Living Heritage

The National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources recognises Rathi as a distinct Indian cattle breed originating in Rajasthan, while the National Dairy Development Board classifies it primarily as a milch breed. Its recognised home tract includes Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar and Jaisalmer districts, with a particularly strong concentration around Lunkaransar in Bikaner. Rathi cattle are also reared in Hanumangarh and adjoining parts of north-western Rajasthan.

The breed developed in the Sindh region of undivided India, particularly around Karachi and Hyderabad and the adjoining Las Bela region of present-day Balochistan. It is also known by names such as Sindhi, Red Karachi and Malir. India recognises Red Sindhi as an indigenous milch breed, with organised populations maintained in states including Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Kerala and Assam.

The breed emerged within the historic Punjab region and takes its name from Sahiwal, formerly known as Montgomery, in present-day Pakistan. Following Partition, important Sahiwal populations continued to be maintained in India, particularly in Punjab and Rajasthan, along with organised herds at research institutions and government farms.

Originating in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, the Gir belongs to the Indian zebu group, scientifically classified as Bos indicus. It is officially recognised by the ICAR–National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources as an indigenous Indian cattle breed, with Gujarat recorded as its home tract.

Known scientifically as Bos indicus, and also described in some classifications as Bos taurus indicus, zebu cattle originated in South Asia. India’s many zebu breeds developed within distinct landscapes, from the deserts of Rajasthan and the dry plains of Gujarat to the humid coasts of Kerala, the black-soil tracts of the Deccan and the high-altitude valleys of Ladakh.

The development of the Brahman began when small numbers of Indian zebu cattle were introduced into the United States during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Between 1854 and 1926, approximately 266 bulls and 22 females representing different Bos indicus types formed the principal foundation of the breed.