Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Manda buffalo, a species of buffalo found in the hill ranges of Eastern Ghats and plateau of Koraput region of Odisha, has been recognised as a breed at the national level by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR)-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR).
BP Mishra, Director of ICAR-NBAGR stated in a letter written to the director of Odisha Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department that he is pleased to inform him that the ICAR Breed Registration Committee in its meeting held on August 16, 2021, has approved the registration of Manda buffalo as a breed.
According to the reports, the buffalo species, having ash grey and grey coat with copper-coloured hair, received accession number ‘India_Buffalo_1500_Manda_01019’ to become the 19th recognized buffalo breed in India. The State Animal Husbandry Department and Odisha University Of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) have jointly studied the germplasm of the buffalo which is termed as the rare species of buffalo that is resistant to parasitic infections and they are less prone to diseases due to high immunity. Similarly, the reproduction capacity of this species of buffalo is very good.
