Important Goat Breeds in India
Breed | Native Region | Primary Use | Body Colour | Special Features |
Jamunapari | Uttar Pradesh (Etawah) | Milk + Meat | White, long ears | Highest milk yielder (~2–3 kg/day), tall & heavy |
Beetal | Punjab | Milk + Meat | Black or brown | Similar to Jamunapari; good lactation |
Barbari | UP, Haryana | Milk + Meat | White with spots | Small size, prolific breed, early maturity |
Black Bengal | West Bengal, Bihar | Meat + Skin | Black | Excellent meat quality, small, hardy, prolific |
Sirohi | Rajasthan (Sirohi, Ajmer) | Meat + Milk | Brown patches on white | Hardy; good for arid zones |
Osmanabadi | Maharashtra (Osmanabad) | Meat + Milk | Black/brown | Resistant to disease; dual-purpose |
Malabari | Kerala | Meat | Mixed | Also called Tellicherry goat |
Sangamneri | Maharashtra | Milk + Meat | White/grey with patches | Dual-purpose; moderate milk yield |
Kanni Adu | Tamil Nadu | Meat | Black with white marks | Tall; good for southern dry zones |
Surti | Gujarat (Surat, Baroda) | Milk | White with reddish face | Medium size; ~2 kg/day milk |
Mehsana | Gujarat (Mehsana) | Milk | Black or brown | Good milk yield (~1.8 kg/day) |
Jakhrana | Rajasthan (Alwar) | Milk | Black with white spots | High milk yield, second only to Jamunapari |
Zalawadi | Gujarat (Surendranagar) | Milk + Meat | Black | Strong legs, long body |
Gohilwadi | Gujarat (Bhavnagar) | Milk | Black or dark brown | High adaptability |
Changthangi | Ladakh (Changthang) | Pashmina wool | White | Used for Pashmina shawls |
Important Sheep Breeds of India
Breed | Native Region | Primary Use | Wool Type | Special Features |
Marwari | Rajasthan (Jodhpur, Nagaur, Pali) | Wool | Coarse carpet wool | Black face & legs; hardy in arid zones |
Malpura | Rajasthan (Jaipur, Tonk, Ajmer) | Mutton | Coarse | White body, light brown face; meat purpose |
Magra | Rajasthan (Bikaner, Nagaur) | Wool (Best quality) | Apparel wool | Also called Bikaneri; lustrous white wool |
Nali | Rajasthan, Haryana | Wool | Fine carpet wool | White face, dense fleece |
Chokla | Rajasthan (Churu, Sikar, Jhunjhunu) | Wool | Fine wool | Compact body, good fleece yield |
Deccani | Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka | Mutton | Coarse | Black body; dual-purpose; heat tolerant |
Bellary | Karnataka | Mutton | Hair type | Long body; suited for meat |
Mandya | Karnataka | Mutton | Hair type | Compact body; also called Bannur sheep |
Gaddi | Himachal Pradesh | Wool | Fine wool | White fleece; used for woolen garments |
Rampur Bushair | Himachal Pradesh | Wool | Fine wool | Long tail; high altitude adaptation |
Kangar | Punjab | Wool | Fine wool | White with black face |
Sonadi | Rajasthan (Udaipur, Dungarpur) | Dual (Wool + Mutton) | Medium wool | Medium-sized; white face |
Muzaffarnagri | Uttar Pradesh | Mutton | Coarse hair type | Largest Indian sheep breed |
Nilgiri | Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris) | Wool | Fine wool | Blue skin tinge; good wool quality |
Tibetan | Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir | Wool | Fine wool | Small; white fleece; withstands cold |
Garole | West Bengal (Sundarbans) | Mutton | Hair type | Known for prolificacy (twins/triplets) |
Quick One-Liner Q&A
- Which goat breed gives the highest milk yield? Jamunapari
- Which is the best meat goat breed in India? Black Bengal
- Which goat breed is used for Pashmina wool? Changthangi
- Which goat breed is native to Rajasthan and good for meat? Sirohi
- Which goat breed is famous in Kerala and called Tellicherry? Malabari
- Which breed is popular in Gujarat for both milk and meat? Zalawadi
- Which goat breed is most prolific (early maturing and twins)?Barbari
- Which breed is similar to Jamunapari and found in Punjab? Beetal
- Which sheep breed gives the best apparel wool in India? Magra (Bikaneri)
- Which is the largest sheep breed in India? Muzaffarnagri
- Which sheep breed is famous for prolificacy (multiple births)? Garole
- Which sheep breed is also known as Bannur sheep? Mandya
- Which sheep breed is common in the arid region of Rajasthan? Marwari
- Which sheep breed is found in high altitudes of Himachal? Gaddi
- Which breed is known for its blue skin tinge? Nilgiri
- Which is a dual-purpose sheep breed (wool + mutton)? Sonadi
