Breeds of cow (cattle)
Exotic Breeds (Not native to India)
S.No | Breed | Origin Country | Milk Yield (Lactation) | Key Features |
1 | Holstein Friesian | Netherlands | 5500–6100 L | Highest milk yielder; black & white |
2 | Brown Swiss | Switzerland | 5000–5100 L | Good adaptability |
3 | Ayshire | Scotland | ~4600 L | Strong and vigorous |
4 | Jersey | Jersey Island (UK) | ~4000 L | High fat % (~5%); small body size |
- Indian Milch (Dairy) Breeds (High milk production)
S.No | Breed | Native Place | Milk Yield | Special Features |
1 | Sahiwal | Montgomery (Pak) | High | Known as ‘Lola’; sweetest milk |
2 | Gir | Kathiawar (Gujarat) | Good | Long, pendulous ears |
3 | Red Sindhi | Karachi (Pakistan) | Good | Reddish coat, intelligent expression |
Draught Breeds (Used for ploughing, load pulling)
S.No | Breed | Native Place | Features |
1 | Malvi | Malwa (MP) | Strong, used for heavy draught |
2 | Nagori | Nagaur & Jodhpur (Rajasthan) | Best draught breed; white/grey color |
3 | Amritmahal | Mysore (Karnataka) | Long horns, narrow face |
4 | Kangayam | Tamil Nadu | Compact body; used in ploughing |
Dual Purpose Breeds (Used for both milk and draught)
S.No | Breed | Native Place | Special Features |
1 | Hariana | Hisar/Rohtak (Haryana) | Best dual-purpose breed |
2 | Kankrej | Kutchh (Gujarat) | Heavy body, known for ‘Swaichal’ gait |
3 | Rathi | Alwar (Rajasthan) | Good milk yielder and draught |
4 | Tharparkar | Sindh (Pakistan) | Also called White Sindhi |
5 | Ongole | Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) | Pure white body |
6 | Mewati | Haryana | Moderate milk & draught capacity |
7 | Kosi | Mathura (U.P.) | Traditional dual-purpose breed |
Hybrid Breeds (Developed at NDRI, Karnal)
S.No | Hybrid Breed | Cross Combination | Features |
1 | Karan Fries | Tharparkar × Holstein Friesian | High milk, hybrid vigor |
2 | Karan Swiss | Sahiwal × Brown Swiss | Better adaptability, milk yield |
Buffalo Breeds in India
Breed Name | Native Place | Milk Yield (Lactation) | Fat % | Special Features |
Murrah | Rohtak, Hisar, Punjab (Haryana) | ~1600–2500 L | 6.5–7.5% | Best dairy buffalo; jet black; tightly curled horns |
Mehsana | Gujarat (Mehsana, Baroda) | ~1200–1500 L | 6–7% | Cross of Surti × Murrah; popular in Gujarat |
Bhadawari | Agra, Etawah (UP, MP border) | ~1000–1200 L | 12–13% | Highest fat content; copper-colored body |
Jaffarabadi | Saurashtra, Gujarat (Kathiawar) | ~1000–1200 L | 7% | Heaviest Indian buffalo, forehead wide & heavy horns |
Nili-Ravi | Firozpur (Punjab), Montgomery (Pakistan) | ~1500–1850 L | 6.5–7% | “Wall eyes” (white iris); long tail & large udder |
Surti | Baroda & Kaira (Gujarat) | ~1000–1300 L | 7–8% | Sickle-shaped horns; docile & early milking breed |
Godavari | Andhra Pradesh | ~1200 L | ~6.5% | Developed from Murrah × native breeds (improved type) |
Nagpuri (Elitchpuri) | Maharashtra (Nagpur) | ~1000 L | 6.5% | Medium-sized, draught & dairy purpose |
Toda | Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu | ~500–800 L | ~7% | Tribal buffalo; semi-wild; used by Toda tribes |
Pandharpuri | Maharashtra (Pandharpur) | ~1500–2000 L | 6.5% | Long, sword-like horns; drought-tolerant |
Manda | Odisha | ~500–600 L | ~6% | Small breed; well-adapted to hilly regions |
Swamp Buffalo | NE India (Assam, Manipur, Mizoram) | ~400–600 L | 5–6% | Mainly used for ploughing; grey-black in color |
Points to Remember for Exams
- Best dairy buffalo breed – Murrah
- Highest fat content in buffalo milk – Bhadawari (13%)
- Highest milk yield among cows – Holstein Friesian (Exotic)
- Best indigenous milch cow breed – Sahiwal
- Best dual-purpose cow breed – Hariana
- “Wall eyes” seen in – Nili-Ravi buffalo
- ‘Lola’ cow is – Sahiwal (loose skin)
- ‘Mini elephant’ buffalo – Jaffarabadi
- ‘Swaichal’ gait found in – Kankrej
- Karan Fries developed from – Tharparkar × HF
- Milk yield of Mehsana buffalo – ~1800–2000 L/lactation
- Ongole cow native to – Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
- Jersey cow native to – Jersey Island, UK
- Milch breed from Gujarat – Gir
- Murrah = Marvelous Milk = Jet Black Beauty
- Bhadawari = Bronze Beauty = Butter Rich (13% fat)
- Jaffarabadi = Jumbo Buffalo = Heavy Weight
- Nili-Ravi = ‘Nili’ Eyes = Wall Eyes
- Surti = Sickle Horns from Surat
- Toda = Tribal of TN = Wild & Less Yield
- Mehsana = Mix of Murrah and Surti
- Which buffalo breed gives highest fat in milk? Bhadawari (12–13%)
- Which breed is best for milk production?Murrah
- Which breed has “wall eyes”? Nili-Ravi
- Which breed is known as mini elephant? Jaffarabadi
- Which buffalo is found in Nilgiris? Toda
- Which is a dual-purpose breed (milk + draught)? Nagpuri
- Which buffalo is developed from Murrah × Surti? Mehsana
- Which breed is drought-tolerant with long horns? Pandharpuri
