • Supply pure variety of RCC to farmers;

  • Generate sustainable income and employment for the poor;

  • Meet the demand of milk in the country.

  • Create a quality parent stock.

  • Provide technical and financial support to people for rearing RCC.

  • Establish an Institute on RCC in the long-run.

The present status of this project is as follows:

  • Established a Demonstration Farm with one of maternity shade, one training room, one store room, machinery room, one A1-Chute, one labour room and one quarantine.

  • Demonstration farm has 25 Red Chittagong Cattle.

  • Cultivated improved Napier grass in 2 acres of land.

  • Established 2 vermi compost production units.

  • Project has 1 University Livestock graduate, 1 Para vet and 3 workers and part time trainer and researchers from the Government Department and Veterinary University in Chittagong.

  • Provided training to 125 people and distributed 80 RCC.

The Project has started contributing in meeting nutrition deficiency through supplying milk and meat. It will contribute in the economy through generating sustainable employment and income for the poor families. IDF has plan in the long run to establish an Institute on RCC.