Mithun Breeding Farm

The Regional Mithun Breeding Farm at Arong is located on the gentle slope at an altitude of 1400. It is 13 km from Dewathang and 31 km from Samdrup Jongkhar along the Trashigang-Samdrupjongkhar highway. The vegetation is warm broad-leaved and is ideal for mithuns.

The Regional Mithun Breeding Farm was established in the year 1977.

The Mithun (Bos frontalis) is known to be nocturnal wanderer reared as high as 3500ft. Its yellow milk with 9.5% fat does not find favour for human consumption. Mithun locally known as Bamey is domesticated form of Gaur (Bos Gauras) locally known as Rilang. The use of mithuns for cross breeding is very common amongst the cattle owners of Bhutan and dates back as early as 17th century.

Mithun, also known as ‘Cattle of Mountain” is an important bovine species of north-eastern hill region of India and also of China, Myanmar, Bhutan and Bangladesh. This magnificent massive bovine is presently reared under free-range condition in the hill forests at an altitude of 1000 to 3000 m above mean sea level. With the dwindling population of Mithun over the years and gradual denudation of free range area along with the biotic and abiotic stress, there is urgent need of scientific intervention for proper management as well as conservation of this beautiful hill animal through implementing an effective conservation program.