Children looking at the statue of famous Ongole bulls at a park, installed as part of city beautification on the occasion of 57th Prakasam district formation day, in Ongole on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: KOMMURI SRINIVAS
The famed Ongole bull breed, once used for demanding agricultural tasks such as ploughing and cart-pulling, now faces the threat of extinction due to increasing mechanisation. The breed has also been known as a cost-intensive and labour-intensive option for ages.
The “Ongole brand” was once so renowned that raising the breed became a symbol of pride for industrialists, doctors, and politicians. Today, however, the cattle are valued mainly for display purposes—as showpieces at political events or in competitions organised by the State, said the locals.
“Ongole cattle used to be famous for drought pulling, milk and beef (abroad). However, the introduction of exotic breeds helped the dairy industry flourish, which led to dwindling of Ongole breed’s numbers,” noted renowned ophthalmologist Chunchu Chalamaiah, who used own Ongole cattle.
Meanwhile, the Ongole Municipal Corporation has installed statues of Ongole bull across the city as part of a beautification project, marking 57th Prakasam District Formation Day on February 02, 2026.
Published – February 01, 2026 09:04 pm IST
