Gongshan Gayal

Gongshan Gayal

　　Gongshan Gayal is a specialty product from the Dulongjiang area of Gongshan County in the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Also known as Dulong Cattle, it is a valuable semi-wild, semi-domesticated beef cattle breed. Its coat is black or dark brown, while the lower parts of its limbs are white. The animal has a tall, robust build with well-developed muscles rising from the shoulders to the center of the back, thick and full-bodied. Its horns extend horizontally on both sides and then curve slightly upward. It has short, sturdy legs and compact hooves. Adult cattle typically weigh around 440 kilograms and are primarily raised for their meat, which is tender in texture.

　　Dulong Cattle, formerly known as Gayal, was listed in the National Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Conservation Directory in 2006. It is one of the seven surviving species within the genus Bos globally and an independent bovine species within the yellow cattle group. It belongs to a local beef cattle breed.

　　The central production area of Dulong Cattle is Dulongjiang Township in Gongshan County, Nujiang Prefecture. Possessing the physique and fierce appearance and habits of wild cattle, it has a sturdy constitution, well-proportioned structure, high tolerance to cold and coarse feed, strong meat production performance, and remarkable adaptability and resilience.

　　Dulong Cattle (Mythun) is one of the seven surviving species within the genus Bos globally, and one of the six bovine species in Yunnan Province. It holds significant taxonomic importance as a local beef cattle breed and is also one of the endangered breeds on Earth. Originating from the Dulongjiang area of Gongshan County, Yunnan Province, Dulong Cattle is distributed across the Dulongjiang and Nujiang River basins in Nujiang Prefecture, Yunnan, as well as in the mountainous regions above 1,500 meters elevation in Assam (India), Bhutan, eastern Bangladesh, and northern Myanmar’s Kachin State. As a semi-wild, semi-domesticated breed, it holds a distinct taxonomic status as an independent species (Bos frontalis) within the Bos genus of the Bovinae subfamily. In China, Dulong Cattle is a breed uniquely domesticated by the Derung people, who call it “Abu,” meaning “large and wild.” The term “Dulong Cattle” comes from the Lisu language word “Qu’ani,” translated in Chinese as “Dulong Niu” or “Dulong Cattle.”

　　Over the years, with strong attention and support from national, provincial, and regional authorities, the conservation efforts for Dulong Cattle in Gongshan County have focused on breeding high-quality livestock, primarily in the native Dulongjiang Township, while expanding conservation and breeding along the Nujiang River. This has helped enhance the supply capacity of breeding stock. Since being discovered during the national livestock and poultry genetic resources survey in the early 1980s, more than 20 years of dedicated conservation work have taken place. The population has grown from just 77 at risk of extinction to 2,028 today—an increase of nearly 20 times. In 2006, the Jiumudang Dulong Cattle Breeding Farm in Gongshan County obtained a livestock and poultry breeding operation permit issued by the Yunnan Provincial Department of Agriculture.