Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Mandya sheep, also known as Bannur or Bandur, is a major mutton-producing breed native to the Mandya district of Karnataka, India.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The Mandya sheep breed is known for its compact, blocky body and excellent meat yield.
Farmers in the Bannur region of Mandya carried out intensive selection for compact conformation, high dressing percentage, and rapid growth.
This highly selected local strain became known as the Bannur (or Bandur) sheep.
It is part of the Mandya breed population but represents a selected line prized for tender, high-quality mutton.
Let us compare this with the other options:
- Nilgiris is a fine-wool breed from the hilly regions of Tamil Nadu.
- Karakul (or Caracul) is a sheep breed famous for producing high-quality lamb pelts, native to Central Asia.
Therefore, Mandya is the correct parental breed.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The selected breed is Mandya.