Best Milch Purpose Cattle Breed of Gujarat

Gir Cattle - Best Milch Purpose breed of India
	Synonyms	Sorathi
	Breeding tract	The native tract of the breed is the area around forests of Gir including Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Rajkot and Amreli districts of Gujarat. Gir cows are good milk producers. Bullocks can drag heavy loads on all kinds of soils, be it sandy, black or rocky. It is docile in nature. One of the three BEST milch breed of India. It has contribution in developing other indigenous breeds like Deoni, Nimari etc.
	Age at First Parturition	38 -55 months (NBAGR source: 39.47-59.21 Months with avg.-51.05)
	Milk Production/ lactation	2000-2200 Kg (NBAGR source: 800-3300 Kg with avg.-2110 Kg)
	Parturition Interval	14.47-19.73 months with average of 16.97 months (NBAGR source)
	Milk Fat percentage	4-5 % (NBAGR source: 3.9-5.1% with avg.4.4%) It is a hardy animal and can survive and produce in difficult environment.  Gir is a world-renowned breed known for its tolerance to stress conditions. Having faced scarcity for a numbers of years, it has the capacity for yielding more milk with less feeding and is resistant to various tropical diseases. It has been imported by Brazil, USA, Venezuela and Mexico, and bred there successfully.
	Total estimated Population in the state (2007)	13,99,677
	Morphological Features
	Colour	Three strains of Gir cattle can be found, The coat colour of Gir animals varies from shades of red and white to almost black and white or entire red.
	Horn Shape & Size	Horns are peculiarly curved. Starting at the base of the crown they take a downward and backward curve and again incline a little upward and forward taking a spiral inward sweep, Finally ending in a fine taper- thus giving a half moon appearance.
	Weight	Average 500-540 Kg (NBAGR source: 544 Kg) in Males and 300-350 Kg in Females (NBAGR source: 310 Kg) Long and pendulous ears folded like a leaf. Ears hang all the time and their inside face forward.

Kankrej Cattle - Dual Purpose breed of Gujarat (Milch & Draught )
	Synonyms	Vadhiyari
	Breeding tract	It takes its name from the name of Kankrej taluka in North Gujarat. Breeding tract is southern part of Rann of Kachchh, from southwest corner of Banaskantha District, Kankrej Taluka, Tharparker district (now in Pakistan) to Ahmedabad and from Disa to Radhanpur. Agricultural operations and road transport in village area are mainly carried out by bullocks of this breed. One of the BEST dual purpose breed of India. It is known for producing bullocks which are speedy & sturdy. The animals of this breed have been exported to Brazil and  in some other Latin American countries and southern states of the USA .
	Age at First Parturition	39 -56 months (NBAGR source: 33.88-55.92 Months with avg.-47.31 months)
	Milk Production/ lactation	1700-1900 Kg. (NBAGR source: 1097-3194 kg with avg. of 1746 Kg)
	Parturition Interval	13.33-21.02 Months with avg. of 16.12 months (NBAGR source)
	Milk Fat percentage	4.7-5% with avg. of 4.8% (NBAGR source) The gait of the Kankrej is peculiar  to the breed; the action is smooth, there is hardly any movement of the body, the head is held noticeably high, the stride is long and even and the hind hoof is placed well ahead of the impression of fore hoof. This gait is called 1¼ paces (“Sawai chal”) by the breeders.
	Total estimated Population in the state (2007)	26,81,764.
	Morphological Features
	Colour	silver-grey to iron grey or steel grey
	Horn Shape & Size	Horn are strong and curved outward and upward in a lyre shaped fashion. They are curved with skin to a longer distance as compared to other breeds.
	Weight	Average 550-570 Kg (NBAGR source-525 Kg ) in Males and 330-370 Kg (NBAGR source-343 Kg.) in Females. Heaviest breed of cattle. Strong lyre shaped horns, large pendulous and open ears.

Dangi Cattle -Hilly Cattle of Gujarat (Draught Purpose)
	Synonyms	Kanadi
		Dangi breed is well known for their excellent working qualities in heavy rain and in rice fields and also on the hilly tracks. As draft animals they carry heavy timber at the rate 2 to 3 miles per hour depending upon the type of terrain and can cover a distance of 20 to 24 miles per day. In Marathi Dang means mountains and these animals are living in mountains. Hence these are called Dangi. Some believe that this originates from the Dangs district in Gujarat.
	Breeding tract	Dang district of Gujarat and Ahmednagar and Nasik Districts of  Maharashtra
	Age at First Parturition	46 -56 months with avg. of 53 months (NBAGR source)
	Milk Production/ lactation	430- 600 Kg (NBAGR source: 175-800 Kg with avg. of 430 kg)
	Parturition Interval	17-21 months (NBAGR source)
	Milk Fat percentage	3.8-4.5 % with avg. of 4.3 % (NBAGR source) Dangi cattle are extensively used for ploughing and other field operations, and also for carting timber from hilly forest area. The breed is well known for its excellent working qualities in heavy rainfall areas, rice fields and hilly tracts. The animals are adapted to heavy rainfall conditions. The skin exudes an oily secretion which protects from heavy rain.
	Total estimated Population in the state (2007)	2,08,862
	Morphological Features
	Colour	coat colour with red or black spots distributed unevenly over the body.
	Horn Shape & Size	Animals with inward and also with downward pointing horn tips are also available in sizable numbers.
	Weight	Average 310-330 Kg (NBAGR source: 317 Kg) in Males and 220-250 Kg (NBAGR source:228 Kg) in Females Uneven distribution of black or red spots over the body. Forehead is slightly protruding.
		Article Credit:http://gldb.org.in/cattle_breed_gujarat.php