Dairy Goat Breeds in India and Their Productivity

India is the world’s largest producer of goat milk, yet much of this potential remains untapped. According to the Indian Journal of Animal Sciences (ICAR), the country has 37 registered goat breeds distributed across diverse agro-climatic zones, with five key breeds – Beetal, Jamunapari, Jakhrana, Surti, and Zalawadi – recognized as true dairy breeds capable of producing 150 to 500 litres of milk per lactation. On top of that, exotic breeds like Alpine, Saanen, Toggenburg, and Anglo-Nubian have been introduced to enhance productivity through crossbreeding. Understanding these breeds – their origins, physical traits, and milk output – is essential for anyone involved in or studying dairy goat farming in India.

India’s position in goat milk production 🔗

Goat farming in India has historically been the domain of small and marginal farmers, with most animals raised primarily for meat. However, growing awareness about the nutritional and therapeutic properties of goat milk has spurred a shift toward commercial dairy goat production in recent years. India now leads global goat milk output, yet the average yields from Indian dairy goat breeds remain well below their genetic potential – largely due to energy-deficient diets and a lack of dedicated selection and breeding programs. Breeds like Jamunapari, Beetal, Jakhrana, and Surti are also used to upgrade non-descript goats across different regions to improve overall productivity.

Indigenous dairy goat breeds of India 🔗

India’s recognized dairy goat breeds are concentrated mainly in the north and north-western regions. Each breed has adapted to its local environment and carries distinct physical and productive characteristics that make it suitable for specific agro-climatic conditions.

Jamunapari 🔗

The Jamunapari is considered the pride of Indian goat breeds and is the largest dairy goat in the country. Its home tract lies in the Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh, in the tract between the Jamuna, Ganga, and Chambal rivers. The breed has an average daily milk yield of 1.5-2.0 kg, with a total lactation yield of around 280 kg over a lactation period of about 270 days. The body is large, the ears are long and pendulous, and the coat is generally white or yellowish tan with light brown patches on the face and neck. Despite its stature, the Jamunapari has been placed on the endangered species list by the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources. It is also widely used in crossbreeding programs – not only in India but across several Asian countries – to upgrade local breeds for both growth and milk yield.

Beetal 🔗

Native to the districts of Gurdaspur, Amritsar, and Ferozepur in Punjab, the Beetal is one of the top dairy breeds in India. It ranks second to the Jamunapari in size but surpasses it in adaptability to different agro-climatic zones and response to stall feeding. The breed is predominantly jet black or brown, with a slightly Roman nose and long, open, drooping ears. Adult males weigh around 60 kg and females around 35 kg. Research from Raja Balwant Singh College, Agra, found that pure Beetal goats produced the highest daily milk yield among studied breeds, averaging around 1.14 kg under intensive management. Under field conditions, daily yields can range from 1 to 2 kg. The Beetal has been extensively used in breed improvement programs across India.

Jakhrana (Jhakrana) 🔗

The Jakhrana originates from Jakhrana village near Behror in the Alwar district of Rajasthan. It is a large animal with a predominantly black coat bearing white spots on the ears and muzzle, short and lustrous hair, and a highly developed udder. The breed closely resembles the Beetal but is comparatively longer in body. Average daily milk yield ranges from 2.0 to 3.0 kg over a lactation period of 180-200 days, making it one of the better-performing indigenous dairy breeds. Kidding is mostly single, though twins are recorded in about 40% of cases, and triplets are not uncommon. The Jakhrana is also valued for meat production and its skin is sought after in the tanning industry.

Surti 🔗

The Surti goat takes its name from the city of Surat in Gujarat and is found primarily in the Surat, Baroda, and Nasik regions. It is a small to medium-sized breed with a compact body, a well-developed udder with large conical teats, and a coat that is usually white or light brown. The Surti is a prolific breeder, with females capable of giving birth twice within 12-15 months, and the breed is an excellent milk producer, yielding 2 to 2.5 kg per day. Despite its productivity, the Surti’s total population is small and it is classified as an endangered breed. Most Surti flocks are maintained under extensive grazing in small herds of 2 to 15 goats.

Zalawadi 🔗

The Zalawadi is native to the Surendranagar and Rajkot districts of the Saurashtra region in Gujarat and is locally called Tara Bakari. It is a multi-purpose breed raised for milk, meat, and fiber. The animal is large, black-coated with long lustrous hair, and has distinctive leaf-shaped drooping ears and corkscrew-shaped horns. The average daily milk yield is around 1.75 kg, with some animals producing up to 154 kg in a 150-day lactation period under village conditions. The breed accounts for 27.8% of the total goat population in Surendranagar district and is reared by the traditional shepherd communities of Rabaris and Bharwads. Zalawadi goats show high prolificacy, with twinning rates as high as 55%.

Why indigenous breed yields fall short of potential 🔗

Indian dairy goat breeds have the genetic potential to produce 3.0 to 5.0 litres of milk per day, or 300 to 500 litres per lactation, but currently only 8-10% of animals from these breeds achieve this level of output. The main reasons are that most goats are still raised primarily for meat rather than milk, and they are fed energy-deficient diets. Dedicated sire lines for milk yield have not been developed at scale, and infrastructure for goat milk processing and marketing remains limited. Addressing these gaps through structured selection programs and better nutritional support is key to unlocking the true dairy potential of these breeds.

Exotic dairy goat breeds and their role in India 🔗

To bridge the productivity gap, several high-yielding exotic breeds have been introduced and evaluated in India. These breeds originate primarily from Europe and are used in crossbreeding programs to develop hybrid goats that combine the milk output of exotic lines with the environmental resilience of local breeds. The main exotic dairy breeds introduced in India are the Toggenburg, Saanen, French Alpine, and Nubian, each recognized globally for superior milk yield.

Saanen 🔗

The Saanen originates from the Saanen Valley in Switzerland and is often called the “milk queen of the goat world.” The breed is white or light cream in color, normally hornless, with a straight or slightly dished face and forward-pointing ears. Does weigh at least 65 kg, while bucks can weigh 95 kg or more. Average milk yield ranges from 2 to 5 kg per day across a lactation period of 8 to 10 months, with a milk fat content of 3-5%. The Saanen is also used in crossbreeding programs in India to boost the milk output of non-descript goats.

Alpine (French Alpine) 🔗

The French Alpine originates from the Alps and is recognized for both high milk yield and adaptability to varied climates. Alpine does are excellent milkers with a butterfat content of 3-4%, and a purebred doe in a 10-month lactation has been recorded producing over 2,300 kg of milk and 66 kg of butterfat. The breed is medium to large in size, with a sturdy build and a wide variety of coat colors. Its adaptability makes it suitable for diverse farming systems in India.

Toggenburg 🔗

The Toggenburg is the oldest known dairy goat breed and comes from the Toggenburg Valley in north-eastern Switzerland. The breed is hardy and productive, with an average milk yield of around 5.5 kg per day and a butterfat content of approximately 3.4%. Does should stand at least 68 cm at the withers and weigh at least 65 kg. Toggenburgs are brown-coated with characteristic white face stripes and markings. They adapt to a wide range of climates and have been used in crossbreeding programs in India, West Indies, South Africa, and other tropical countries.

Anglo-Nubian 🔗

The Anglo-Nubian is a cross between the Nubian of Egypt and the Jamunapari from India, with English parentage – making it particularly relevant to Indian breeding history. It is considered one of the outstanding examples of a synthetic breed evolved through crossbreeding, and is especially valued as a tropical milch goat. The breed is large, with a glossy coat, long pendulous ears, and a distinctive Roman nose and forehead. Average milk yield is 3-4 kg per day, with peak yields exceeding 6.5 kg, and butterfat content averages around 4.5% – earning it the nickname “the Jersey cow of the goat world.” The Anglo-Nubian’s heat tolerance and high butterfat milk make it well-suited for tropical crossbreeding programs.

Crossbreeding programs and their impact 🔗

The All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on goat improvement was initiated during the 4th Five-Year Plan, with the goal of improving milk, meat, and fiber production through crossbreeding of native breeds with Indian or high-yielding exotic breeds. Crossbred offspring typically show improved milk yield, better disease resistance, and greater adaptability compared to either parent breed in isolation. The government has further supported these efforts through programs like the National Livestock Mission (NLM) and the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), which provide financial assistance and subsidies for breed improvement and disease control. Among indigenous breeds, Jamunapari and Beetal remain the most widely used improver breeds, not only domestically but also in several other Asian countries.

Quick reference: milk yield by breed 🔗

The table below summarizes the average daily milk yield of the key dairy goat breeds relevant to Indian farming:

What do you think? Given that indigenous breeds like Jakhrana and Surti are already capable of producing 2-3 kg of milk per day, what do you think is holding back their wider adoption in commercial dairy goat farming? And with the Anglo-Nubian breed having partial Indian origins through the Jamunapari, do you think India should invest more in developing its own synthetic dairy goat breed rather than relying on imported exotic genetics?

References

1. https://epubs.icar.org.in/index.php/IJAnS/article/view/114871
2. https://indianfarmer.net/uploads/goat%20milk%20article.pdf
3. https://www.aliveterinarywisdom.com/goat-breeds-of-india-their-production-characteristics/
4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921448804002500
5. https://www.fao.org/4/x6532e/x6532e03.htm
6. https://ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT2010434.pdf
7. https://timesofagriculture.in/best-goat-breeds-in-india/
8. https://agtr.ilri.org/zalawadi.html
9. https://learnnaturalfarming.com/exotic-goat-breeds-in-india/
10. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/376798777_CHAPTER_33_Exotic_Goat_Breeds_found_in_India
11. https://goelvetpharma.com/blogs/sheep-goat-homeopathic-medicines/indian-goat-breeds-with-their-peculiar-characteristics