In India, we have many cow and buffalo breeds used for various purposes. The Nelore cattle, Brahman cattle, Guzerat cattle, and Zebu are the most popular breeds of cattle that have originated from India and South Asia. The best cow breed in milking in India include Sahiwal, Gir, Rathi, Tharparkar, and Red Sindhi. The guide will tell you about the best cow breeds in India with good milk production. We hope the information will be useful for dairy farmers.
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Milk Producing Cow Breeds in India:
Let's know about some of the best cattle breeds in the country;
1. Gir:
This cattle breed originates from Gir forests of South Kathiawar in Gujarat and are also found in adjacent Rajasthan and Maharashtra. It is also known as Bhadawari, Desan, Gujarati, Sorthi, Kathiawari, and Surati. The horns of Gir cattle are peculiarly curved, giving a ‘half moon’ appearance. Its milk yield ranges from 1200 to 1800 kilograms per lactation. This bread is recognized for its hardiness & disease resistance.
2. Sahiwal:
Sahiwal cattle breed originated in the Montgomery region (now in Pakistan) of undivided India. This cattle breed is also known as Lola, Lambi Bar, Teli, Montgomery and Multani. Sahiwal is the best indigenous dairy breed in the country. The average milk yield of sahiwal is between 1400 & 2500 kilograms per lactation. Can be found in many parts of India like Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
3. Red Sindhi:
The red sindhi is mostly found in Karachi & Hyderabad district of neighboring Pakistan. It is also called as Sindhi and Red Karachi. The body colour of this cattle breed is basically red with shades varying from dark to red light and strips of white. Its milk yield ranges from 1100 to 2600 kilograms. Red sindhi is widely used in crossbreeding programmes.
4. Rathi:
Rathi is another milch cattle breed that is found in the dry regions of Rajasthan. This breed is believed to have evolved from amalgamation of Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar and Dhanni breeds with a prevalence of Sahiwal blood. The cattle are efficient and good milkers. They produce 1560 kilograms of milk and the lactation milk yield ranges from 1062 to 2810 kilograms.
5. Ongole:
This cattle breed belongs to Ongole taluk in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. They are large muscular cattle breeds with a well-developed hump. Ongole is suitable for heavy draught work. They are also known as Nellore and their average milk yield is 1000 kilograms / lactation.
6. Deoni:
Deoni originated in Western Andhra Pradesh but is also found in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and neighboring Karnataka. The milk yield of deoni ranges from 636 - 1230 kilograms per lactation and their caving interval average are 447 days. The bullocks are used for heavy cultivation.
7. Kankrej:
This cattle breed originated from Southeast Rann of Kutch, Gujarat and neighboring Rajasthan (Barmer & Jodhpur district). The colour of the cattle varies from silver-grey to iron-grey / steel black. Kankrej is quite popular as it is fast, powerful and draught cattle. It is used for ploughing and carting. The cows are also good milkers and yield about 1400 kilograms per lactation.
8. Tharparkar:
This breed originated in Tharparkar district (Pak) of undivided India and is also found in Rajasthan. It is also known as Gray Sindhi, White Sindhi and Thari. Tharparkar are medium sized cattle, with lyre-shaped horn. Their body colour is white/light grey. The bullocks are suitable for ploughing & casting. In addition it yields 1800 to 2600 kilograms of milk/lactation.
9. Hariana:
Hariana breed originated from Rohtak, Jind, Hisar, & Gurgaon districts of Haryana but are equally popular in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and parts of Madhya Pradesh. The bullocks are considered as powerful work animals. Hariana cattle are fair milkers yielding 600 - 800 kilograms of milk per lactation.
10. Krishna Valley:
It has originated from black cotton soil of the watershed of river Krishna in Karnataka & also found in border districts of Maharashtra. The cattle are big in size, having a massive frame with deep, slackly built short body. Its tail reaches almost till the ground. The bullocks are very strong and thus used for ploughing & valued for their good working qualities. The average yield is 900 kilograms per lactation.
Some Indigenous Draught cattle breeds in India are:
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Hallikar
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Amritmahal
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Khillari
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Kangayam
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Bargur
Hope the article was useful to you. If you want us to write or provide information on any particular cattle breed then do let us know through the comment box given below
