BREEDS OF CATTLE

CATTLE AND BUFFALO BREEDS

S.No Type of Breed Breeds Salient characters
I Milch breeds 1.Gir Ponderous in build, pendulous dewlap and sheath
2.Red Sindhi have lateral or curved horns, predominantly red with
3.Sahiwal varying colour pattern

4.Deoni
II Draught breeds 5.Nagori Short horned white or light grey colour, with long coffin
6.Bachur shaped skull and slightly convex profile
7.Kenketha Lyre horned grey with wide forehead, prominent orbital
8.Malvi arches, flat dished profile
9.Kerigarth
10.Hallikar Mysore type – prominent fore head with long pointed
11.Amirthamahal horn raises closer at poll, coffin shaped skull. Grey
12.Khillari colour

13.Kangeyam
14.Bargur
15.Ponwar Short horned or slightly lyre horned small black, red,
16.Siri dun colour
S.No Type of Breed Breeds Salient characters
III General utility 17.Gaolao Short horned white or light grey colour, with
breeds 18.Krishna valley long coffin shaped skull, convex profile

19.Tharparkar Lyre horned grey with wide forehead

20.Kankrej prominent orbital arches, flat or dished
profile
IV Exotic breeds 21.Shorthorn
22.Ayrshires
23.Jersey
24.Brown Swiss
25.Red Dane
26.Guernsey
27.Holstein– Friesian
V Buffalo Breeds 28.Murrah
29.Bhadawari
30.Jaffarabadi
31. Surti
32.Mehsana
33. Nagpuri or Ellichpuri 34. Nili –
MILCH BREEDS - GIR
• Origin: Gir Forests of south
Kathiawar in Gujarat
• white with dark red or chocolate-brown
patches or black or red.
• A broad convex forehead like a bony
shield.
• Long and pendulous ears are folded
like a leaf with a notch at the tip.
• Horns are peculiarly curved, it gives a
‘half moon’ appearance.
• Tail is long and whip like.
• Milk yield ranges from 1200-1800 kg
• Age at first calving 45-54 months and
inter calving period from 515 to 600
days
RED SINDHI
 Origin: Karachi and Hyderabad district of Pakistan.

 Colour is red with shades varying from dark red to light,

strips of white colour also seen on dewlap and on
forehead.

 Head is well proportioned with a occasional bulge on

the forehead

 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.

 Compact frame and dropping quarters.

 Milk yield ranges from 1100-2600 kg

 Age at first calving 39-50 months and inter calving

period from 425-540 days
SAHIWAL
• Origin : Montgomery district in present
Pakistan.
• Synonyms: Lola (loose skin),
• The colour is reddish dun or pale red,
sometimes flashed with white patches
• Heavy bred with symmetrical body and loose
skin. Animals are long, deep, fleshy and
comparatively lethargic.
• Horns are short and stumpy.
• Dewlap is large and heavy.
• Hump in males is massive and frequently falls
on one side.
• Naval flap is loose and hanging. Sheath in
males is also pendulous.
• Tail is long and fine with a black switch
reaching almost to the ground.
• Red Sindhi has dark colour muzzle whereas
Sahiwal has lighter colour muzzle. Sahiwal
has also whitish ring along the eye. Muzzle
and eye-lashes are of lighter colour.
DEONI
• Origin : Marathwada region of Maharashtra
state and adjoining part of Karnataka and
western Andhra Pradesh states.
• Body colour is usually spotted black and
white. Ears are grey-white or complete
white with black pinna.
• Ears are drooping like in Gir and forehead is
prominent and slightly bulged similar to that
of Gir.
• Horns emerge from the sides of the poll
behind and above the eyes.
• Hump is massive and well developed
• Skin is thick, loosely attached with the body.
• Udder is moderately developed.
• Teats are black, cylindrical with rounded tips
and are squarely placed.
• Milk yield ranges from 636 to 1230 kg with
an average of 940 days.
DUAL PURPOSE BREEDS
THARPARKAR
• Origin : Tharparkar district of southeast Sind in
Pakistan.
• Synonyms : White Sindhi, Gray Sindhi, Thari
• Body colour is white or light grey
• Horns are set well apart curving gradually
upward and outward.
• Tharparkar has proved to be one of the best
dual-purpose breeds of India. The bullocks are
quite suitable for ploughing and casting and
the cows are good milch animals (1,800 – 2600
kg).
• Age at first calving ranges from 38-42 months
and inter calving period from 430 to 460 days
HARIANA
 Origin : Rohtak, Hisar, Jind and Gurgaon districts of
Haryana
 White or light grey in colour. In bulls, colour in
between fore and hind quarters is relatively dark or
dark grey.
 Horns are small
 Long and narrow face, flat forehead and well marked
bony prominence at the centre of the poll.
 Udder is capacious and extends well forward with a
well developed milk vein.
 It is one of the most important breeds of cattle in India
as a first class dual-purpose breed.
 The bullocks are good workers.
 Average milk yield 600 to 800 kg per lacation. The
age at first calving is 40-60 months.
KANKREJ
 Origin : Southeast Rann of Kutch of Gujarat and adjoining
Rajasthan (Barmer and Jodhpur district)

 Colour of the animal varies from silver-grey to iron-grey or

steel black. In males forequarters, hindquarters and hump
are slightly darker than the rest of the body.

 Fore head is broad and slightly dished in the centre.

 Face is short ad nose is slightly upturned.

 Ears are large and pendulous and open.

 Horns are lyre shaped fashion. They are covered with skin
to a longer distance as compared to other breeds.

 Kankraj is the most prized breeds of cattle in India. It is useful

in ploughing and carting.

 The cows are good milkers, yielding about 1360 kg in farms

and less in village during the lactation period.

 It is one of the best dual purpose breeds of India, next only to

Hariana.
ONGOLE
 Origin : Ongole taluk in Guntur district in Andhra
Pradesh

 Ongole have a glossy coat. Males have dark grey

marking on head, neck and hump, black points on knees,
aster, black muzzle, black eye lashes with a ring of black
skin around eye. Tip of the ears and teats are black.
Animal posses great muscularity

 Horns are short and stumpy growing outward and

backward.

 Hump is well developed, dewlap is fan shaped.

 Average milk yield is 1000 kg. age at first calving is 38-

45 months with a intercalving period of 470 days.

 Excellent specimen of this breed has been exported to

Brazil where large herds now exist. The are known as
Nellore breed in Brazil.
DRAUGHT BREEDS- HALLIKAR

 Origin : From the former princely state of Vijayanagarm,

presently part of Karnataka

 The colour is grey

 They are compact, muscular and medium size animal.

 They horns emerge in proximity to each other near the

top of the poll and are carried backward, straight for
nearly half their length and then with a forward bend.

 The forequarters are well developed and legs are

strong.

 The breed is best known for its draught capacity and

especially for its trotting ability.
AMIRITMAHAL

• Origin : Hassan, Chikmagalur and Chitradurga

district of Karnataka

• Amritmahals are grey cattle but their shade varies

from almost white to near black.

• Head is long and tapering towards muzzle.

Forehead is narrow bulging out with a furrow in
the middle.

• Horns are long and emerge from the top of the

pole fairly close together in backward and upward
direction, turn in and end in sharp black points.
KANGAYAM
 Origin : Kangayam, Dharapuram, Perundurai, Erode,
Bhavani and part of Gobichettipalayam taluk of Erode and
Coimbatore district.

 Colour : Coat is red at birth, but changes to grey about 6

months of age. Bulls are grey with dark colour in hump,
fore and hind quarters. Bullocks are grey. Cows are
grey or white or grey. However, animals with red, black,
fawn and broken colours are also observed. Horns,
muzzle, eyelids, tail switch and hooves are black.

 They are short with stout legs and strong hooves.

 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.

 The average milk yield 600 to 700 kg in a lactation.

BARGUR
 Origin : Found around Bargur hills in Bhavani taluk of
Erode district.

 Bargur cattle are of brown colour with white markings.

Some white or dark brown animal are also seen.

 Animals are well built, compact and medium in size.

 Muzzle is moderate and black in colour.

 Horns are of light brown colour, moderate length, closer

at the roots inkling backward, outward and upward with a
forward curve and sharp at the tip.
UMBLACHERRY
 Origin : Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Nagappattinam districts of
Tamil Nadu.

 Synonyms : Jathi madu, Mottai madu, Molai madu, therkathi

madu.

 Umblacherry calves are generally red or brown at birth with all the
characteristic white marking on the face, on limbs and tail.

 The colour changes to grey at about 6 months of age. In adult

females, 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 outward and inward an sometimes

spreading laterally.

 The practice of dehorning bullocks is peculiar in Umblacherry

cattle. Horn buds are removed at 6 months of age by singing with
red hot iron.

 Ears are pruned and hot iron branding is done.

PULIKULAM / JELLICUT BREED
 Pulikulam is a distinct cattle breed and the present
population is about 45000.

 This breed is seen in Madurai and Theni districts. They

are also raised in Cumbum valley and the Periyar river

 These animals depend extensively on forest grazing. This

is a quick trotting (5-6 miles per hour) breed.

 They are comparatively small, but active and capable of

much endurance. Selected bulls are utilized as Jellicut or
bull baiting purposes. Farmers are benefited through
penning, which provides rich organic manure for
agricultural crops. where forest grazing is available.
ALAMBADI

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 but not
fast trotter.

This breed is restricted to Salem and

Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu and part of
Bangalore district in Karnataka and closely
resembles Hallikar breed.
Exotic breeds-Jersey

 It is the smallest of the dairy types of cattle developed on island of

Jersey, U.K.

 In India this breed has acclimatized well and is widely used in cross
breeding with indigenous cows.

 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% fat and 7 % SNF.

 The highest record of milk yield was 11381 kg and fat 544 kg in a
lactation period of 365 days.

 In India this breed has acclimatized well and has brought about
increased production of milk (2.5 times or 50 in the first generation
progeny).

 The age of maturity and inter calving period in the progeny have been
considerably reduced.
Holstein Friesian

 This breed was developed in the northern parts of

Netherlands, especially in the province of Friesland.

 They 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 black and white that make them
easily distinguishable.

 This is by far the best dairy breed.

 The average production of cow is 6000 to 7000 kg per

lactation. However, the fat content in their milk is rather low
(3.45 per cent).
• BROWN SWISS • RED DANE
BUFFALO BREEDS - MURRAH
• It is the most important breed of buffaloes whose home is
Rohtak, Hisar and Jind of Haryana and Nabha and Patiala
districts of Punjab.
• The colour is usually jet black with white markings on tail
and face and extremities sometimes found.
• The tightly curved horn is an important character of this
breed.
• The body size is massive, neck and head are
comparatively long. Head of females is short, fine and
clear cut.
• Hips are broad and fore and hind quarters are drooping.
• The buffalo cows of this breed are one of the most efficient
milk and butter fat producers in India. Butter fat content is
7% Average lactation yield is vary from 1500-2500 kg.
• Age at first calving is 45-50 months and inter calving period
is 450-500 days.
NILI RAVI
• This breed is found in Sutlej valley in Ferozpur district of
Punjab and in the Sahiwal district of Pakistan. (bred
around Ravi river)

• Usually the colour is black with white marking on

forehead, face, muzzle, legs and tail. The most desired
character of the female is the possession of white
markings.

• The head is elongate, bulging at top and depressed

between eyes. The muzzle is fine. The frame is medium
sized.

• The horns are small and coiled tightly. The neck is long,
thin and fine.

• The milk yield is 1500-1850 kg per lactation and the inter

calving period is 500-550 days. Age at first calving is 45-
50 months.
JAFFARABADI
• These are massive animals found in their pure
form in Gir forests. The breeding tract of this
breed is Kutch, and Jamnagar districts of
Gujarat.

• The head and neck are massive. The forehead

is very prominent, wide with a slight depression
in the middle.

• The horns are heavy, inclined to droop at each

side of the neck and then turning up at point,
but les tightly curved than in Murrah (drooping
horns).

• The colour is usually black.

• The average milk yield is 1000 to 1200 kg

SURTI

• The breeding tract of this breed is Kaira and Baroda

district of Gujarat.

• Coat colour varies from rusty brown to silver-grey. Skin

is black or brown.

• The body is well shaped and medium sized; the barrel is

wedge shaped.

• The head is long with prominent eyes.

• The horns are sickle shaped, moderately long and flat.

• The colour is black or brown

• The peculiarity of the breed is two white colours, one

round the jaw and the other at the brisket.

• The milk yield ranges from 900 to 1300 kg.

  Mehsana is a dairy breed of buffalo found in Mehsana
town in Gujarat and adjoining Maharastra state.

MEHSANA
 Body is mostly black; a few animals are black-brown in
colour.

 The breed is supposed to have been evolved out of

crossbreeding between the Surti and the Murrah.

 The body is longer than in Murrah and the limbs lighter.

 The head is longer and heavier.

 The horns usually are less curved at the end compared

to Murrah breed but are longer and could be of irregular
shape.

 The milk yield is 1200-1500 kg. The breed is supposed

to have good persistency.

 The intercalving period ranges between 450-550 days.

 TODA
• Toda breed of buffaloes is named after an ancient tribe,
Toda of Nilgiris of south India.

• Coat colour of the calf is generally fawn at birth. In adult

the predominate coat colours are fawn and ash-grey.

• These buffaloes are quite distinct from other breeds and

are indigenous to Nilgiri hills.

• The animals have long body, deep and broad chest, and
short and strong legs.

• The head is heavy with horns set well apart, curving

inward outward and forward.

• Thick hair coat is found all over the body. They are
gregarious in nature.
 NEW CROSSBRED CATTLE STRAINS
Sunandini:
Under Indo-Swiss project in Frieswal:
Kerala, local non-descript cows
Friesian x Sahiwal crossbreds with Friesian inheritance
were crossed with Brown Swiss
between 3/8 and 5/8 at military farms are being
bulls. The crosses with 62.5%
interbred with semen of 5/8 Friesian crossbred bulls into
brown-Swiss inheritance were
a breed formation programme. Average yield 2729 kg
mated intense followed by
selection to synthesize a new
breed named Sunandini. Average
lactation yield 4351 kg in 305 days