- Tharparkar
(Thar-par-kar, one who has crossed Thar), also known as White Sindhi or Gray Sindhi or even Thari, can be seen in Kutch (Gujarat); Barmer, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur districts of Rajasthan. Owing to its disease resistance, heat tolerance and adaptability to arid region, it is being promoted in dry areas of Tamil Nadu.
- Gir
Native to Gir hills of Gujarat are known for their tolerance and adaptability to great variation in their living conditions. Generally seen in red, black, and fawn colors, they are good milkers. Internationally also, they won both first and second prizes for highest milk yield touching 47 liters and 45 liters in Brazil.
- Kankrej
Kankrej breed is seen in Gujarat and Rajasthan (Jodhpur). They have impressively built with
huge horns, grave temperament, high held head, and complexion of gray and black shades, they look royal. They are an asset for cart-pulling and ploughing purposes. ISKCON generally takes their service in pulling the Padayatra cart carrying the Lordships.
- Red Sindhi,
Red Sindhi as the name suggests is native of Sindh province of Pakistan and generally seen
in deep rich red colour. So much so that even its muzzle is red and the switch varies from copper red to black colour. Sometimes its characteristic red can vary to yellowish or dark brown colour.
- Sahiwal
Sahiwal are native of Sahiwal district of Punjab along India-Pakistan border. They can also
be found in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. They have prominent dewlaps and generally an edge of black hair on their ears. Owing to their tick-resistance, hardiness and good milk yield they are high in demand.
- Vecchur
Vecchur is a dwarf breed of cow which belongs to Vechhur village of Kottyam district, Kerala. She is an endangered species with just 200 of them left, half of which are with Kerala Veterinary College. Found in light red, black, light golden and white colours, they are generally appreciated for their milk yield which is more than their intake.
- Ongole
Ongole Cows are found in the Ongole taluk of Guntur district (Andhra Pradesh). This athletic breed is generally seen in white with a mild variation of gray. They have beautiful features with long mrdanga shaped head, bright black eyes with a ring of black around it, giving the appearance of kohl around the eyes.
8. Punganur
- Punganur is one of the dwarf cow breeds from Chittoor district (AP). It was Punganur cow who had fed her milk to Lord Balaji when He was inside the anthill. From then, it is exclusively her milk which is offered to the Lord in Tirupati. Sadly she is on the brink of extinction.
- Amrith Mahal
Amrith Mahal Originally known as Benne Chewadi are from Hassan, Chikmangalur and Chitradurga district of Karnataka. Tipu Sultan later renamed them as Amrith Mahal. They are famous for their power and endurance. Owing to this attribute, they were successfully used as draft cattle to transport the war equipment to Afghanistan in 1842 in bullock carts.
10. Hallikar
- Hallikar is native of Mysore, Mandya, Hassan and Tumkur districts of South Karnataka. Their endurance is comparable to that of Amrit mahal. Its colour varies from white to light gray. Earlier, it has therefore received royal patronage from the Sultans and later the Indian Government commemorat- ed it by releasing a postage stamp in 2000.
- Malanadugidda
Malanadugidda is a dwarf breed from Shimoga, Udupi, Chikamagalur and Hassan belt of Karnataka. They can withstand heavy downpour and are adept in climbing hilly topography, unique to the area. They are resistant to food and mouth disease and their milk is high in nutrition. Udupi Krishna is offered only her milk in the temple.
12. Deoni
- Deoni is native to Marathwada region of Maharashtra and Bidar district of Karnataka. With long legs, black-white spotted body, long drooping ears, slightly bulging forehead, long tail, lovely black eyes, black switch, teats, eyebrows and eyelashes, they are a sight to see. They are not just hardy but are also good milkers.
13. Brahman.
Brahman cattle come from India, and are the most common cattle breed in the world. Over the centuries, Brahmans have developed resistance to pests, parasites, and diseases, and the ability to survive inadequate food and harsh weather.They have a large hump over their shoulder and neck, upward-curving horns, large ears, and excess skin under their necks and chests, which helps keep them cool. They also are able to sweat better than most cattle, and secrete an oil which helps repel insects.
14. Rathi.
Rathi also synonymous with its variant Rath, is a breed of cattle indigenous to India. It originated in the region of the state of Rajasthan consisting of Bikaner, Ganganagar and Hanumangarh districts. It is an important dual purpose cattle breed of India known for both its milking and draught prowess. The cattle is locally known to have two variants, Rathi is a draft breed while Rath is a pure milch variant. The Rath variant originated in the Alwar district of Rajasthan and was domesticated by Rath tribe. Rath is characterized by its white skin with black or gray spots while Rathi is usually of brown colour.
15. Hariana.
The Hariana breed, found in Haryana and eastern Punjab, is one of the 75 known breeds of zebu (Bos indicus). Zebu is split about evenly between African and South Asian breeds. Zebu cattle are thought to be derived from Asian aurochs, sometimes regarded as a subspecies, Bos primigenius namadicus Wild Asian aurochs disappeared during the time of the Indus Valley Civilisation from its range in the Indus River basin and other parts of South Asia possibly due to interbreeding with domestic zebu and resultant fragmentation of wild populations due to loss of habitat.
16. Red Kandhari.
Locally known as Lal Kandhari, is a breed of cattle native to India. They are named so because of their almost universal deep red coloured skin. They are known to have originated in Latur, Kandhar taluk in Nanded district and Parbhani district in Marathawada region in Maharashtra. They are also commonly found in adjoining North Karnataka region. The breed is known to have got royal patronage from King Somadevaraya who ruled over Kandhar in 4 A.D. The cattle are medium-sized and robust in appearance. Kandhari cattle is widely used for draft purposes, mainly for heavy works.
17. Nimari
Nimari is is a breed of cattle native to the Nimar region of India. It originated out of Gyr (cattle) and Khillari cattle breeds, and is found in the regions of Narmada valley in the state of Madhya Pradesh and Jalgaon district in Maharashtra. It is draught breed and cows are very average milk yielders. The cattle are of medium to large build and aggressive in temperament. Generally they are red in color, with skin interspersed with patches of white, well proportioned bodies that are straight and long, bulging forehead and graceful gait. The ears are not pendulous, but thick and protruding. The limbs are sturdy and straight with strong hooves, that can withstand rough grounds. Nimari cattle show a mixture of Gyr cattle and Khillari cattle (Tapi Valley strain) breeds, showing red coloration of Gir variety which have the habitat of Girnar. Starting from Barwani and Khargone districts of Madhya Pradesh, the breed spreads into Khandwa, and parts of Harda.
18. Malvi
The Malvi or Malavi, also known as Manthani or Mahadeopuri, is breed of zebu cattle from the Malwa plateau in western Madhya Pradesh, in central India. It is a good draught breed; the milk yield of the cows is low. The breed has been studied at the Government Cattle Breeding Farm at Agar, in Shajapur district of Madhya Pradesh, for more than 50 years.
19. Dangi
Dangi is an indigenous cattle breed of India. It originated in the hilly tracts of Dangs comprising the Nasik and Ahmednagar districts in the state of Maharashtra. The breed is medium to large in body size. They are a very good draught breed and known for their adaptability to heavy rainfall areas. The skin of this breed secretes an oil element that enables them to tolerate heavy rains.
20. Killari
The Khillari is breed of cattle, of the Bos indicus sub-species, native to Satara, Kolhapur and Sangli regions in Maharashtra and Bijapur, Dharwad and Belgaum districts of Karnataka in India. The breed is well adapted to the tropical and drought prone conditions present in the region and are favoured by the local farming community due to their ability to handle the hardships of farming. In spite of this, lately the breed is showing a steady decline in numbers mostly due the low milk yield which forms an alternate stream of income for the farming community.
21. Kangayam
The Kangeyam or Kangayam cattle derives its name from the Kangeyam town located in Tiruppur district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is an indigenous breed of India. The animals are medium built in general and is considered a good draught breed in South India. Although the milk of Kangayam cows has a high nutritious value with no bad fat, the breed is considered a poor milker. However, in some cases, good milkers are also found, giving 18 to 20 litres during the peak milking period. The colour of the cattle is grey or white with black markings. The breed is on the wane, due to poor government support for indigenous breeds, although individual conservative efforts are bearing some fruit. Jallikatu is a traditional sport of Tamil Nadu; this breed is extensively used in Jallikattu owing to its aggressive nature.
Kangayam is a popular and well known breed from Tamil Nadu. It is also known locally as Kongu or Kanganadu, and is an excellent draught breed known for its sturdiness. Kangayam is a hardy breed suitable for agricultural operations and hauling. It is well adapted to drought prone areas and can thrive on unconventional feeds like neem, palmyra and several other species of low fodder value; it is disease resistant and has low body mass index, low metabolic rate and low water requiring, has capacity to withstand heat and humidity stress and resilience capacities. Some of these qualities make it a suitable candidate for adapting to climate change. It can be found also in a variety in Indonesia, and in Niger, but mostly brought there by travelling Mexicans during the Napoleonic Era.
22. Nagori
Nagori is a cattle breed from Rajasthan, India. It is a draught breed, mainly used for agricultural purposes. It is known to have originated in Nagaur district of Rajasthan
23. Bargur
Bargur is a breed of cattle native to the Bargur forest hills in Anthiyur Taluk of Erode District in Western Tamil Nadu in India. The cattle are usually moderate and compact in build and have brown skin with white patches, though full white and brown complexions are sometimes found. They are known to be very aggressive and are of fiery disposition, and hence difficult to train. Accustomed to forest hills of the rugged and inhospitable forests of the Western Ghats, they are best known for their endurance, speed and trotting ability. Their milk is known to be of medicinal value. They have been usually reared in herds exclusively by the Kannada-speaking Lingayats of the Bargur region.
24. Kenkatha
Kenkatha also known as Kenwariya, is a breed of cattle native to India. They originated in the provinces of Bundelkhand in the state of Uttar Pradesh along the banks of river Ken and Vindhyas hilly range in Madhya Pradesh. They are of small and compact build and exhibit different shades of gray and black, rarely white complexions. The cattle is used for draft purposes and is known to have the ability to survive harsh environments and on poor quality forage.
26. Bachaur
Bachaur is a breed of cattle native to India. The districts of Madhubani, Darbhanga and Sitamarhi in north Bihar form the native tract of this breed. The animals are compact and small in size, and exhibit close similarity with Haryanvi cattle. The bulls are used for medium draft works and are adopted for pace. The cows are better milk yielders compared to other draught breeds of India and are well known for their regular breeding cycle. The cattle were reportedly widely popular in Bihar during the days of the English East India Company.
27. Kherigarh
Kherigarh is an indigenous breed of cattle in India. It originated in the Lakhimpur Kheri district of the state of Uttar Pradesh. The cattle are closely related to Malwa (cattle). It is a draught breed, the bulls are used for light draft works.
28. Mewati
Mewati, also known as Kosi, is an indigenous breed of cattle in India. They are named after Mewat in Haryana state. They are known to be related to Gyr and Haryanvi cattle breeds. The cattle are almost universally white in colour with the rare occurrence of brown shades. It is considered to be a dual purpose breed with good milking and draft prowess. The bulls are known for their strength and endurance, and are employed for agricultural and carting purposes.
29. Umblachery
Umblachery is an indigenous breed of cattle in India. It is native to the coastal plains of Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur districts in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India. It is draft purposes breed mainly used for agricultural work. It is related to the kangayam (cattle) of the same state.
30. Krishna Valley
Krishna Valley is a breed of cattle native to North Karnataka region in India. It is known to have originated in the areas drained by the Krishna, Ghataprabha and Malaprabha rivers of the Bijapur, Bagalkot and Belgaum districts. It is a draught breed mainly used for agricultural purposes. The bulls are known for strength and endurance and the cows are moderate milk yielders.
31. Ponwar
Ponwar is known to be originated at Ponwar in Puranpur Taluk in Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh state and the breed is named after the same place. The cattle is also restricted to the small geographic area adjoining Ponwar. The cattle are known to be very active and are of fiery disposition. They exhibit dual coloured complexion of black and white. It is a draught breed and is mainly used for cart pulling.
32. Kasaragod
Kasaragod is a breed of cattle in Kerala. They originated in the mountain range of Kasaragod district. The cows are known for their excellent milking ability and give mineral rich milk with high feed to milk ratio. The cattle require almost zero inputs and can be free ranged. They are one among the three prime dwarf cattle in India along with Malnad Gidda and Vechur Cattle.
