Cattle : NADUDANA

Australian Status:

Country of origin: Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) and southern India.

International status: unknown

Arrived in Australia: 1995

Australian Population: 155 cows, 2019.

2022: total pop. max 30 animals - estimate 19 cows. From breeder stats on their breed organisation page (no contacts at all on the site to ascertain). Possibly some elsewhere info welcome.

History: Pronounced Nar-dar-nah. Nineteen of these cattle were first brought to Australia in 1995. They came from America where a small, pure population had existed from zoo specimens taken there in the 1920's. NZ imported four from Australia in 2009.

A very old breed, possibly thousands of years, certainly many centuries. Probably the oldest small breed in the world, and perhaps the oldest altogether. They are thought to have developed from cattle taken to Sri Lanka about 3,000 years ago. As Hindu regarded cattle as sacred, smaller beasts were less costly to keep and were ideal to be kept at temples. They were eaten only on special sacrificial occasions. Many smallholders also meant smaller cattle were ideal. The name is from a Hindu word meaning small cattle.

Racing them in chariots has always been popular in Sri Lanka - no whips are allowed to be used, the animals are run on their merits, encouraged by voice only.

Regarded as rare to extinct in their homeland Sri Lanka due to genetic pollution - outcrossing to western dairy breeds - ironically, Sri Lanka has banned exports too. So those few little pure herds in other countries are important insurance populations.

Breed Traits: Naturally small cattle, also known as miniature cattle. Bos indicus (zebu) with a humped back - however the hump is far less pronounced than on the bigger breeds. The size of the hump gradually increases with age. The hump is muscle, regarded as very good eating. Ears are far smaller than most zebu breeds, and self-supporting, going outward, not drooping.

Vitally for a small breed they are tested for the dwarfism gene - to keep it out of the breed. A genuine small cattle breed. There is a standard measurement for miniature cattle, devised by the International Miniature Cattle Breeders Society (American). Whereas other breeds are measured to the top of the hind quarters, miniature zebu are measured to the back behind the hump (although like many Americans they do not realise zebu are Asian cattle of many diverse breeds - not a single breed - they have Miniature Zebu listed as a breed, as well as an Australian breed which doesn't exist!). All measured at 3 years old. Keeping the dwarfism gene out keeps out a multitude of problems that gene and its mutations cause. The IMCBS does not worry about dwarfism, for this and several other reasons, some mentioned, it is a dubious organisation. The Nadudana is a wonderful old breed free from problems associated with some breeds of miniature cattle.

Used mostly for milking in their country of origin, however also for draught work, meat and their hides. Due to crossing with dairy breeds in Sri Lanka the pure Nadudana is thought lost there now. Globally, the breed is listed as critical. Heights are 107 to below 90 centimetres high.

These cattle thrive on rough herbage, and being small, make a better return per hectare. They are resistant to hot climate parasites. Excellent and protective mothers.  Easy calving. Calves are born with a red cap on their head, which grows into their body coat colour as they mature. Black, creamy white and silvery grey colours are seen. A long lived breed, they are productive into their 20's. Their excellent conversion rate of grass and roughage to meat makes them popular for crossing. In Australia the Nick Huggins Group has made an immense success of this cross, using them basically over Angus.

Highly intelligent they require sensitive handling, and become tractable and docile. They can't be mustered like many old zebu breeds, rather will follow you once they know what is required, helped by a bucket of feed or opening gates etc. They like to remain together, not be separated. Due to their ancient genetic structure, they cannot be used for embryo transplant, so it is critical the breed is fostered. The meat is highly sought after, being very tender and full of flavour. Being fine boned, carcasses yield high meat to bone ratio. Due to a lack of numbers, careful upgrading by breeding out is at times done. The first crosses cannot of course be registered as pure.

Organisation: Nadudana Association of Australia. Website up in 2022.

The International one is for the USA and Canada International Miniature Zebu Association

Additional Notes:

Photo: Lesley Slade's beautiful Nadudana cattle at a show, Queensland, kindly supplied by Lesley.

Page by Janet Lane

updated Aug. 2022

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