Kankrej

Kankrej
	A cow
	A bull
Conservation status	FAO (2007): not at risk; DAD-IS (2026): not at risk;
Other names	Kankaraj; Bannai; Nagar; Talabda; Vadhiyar; Vagadia; Wagad; Waged; Wadhiar; Wadhir; Wadial;
Country of origin	India; Pakistan;
Distribution	Gujarat, India; Rajasthan, India; Tharparkar District, Sindh, Pakistan;
Use	milk, draught
Traits
Weight	Male: average 590 kg; Female: average 431 kg;
Skin colour	dark
Coat	grey, from silver to dark
Horn status	horned in both sexes
	Cattle; Bos (primigenius) indicus;

The Kankrej is an Indian and Pakistani breed of zebuine cattle. It originates from the arid region of the Rann of Kutch in the state of Gujarat, and in neighbouring Rajasthan. Under the name Kankaraj, it is also present in Tharparkar District, in Sindh, Pakistan. It is also known by the names Bannai, Nagar, Talabda, Vadhiyar, Vagadia, Wagad, Waged, Wadhiar, Wadhir and Wadial.^: 76^: 23 It is a dual-purpose breed, used both for draught work and for milk production.

History

From about 1870 onwards, Kankrej bulls and cows were exported to Brazil, where they were used to create the Guzerá breed,^: 193 which was later among the breeds from which the American Brahman developed.^: 137

The last official census data for the Kankrej population in India dates from 1977, when there were 465000.^: 215 In Pakistan the population was recorded in 2006 at 273000 head.^: 215 In India a population of 1.58 to 2.22 million is reported for 2022; the conservation status of the breed is listed as "not at risk".

Gallery

A cow with large horns
A bull with large horns

References

↑ Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
1 2 3 4 5 Breed data sheet: Kankrej / India (Cattle). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed June 2026.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
1 2 N.R. Joshi, Ralph W. Phillips (1953). Zebu Cattle of India and Pakistan. FAO Agriculture Studies No. 19. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
↑ Valerie Porter, Ian Lauder Mason (2020). Mason's World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds, Types and Varieties (sixth edition). Wallingford; Boston: CABI. ISBN 9781789241532.
↑ Breed data sheet: Kankaraj / Pakistan (Cattle). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed June 2026.

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[barb-1] Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.

[dad-2] 1 2 3 4 5 Breed data sheet: Kankrej / India (Cattle). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed June 2026.

[cabi-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.

[joshi-4] 1 2 N.R. Joshi, Ralph W. Phillips (1953). Zebu Cattle of India and Pakistan. FAO Agriculture Studies No. 19. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

[val-5] Valerie Porter, Ian Lauder Mason (2020). Mason's World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds, Types and Varieties (sixth edition). Wallingford; Boston: CABI. ISBN 9781789241532.

[dad2-6] Breed data sheet: Kankaraj / Pakistan (Cattle). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed June 2026.