Kankrej Cow
કાંકરેજ
Also called: Wagad, Wadhiar, Talabda, Nagar
The fastest-trotting draught breed — and a respectable milker.
Native tract: Kachchh, Banaskantha, Mehsana, Patan; spilling into Rajasthan's Barmer and Jodhpur
Milk per day (peak)
6–10 L
Milk per lactation (~300 days)
1,300–2,800 L
Milk fat
4.0–4.8%
Adult weight
400–500 kg
Distinctive features
Coat: Silver-grey to iron-grey; bulls darker than cows.
- Powerful, well-muscled body — the largest of the desi dual-purpose breeds
- Lyre-shaped horns covered with skin partway up
- Strongly developed hump
- Steady, ground-covering trot (sawai-chal) — known to cover long distances at speed
Temperament & utility
- Premier draught breed — bullocks pull heavy carts at sustained trotting pace
- Cows give respectable milk despite the dual-purpose breeding
- Heat and drought hardy
- Long productive life — 12+ lactations not unusual
History & lineage
Kankrej takes its name from the Kankrej taluka of Banaskantha. The breed was historically central to the merchant caravans of Gujarat and Rajasthan — Kankrej bullock carts moved cotton, salt, and grain at 8–10 km/h, faster than any other Indian draught bullock. With mechanisation, the draught market collapsed; today Kankrej survives mainly as a dual-purpose breed maintained by gaushalas and the Gujarat Animal Husbandry Department.
Why Kankrej matters
Kankrej is at the crossroads of two crises — declining demand for draught animals and competition from crossbred dairy. Adopting a Kankrej cow into a working farm or gaushala keeps both her genetic line and a piece of Gujarat's caravan history alive.
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Frequently asked
How much milk does a Kankrej cow give?
6–10 litres a day; total lactation 1,300–2,800 litres. Lower than pure dairy breeds because Kankrej is dual-purpose.
Are Kankrej bullocks still used for ploughing?
In some parts of Banaskantha and Kachchh, yes — small farmers still prefer Kankrej bullocks for paddy fields where tractors get stuck. But the overall population is declining as mechanisation spreads.