Umarda, a newly registered indigenous cattle breed from Maharashtra. Photo Credit: ICAR-NBAGR NEW DELHI: Expanding the list of well-documented and scientifically recognised animal breeds in the country, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has registered 16 more new breeds of indigenous animals including cattle and buffalo, taking the total number of such breeds in India to 262. The move will help in conservation and sustainable utilisation of India’s diverse and climate-resilient animal genetic resources at a time when rising temperature due to global warming is posing grave risk to animal productivity and the overall food security.The new indigenous breeds include four each of cattle (Umarda, Periyar, Koppal and Mahakaushali) and Sheep (Madgyal, Seemanchali, Kow Debar and Asomi); two goats (Totapuri and Battisi); and one each of buffalo (Gomanchali), dog (Kombai), pig (Nagal), horse/pony (Kashmiri), donkey (Braj) and yak (Sikkimese yak).These breeds, registered early this month, represent diverse agro-ecological regions spreading across 13 states — Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu — and UT of Jammu & Kashmir. Goat breed Battisi is distributed across Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh whereas the sheep breed Madgyal is found in Maharashtra and Karnataka.”Indigenous breeds have evolved under diverse production environments and possess locally adapted characteristics that can be valuable for climate resilience, disease adaptation, low-input production, livelihood support and sustainable livestock farming. Their conservation is therefore important not only for maintaining genetic diversity but also for ensuring the availability of adaptive livestock resources for future generations,” N H Mohan, directorof the ICAR’s National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), told TOI.Newly registered indigenous livestock and dog breeds. Photo credit: ICAR-NBAGRKarnal-based ICAR-NBAGR is the nodal institute for registration of livestock and poultry breeds in India. With the new addition, the indigenous animal breeds now include 59 for cattle (Sahiwal, Gir, Red Kandhari and Hallikar etc.) 23 for buffalo (Murrah, Nili Ravi, Bhadawari and Mehsana etc.), 45 for goat, 50 for sheep, 16 for pigs, nine each for horses & ponies, camel and duck; five for donkey; six for dog and three for yak among others.”The new registrations strengthen the national effort to reduce the proportion of nondescript livestock populations through systematic breed identification and documentation. This approach is particularly important for ensuring that valuable locally adapted populations are scientifically recognized and brought within appropriate conservation and sustainable utilization programmes,” said Mohan.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe said, “ICAR-NBAGR’s efforts are aligned with the broader national objective of strengthening India’s livestock genetic base and supporting food and nutritional security, sustainable livelihoods and climate-resilient livestock production.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorVishwa MohanVishwa Mohan is Senior Editor at The Times of India. He writes on environment, climate change, agriculture, water resources and clean energy, tracking policy issues and climate diplomacy. He has been covering Parliament since 2003 to see how politics shaped up domestic policy and India’s position at global platform. Before switching over to explore sustainable development issues, Vishwa had covered internal security and investigative agencies for more than a decade.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’No Full Press Conference’: US Envoy Gor On India’s ‘No Questions’ Request Before Modi-Trump Meet‘Represented India In 3 Nations’: Former Envoy Flags ‘Trouble Establishing Citizenship’ During SIRJaish Rebuilds Bahawalpur Complex Struck By India During Op Sindoor’India Can Attract Global Talent With Your Help’: PM Modi Meets Space Startups On National Space DayDelhi Cops Attacked With Chilli Powder & Bricks In Mukundpur; 17-Year-Old Arrested‘Plan To Meet Vance, Mamdani’: Why MEA Denied Permission For Telangana CM Revanth Reddy’s US Trip?’No Problem When Boys Do It’: Rahul Gandhi’s Attack At PM Modi Over Jantar Mantar AbuseYoutuber Ajeet Bharti Lists 4 Big Demands At Jantar Mantar, Calls For Reservation Reform And MeritPM Modi Meets BJP’s New Team At Delhi HQ As Party Pushes Vande Mataram Legacy Nationwide‘48 Hours Or Sit-In’: Abhijeet Dipke Warns After CJP Team Allegedly Attacked Near Jaipur School123Photostories10 baby names inspired by Sanskrit words that signify success and prosperity5 signs you’re losing yourself while trying to save your relationshipThe slow fade: 5 signs someone you love is pulling away5 best hair colours for Indian skin tones that instantly brighten your lookWhy the Manipuri bride’s traditional Potloi is in a league of its ownBlood in urine during monsoon is not always a UTI: Doctor reveals when you should worryOptical illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your secret weakness in loveHeart attack risk is not just about cholesterol: 7 warning factors doctors check that routine tests can missHina Khan recalls being brutally trolled over viral National Anthem video amid health struggles; Rubina Dilaik reveals her daughters received threats5 signs someone in your life likes to see you suffer in secret123Hot PicksTCS laptop monitoring softwareTNEA counselling3 year practice ruleCM Revanth ReddyWeather tomorrowNEET UG 2026US-Canada tradeSIM card rulesBank holiday todayTop TrendingMumbai Rape AirhostessReservation Hatao AndolanLucknow Double Murder SuicideMadhapur Road AccidentMaharashtra Hill TragedyAbhijeet DipkeJharkhand Factory FireRahul GandhiBengaluru RapidoAston Martin Crash

Umarda, a newly registered indigenous cattle breed from Maharashtra. Photo Credit: ICAR-NBAGR NEW DELHI: Expanding the list of well-documented and scientifically recognised animal breeds in the country, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has registered 16 more new breeds of indigenous animals including cattle and buffalo, taking the total number of such breeds in India to 262. The move will help in conservation and sustainable utilisation of India’s diverse and climate-resilient animal genetic resources at a time when rising temperature due to global warming is posing grave risk to animal productivity and the overall food security.The new indigenous breeds include four each of cattle (Umarda, Periyar, Koppal and Mahakaushali) and Sheep (Madgyal, Seemanchali, Kow Debar and Asomi); two goats (Totapuri and Battisi); and one each of buffalo (Gomanchali), dog (Kombai), pig (Nagal), horse/pony (Kashmiri), donkey (Braj) and yak (Sikkimese yak).These breeds, registered early this month, represent diverse agro-ecological regions spreading across 13 states — Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu — and UT of Jammu & Kashmir. Goat breed Battisi is distributed across Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh whereas the sheep breed Madgyal is found in Maharashtra and Karnataka.”Indigenous breeds have evolved under diverse production environments and possess locally adapted characteristics that can be valuable for climate resilience, disease adaptation, low-input production, livelihood support and sustainable livestock farming. Their conservation is therefore important not only for maintaining genetic diversity but also for ensuring the availability of adaptive livestock resources for future generations,” N H Mohan, directorof the ICAR’s National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), told TOI.Newly registered indigenous livestock and dog breeds. Photo credit: ICAR-NBAGRKarnal-based ICAR-NBAGR is the nodal institute for registration of livestock and poultry breeds in India. With the new addition, the indigenous animal breeds now include 59 for cattle (Sahiwal, Gir, Red Kandhari and Hallikar etc.) 23 for buffalo (Murrah, Nili Ravi, Bhadawari and Mehsana etc.), 45 for goat, 50 for sheep, 16 for pigs, nine each for horses & ponies, camel and duck; five for donkey; six for dog and three for yak among others.”The new registrations strengthen the national effort to reduce the proportion of nondescript livestock populations through systematic breed identification and documentation. This approach is particularly important for ensuring that valuable locally adapted populations are scientifically recognized and brought within appropriate conservation and sustainable utilization programmes,” said Mohan.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe said, “ICAR-NBAGR’s efforts are aligned with the broader national objective of strengthening India’s livestock genetic base and supporting food and nutritional security, sustainable livelihoods and climate-resilient livestock production.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorVishwa MohanVishwa Mohan is Senior Editor at The Times of India. He writes on environment, climate change, agriculture, water resources and clean energy, tracking policy issues and climate diplomacy. He has been covering Parliament since 2003 to see how politics shaped up domestic policy and India’s position at global platform. Before switching over to explore sustainable development issues, Vishwa had covered internal security and investigative agencies for more than a decade.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’No Full Press Conference’: US Envoy Gor On India’s ‘No Questions’ Request Before Modi-Trump Meet‘Represented India In 3 Nations’: Former Envoy Flags ‘Trouble Establishing Citizenship’ During SIRJaish Rebuilds Bahawalpur Complex Struck By India During Op Sindoor’India Can Attract Global Talent With Your Help’: PM Modi Meets Space Startups On National Space DayDelhi Cops Attacked With Chilli Powder & Bricks In Mukundpur; 17-Year-Old Arrested‘Plan To Meet Vance, Mamdani’: Why MEA Denied Permission For Telangana CM Revanth Reddy’s US Trip?’No Problem When Boys Do It’: Rahul Gandhi’s Attack At PM Modi Over Jantar Mantar AbuseYoutuber Ajeet Bharti Lists 4 Big Demands At Jantar Mantar, Calls For Reservation Reform And MeritPM Modi Meets BJP’s New Team At Delhi HQ As Party Pushes Vande Mataram Legacy Nationwide‘48 Hours Or Sit-In’: Abhijeet Dipke Warns After CJP Team Allegedly Attacked Near Jaipur School123Photostories10 baby names inspired by Sanskrit words that signify success and prosperity5 signs you’re losing yourself while trying to save your relationshipThe slow fade: 5 signs someone you love is pulling away5 best hair colours for Indian skin tones that instantly brighten your lookWhy the Manipuri bride’s traditional Potloi is in a league of its ownBlood in urine during monsoon is not always a UTI: Doctor reveals when you should worryOptical illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your secret weakness in loveHeart attack risk is not just about cholesterol: 7 warning factors doctors check that routine tests can missHina Khan recalls being brutally trolled over viral National Anthem video amid health struggles; Rubina Dilaik reveals her daughters received threats5 signs someone in your life likes to see you suffer in secret123Hot PicksTCS laptop monitoring softwareTNEA counselling3 year practice ruleCM Revanth ReddyWeather tomorrowNEET UG 2026US-Canada tradeSIM card rulesBank holiday todayTop TrendingMumbai Rape AirhostessReservation Hatao AndolanLucknow Double Murder SuicideMadhapur Road AccidentMaharashtra Hill TragedyAbhijeet DipkeJharkhand Factory FireRahul GandhiBengaluru RapidoAston Martin Crash


ICAR registers 16 new breeds of indigenous animals including four cattle
Umarda, a newly registered indigenous cattle breed from Maharashtra. Photo Credit: ICAR-NBAGR

NEW DELHI: Expanding the list of well-documented and scientifically recognised animal breeds in the country, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has registered 16 more new breeds of indigenous animals including cattle and buffalo, taking the total number of such breeds in India to 262. The move will help in conservation and sustainable utilisation of India’s diverse and climate-resilient animal genetic resources at a time when rising temperature due to global warming is posing grave risk to animal productivity and the overall food security.The new indigenous breeds include four each of cattle (Umarda, Periyar, Koppal and Mahakaushali) and Sheep (Madgyal, Seemanchali, Kow Debar and Asomi); two goats (Totapuri and Battisi); and one each of buffalo (Gomanchali), dog (Kombai), pig (Nagal), horse/pony (Kashmiri), donkey (Braj) and yak (Sikkimese yak).These breeds, registered early this month, represent diverse agro-ecological regions spreading across 13 states — Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu — and UT of Jammu & Kashmir. Goat breed Battisi is distributed across Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh whereas the sheep breed Madgyal is found in Maharashtra and Karnataka.“Indigenous breeds have evolved under diverse production environments and possess locally adapted characteristics that can be valuable for climate resilience, disease adaptation, low-input production, livelihood support and sustainable livestock farming. Their conservation is therefore important not only for maintaining genetic diversity but also for ensuring the availability of adaptive livestock resources for future generations,” N H Mohan, directorof the ICAR’s National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), told TOI.

Photo credit: ICAR-NBAGR<br>

Newly registered indigenous livestock and dog breeds. Photo credit: ICAR-NBAGR

Karnal-based ICAR-NBAGR is the nodal institute for registration of livestock and poultry breeds in India. With the new addition, the indigenous animal breeds now include 59 for cattle (Sahiwal, Gir, Red Kandhari and Hallikar etc.) 23 for buffalo (Murrah, Nili Ravi, Bhadawari and Mehsana etc.), 45 for goat, 50 for sheep, 16 for pigs, nine each for horses & ponies, camel and duck; five for donkey; six for dog and three for yak among others.“The new registrations strengthen the national effort to reduce the proportion of nondescript livestock populations through systematic breed identification and documentation. This approach is particularly important for ensuring that valuable locally adapted populations are scientifically recognized and brought within appropriate conservation and sustainable utilization programmes,” said Mohan.

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