These have been classified as one species, Bos taurus, with three subspecies: Bos taurus primigenius(aurochs-extinct), Bos taurus indicus(zebu cattle), and Bos taurus taurus(taurine cattle).
INDIGENOUS CATTLE BREEDS OF INDIA
This is a list of the cattle breeds considered in India to be wholly or partly of Indian origin. Cows from these breeds are often called deshi cows.
DRAUGHT BREEDS
They are exclusively meant for pulling carts and ploughing fields. They are well-built. The bulls are used for draught works.
AMRIT MAHAL
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Other name : Doddadana, Jawari Dana
Native : Karnataka
Characteristic :
- The breed is usually having shades of grey, varying from almost white to nearly black with white grey markings.
- The head is well shaped, long and tapering towards the muzzle.
- The forehead bulges out slightly, and is narrow and forrowed in the middle.
- The horns emerge from the top to the poll, fairly close together in an upward and backward direction and terminate in sharp points.
- The ears are small and taper to a point.
HALLIKAR
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Other name : Mysore
Native : Karnataka
Characteristic :
- The compact muscular and medium sized animals.
- The horns emerge in proximity to each other near the top of the poll.
- The horns are carried backward, straight for nearly half their length and then with the forward bend.
- Dewlap is thin and moderately developed.
- The colour is grey to dark grey.
KANGAYAM
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Other name : Kanganad, kongu
Native : Tamil Nadu
Characteristic :
- Coat colour is red at birth, but changes to grey at about 6 month of age.
- Bulls are grey with dark colour in hump, fore and hind quarters. Cows are grey or white or grey.
- The horns are spread apart, nearly straight with a slight curve backward.
- The eyes are dark and prominent with black rings around them.
- The dewlap is thin. The sheath is well tucked up to the body.
KHILLARI
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Other name : Mandeshi, Shikari
Native : Karnataka and maharastra
Characteristic :
- The breed closely resembles Hallikar.
- They are white in colour.
- The forehead is long and with a convex bulge towards the horns with a distinct groove running in the centre of the forehead.
- Horns are thick at the base taper to a fine point.
- Khillari bullocks are regarded as fast and powerful draught animals.
ALAMBADI
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Native : Tamil Nadu (Dharmapuri district)
Characteristic :
- Alambadi bulls are dark grey, almost black and cows grey or white.
- They have the typical backward curving horns of mysore type cattle.
- They are active, useful draught animals.
PULIKULAM
Native : Tamil Nadu (Madurai district)
Characteristic :
- Selected bulls are utilized as jallicut or bull baiting purposes.
- Some bulls are grey in colour with fawn marking on the head, shoulder or hump and the switch is brown.
- They are comparatively small, but active and capable of much endurance.
- This is a quick trotting (5-6 miles per hour) breed.
- These animals depend extensively on forest grazing.
BARGUR
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Native : Tamil nadu (Erode district)
Characteristic :
- Bargur cattle are of brown colour with white markings, some white or dark brown animals are also seen.
- Animals are well built, compact and medium in size.
- Muzzle is moderate and black in colour.
- Horns are light brown colour, moderate length, closer at the roots inkling backwards, outwards and upwards with a forward curve and sharp at the tip.
- This breed is unsurpassed in speed and endurance in trotting.
UMBLACHERRY
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Native : Tamil Nadu (Tanjur district)
Characteristic :
- Umblacherry claves are generally red or brown at the birth with all the characteristic white marking on the face, on the limbs and tail.
- The colour changes to grey at about 6 month of age. In adult female, the predominant coat colour is grey with white marking on the face and legs.
- All the legs below hocks have white marks either socks or stockings.
- Horns are very small, curving outwards and inwards, sometimes spreading laterally.
MALVI
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Native : Madhya Pradesh
Characteristic :
- They are massive built and in some respect resemble Kangrej.
- Well known for quick transportation, endurance and ability to carry heavy load on rough roads.
- White or white greyish in colour.
- Horns are curved, emerge from outward angle of the poll in an outward and upward direction.
KHERIGARH
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Native : Uttar Pradesh
Characteristic :
- These animals are very active good for light draught and trotting.
- The hump is well developed in bulls.
- Animals have white coat colour.
- Horns are upstanding, curving outward and upward.
DAIRY BREEDS
The cows of this group are high milk yielders with extended lactation periods. The bullocks are of poor draught qualities.
GIR
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Other name : Bhodali, Kathiawari
Native : Gujarat
Characteristic :
- Gir cows are good milkers.
- Protruding, board and long forehead and pendulous frontward turned ears are the peculiar features.
- Popular colour is white with dark red or chocolate brown patches all over the body.
- Brazil has evolved a strain called Indubrasil, which is a cross between gir and kankrej.
RED SINDHI
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Native : Karachi and Hyderabad districts of pakistan
Characteristic :
- Red sindhi are small in size and are very good milkers
- The colour is red with the shades varying from dark red to light.
- Horns are thick at the base and emerge laterally and curve upward.
- Hump is well developed in males.
- Dewlap and sheath are pendulous.
- Udder is capacious and pendulous.
SAHIWAL
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Native : Punjab and Rajasthan
Characteristic :
- It is the best breed of the Indian Subcontinent.
- It is comparatively heavy breed with symmetrical body and loose skin.
- The colour is reddish dun or pale red.
- Muzzle colour is lighter than Red Sindhi.
- Muzzle and eye lashes are lighter in nature.
- Naval flap is loose and hanging. sheath in males is also pendulous.
DEONI
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Other name : Dongarpati, Dongri
Native : Karnataka and Maharashtra
Characteristic :
- Bullocks are suitable for heavy cultivation.
- Body colour is usually spotted black and white.
- Drooping ears, prominent and slightly bulging forehead.
- Horns emerge from the side of the poll behind and above the eyes in outward and upward direction.
DANGI
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Native : Gujarat and maharashtra
Characteristic :
- They are usually broken red and white or black and white colour.
- The animals are medium size and with deep bodies.
- Head is usually small with slightly protruding forehead.
- Muzzle is large, ears are small and the horns are short and thick.
DUAL PURPOSE BREEDS
HARIYANA
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Other name : Hansi
Native : Haryana
Characteristic :
- Prominent dual purpose of North India.
- Body is proportionate, moderately long and compact in appearance.
- The head is carried high and their horns are short, curving upwards and inwards.
- A prominent bony prominence at the centre of the poll is considered typical breed character.
- Dewlap is small and hump is well developed in male animals.
- White are grey in colour.
KRISHNA VALLEY
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Other name : Kistna valley
Native : Karnataka and Maharashtra
Characteristic :
- This is a heavy draught breed.
- Massive body and distinct bulge in the forehead.
- Common colour is grey-white with a darker shade on fore and hind quarter in males.
- Horns are curved and usually emerge in an outward direction from the outer angles of the poll curving slightly upward and inward.
ONGOLE
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Other name : Nellore
Native : Andhra pradesh
Characteristic :
- Ongole cattle are large sized animals with loosely knit frames and long body.
- Their limbs are long and muscular.
- Forehead is broad between the eyes.
- Hump in males is well grown and erect.
- Predominant colour is white with dark grey markings on face.
KANKREJ
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Other name : Wadhiar
Native : Gujarat
Characteristic :
- Kankrej is the heaviest of the Indian breeds of cattle.
- Animals have powerful body with board chest, straight back and a well developed hump.
- Forehead is comparatively large and slightly dished in the centre.
- Face is shore with slightly upturned nose.
- Colour is silver grey to iron grey.
THARPARKAR
BULL
Other name : Thari, White Sindhi, Grey Sindhi
COW
Native : Gujarat and Rajasthan
Characteristic :
- Tharparkar is one of the dual purpose breed of India.
- These animal have a deep, strongly built and medium sized body.
- Their limbs are short, straight and strong with firm joints.
- Forehead is board and flat or slightly convex above the eyes.
- Ears are long, board and semi-pendulous.
RATHI
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Other name : Rath
Native : Rajasthan
Characteristic :
- Medium sized, powerful animals adapted moderately for heavy for heavy ploughing and road work.
- The animals are usually brown with white patches all over the body.
- Horns are curving outward, upward and inward.
GAOLAO
BULL
Other name : Arvi
COW
Native : Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra
Characteristic :
- The breed closely resembles Ongole breed.
- The face is slightly convex in profile and long coffin shaped skull.
- They are white in colour.
- These animals are essentially draught animals.
EXOTIC BREEDS OF CATTLE
In order to improve the milk yielding capacity of the indigenous cows, exotic cattle breeds have been extensively used in India. Some of them are:
JERSEY
Native : Island of Jersey, U.K.
Characteristic :
- Because of their small and compact size they are more suitable for cross-breeding with zebu cattle.
- The typical colour of Jersey cattle is reddish fawn.
- Dished forehead and compact and angular body.
- These are economical producers of milk with 5.3% and 7% SNF.
- The highest record of milk yield 113821 kg and fat 544 kg in alaction period of 365 days
HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN
Native : Nertherland
Characteristic :
- Ther are ruggedly built and they possess large udder.
- They are the largest dairy breed and mature cows weigh as much as 700kg.
- They have typical marking of back and white that make them easily distinguishable.
- The average milk production of cow is 6000 to 7000 kg per lactation. However, the fat content in their milk is rather low (3.45 percent).
- Highest milk producer in the world.
BROWN SWISS
Native : Swizerland
Characteristic :
- It is rather les refined than other dairy breeds, but is famous in its home tract for its rugged nature and good milk production.
- In spite of its ruggedness the animal is quite docile and easily manageable.
RED DANE
Native : Denmark
Characteristic :
- The typical body colour of this Danish breed is red, reddish brown or even dark brown.
- It is also a heavy breed; mature males weighing upto 950kg and mature female weigh 600kg.
- The lactation yield of Red Dane cattle varies from 3000 to 4000kg with a fat content of 4 percent and above.
AYRSHIRE
Native : Scotland
Characteristic :
- These are very active animals but hard to manage.
- They do not produce much milk or butter (only 4%0 as some of the other dairy breeds.
- The colour ranges from orange to a dark brown, with or without colored legs.
- Most beautiful cattle in the world.
GUERNSEY
Native : Island of Guernsey(France)
Characteristic :
- It is less rugged than Holstein but more rugged than Jersey.
- The udders are less symmetrical than those off Jersey maximum yield recorded were 12,954 kg and butter fat (5%) 556kg in 365 days.
- Golden colour milk is the special feature in the breed.
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