What is Cow ?

A cow is one of the most familiar animals on earth, and in India she is also one of the most valued — kept for milk, for draught work, for dung, and cared for in millions of homes and farms. This guide explains what a cow actually is, how experienced buyers judge a good milking cow, and the main Indian dairy breeds, followed by an A–Z picture list of cattle breeds from around the world.

Cow at a glance

• Scientific name: Bos taurus (taurine cattle) and Bos indicus (the humped zebu cattle of India)
• Family: Bovidae — a ruminant with a four-chambered stomach
• Diet: herbivore (grass, fodder, crop residues)
• Names: an adult female that has calved is a cow; a young female is a heifer; an adult male is a bull; a castrated male is a bullock or ox; a baby is a calf
• Weight: roughly 350–800 kg depending on breed
• Gestation: about nine months (around 280 days)
• Lifespan: commonly 15–20 years
• World population: around 1.5 billion cattle — India has the largest herd of any country

What is a cow?

A cow is the adult female of domestic cattle. Cattle were domesticated from the wild aurochs thousands of years ago, and today they belong to two main types: the humpless Bos taurus of Europe and the humped, heat-tolerant Bos indicus (zebu) that is native to India and much of the tropics. In everyday speech people often call the whole species “cows,” but strictly a cow is female — the male is a bull, and a castrated working male is a bullock.

Cows are ruminants: they swallow grass quickly, then bring it back up as cud and chew it again, which lets them digest tough plant fibre. They are gentle, social herd animals and are kept mainly for milk, but also for draught power, dung (used as fuel and manure) and, in many countries, meat. India keeps more cattle than any other nation and is the world’s largest milk producer, so for millions of families the cow is both a household member and a source of income.

How to choose a good milking cow

If you are buying a cow for milk, don’t judge her by size or colour alone. Experienced dairy farmers look at a handful of practical signs that a cow will milk well and stay healthy. None of these is a guarantee on its own, but together they tell you a lot.

• The udder. It should be well attached to the body (not hanging loosely), roughly balanced, and soft and pliable — not hard or lumpy. After milking, a good udder shrinks and feels slack, which shows the milk really came down rather than staying trapped.
• The four teats. All four should work, be evenly spaced, and point slightly outward so a calf or a milker can reach each one easily. Blocked or badly placed teats are a common problem.
• The milk veins. Look under the belly, running forward from the udder. Prominent, well-developed veins usually mean good blood supply to the udder and better milk flow.
• The skin. A thin, loose, shiny coat is a good sign in a dairy cow. You should be able to lift the skin easily.
• The neck and body. A longer, leaner neck and a slightly wedge-shaped (deep at the rear, finer at the front) body are typical of a good milker rather than a beef-type animal.
• Temperament and health. Choose a calm, alert cow with a good appetite, clear eyes and no limp. Ask about her age, calving history and vaccinations, and watch her being milked once before you pay.

One traditional check buyers use is to feel the tail: a soft, flexible tail-bone is taken as a sign of a good milker. Treat it as folklore rather than proof — the udder, milk veins and a live milking test matter far more. It always pays to take an experienced person or a vet who can spot signs of disease along with you, and to read up on day-to-day dairy farming before you commit.

 

Popular Indian cow breeds

India recognises dozens of indigenous cattle breeds — you can see the full official set in our guide to the registered cattle breeds in India. Below are six of the best-known dairy and dual-purpose breeds. The milk figures are typical ranges reported for each breed; a single animal’s yield depends on her feeding, care and stage of lactation.

1. Gir

Other names: Bhodali, Desan, Gujarati, Kathiawari, Sorthi, Surati. Typical milk: about 10–15 litres a day.

The Gir (or Gyr) is one of the principal zebu breeds of India, originating in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. It is a hardy, gentle animal — herds are known for gathering into a close circle at night with their calves. Because it tolerates heat and tropical disease well, the Gir has been exported widely: it helped create the Brahman breed in North America and is farmed heavily in Brazil and other South American countries. Gir milk is well reputed in India for being of the A2 type, which is one reason the breed is in demand with dairy buyers.

2. Red Sindhi

Other names: Malir, Red Karachi, Sindhi. Typical milk: about 10–15 litres a day.

The Red Sindhi is a deep-red zebu dairy breed that originated in the Sindh region (now in Pakistan) and neighbouring parts of north-west India. It is prized for being hardy and heat-tolerant while still milking well, so it has been used in more than 20 countries to cross with temperate dairy breeds — the aim being to combine heat and tick resistance with higher milk yields. The cattle are medium-sized and handsome, ranging from a yellowish red to a deep, rich red, with bulls usually darker than cows.

3. Sahiwal

Other names: Lola, Lambi Bar, Montgomery. Typical milk: lactation yield around 2,325 kg (commonly 1,600–2,750 kg); well-managed herds can go higher.

The Sahiwal is a zebu breed named after an area in the Punjab, and is found across the Punjab of Pakistan and the Indian states of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. It is widely regarded as one of the best indigenous dairy breeds — heat-tolerant, tick-resistant and a reliable milker. It was exported to Australia in the early 1950s and used there as a dual-purpose breed. Sahiwal milk is noted for containing the A2 type of beta-casein protein, which has made it popular with buyers looking for A2 milk.

4. Jersey

Origin: the island of Jersey (Channel Islands). Typical milk: about 8–10 litres a day, with notably high butterfat.

Unlike the five zebu breeds here, the Jersey is a small European (taurine) breed from the Channel Islands. It is valued for producing rich, high-fat milk very efficiently on relatively little feed, which is why it has been exported worldwide and crossed with local cattle in many countries, including India. Jerseys cope with heat better than most temperate breeds. They range from light fawn to almost black, usually with a lighter band around a black-nosed muzzle, a dark tail switch and black hooves.

5. Rathi

Typical milk: around 1,560 kg per lactation (commonly 1,062–2,810 kg); 7–10 litres a day for a good animal.

The Rathi is a zebu dairy breed from the Bikaner, Ganganagar and Hanumangarh districts of north-west Rajasthan, and is well suited to hot, dry country — it can handle everything from chilly winters to fierce desert summers and even sandstorms. Rathi cattle are usually brown with white patches, though some are solid brown or black-and-white. The breed is thought to have evolved from a mix of Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar and Dhanni cattle, with a strong dose of Sahiwal blood, and it is a genuinely good milker for a hardy desert breed.

6. Deoni

Other names: Dongerpati, Dongari, Wannera, Waghyd, Balankya, Shevera. Typical milk: around 10 kg a day at its best; lactation yield roughly 400–900 kg.

The Deoni is a dual-purpose breed — used for both draught work and milk — that takes its name from Deoni taluk in the Latur district of Maharashtra. It is believed to have descended from a mix of Gir, Dangi and local cattle. Deoni cows come in three recognised colour patterns: white with irregular black spots (Shevera), white with black on the sides of the face (Wannera), and white with black spots low on the body (Balankya). The breed has a thick, loose skin, drooping ears and a slightly bulging forehead, and Deoni bullocks are strong, willing workers valued for heavy farm work.

 

Cow prices in India

There is no single “cow price.” What a cow sells for depends on her breed, her daily milk yield, how many times she has calved, her stage of lactation and where you are buying. Rather than quote a made-up figure, it is far more useful to look at what cows are actually selling for right now: our live cow price page pulls real figures from current listings, broken down by breed and state, and you can do the same for buffalo prices. Always see the animal, watch her milked and confirm her health before you pay.

More cattle & dairy guides

• Registered cattle breeds in India
• Registered buffalo breeds in India
• Dairy farming: a practical guide
• Common cow diseases and how to spot them
• Cow vs buffalo: milk, meat and draught power compared
• How long is a cow pregnant? A cattle gestation guide

Photos, in order: hand-milking near Mehsana — Yann Forget (CC BY-SA 4.0); Gir — Rivadavia.vila (CC0); Red Sindhi — LunaticFringe97 (CC BY-SA 4.0); Sahiwal — Tish Madesh (CC0); Jersey — Swethasakthivel (CC BY 4.0); Rathi — Pavanaja (CC BY-SA 3.0); Deoni — Pavanaja (CC BY-SA 3.0). All via Wikimedia Commons.

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A to Z of cattle breeds (with pictures)

Cow names starting with A

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Aberdeen Angus		Scotland	Meat	Dairy
Abergele		Ethiopia	Meat	Dairy
Abigar		Ethiopia	—	Dairy
Abondance		France	Meat	Dairy
Abyssinian Shorthorned Zebu		Ethiopia	—	—
Aceh	—	Indonesia	Meat	—
Achham		Nepal	—	Dairy
Adamawa		Nigeria	Meat	Dairy
Adaptaur		Australia	Meat	—
Afar		Ethiopia	Meat	Dairy
Africangus		South Africa	Meat	—
Afrikaner		South Africa	Meat	—
Agerolese		Italy	—	Dairy
Alambadi		India	—	—
Alatau		Kazakhstan	Meat	Dairy
Albanian		Albania	—	Dairy
Albera		Spain, France	Meat	—
Alderney		Channel Islands	—	Dairy
Alentejana		Portugal	Meat	—
Aleutian wild cattle		United States	—	—
Aliad Dinka		South Sudan	—	—
Alistana-Sanabresa		Spain	—	—
Allmogekor		Sweden	Meat	—
Alur		Democratic Republic of the Congo	—	—
American		United States	Meat	—
American Angus		United States	—	—
American Beef Friesian		United States	—	—
American Brown Swiss		United States	—	Dairy
American Milking Devon		United States	Meat	Dairy
American White Park		United States	Meat	Dairy
Amerifax		United States	Meat	Dairy
Amrit Mahal		India	—	—
Amsterdam Island cattle		Amsterdam Island	—	—
Anatolian Black		Turkey	Meat	Dairy
Andalusian Black		Spain	Meat	—
Andalusian Blond		Spain	—	—
Andalusian Grey		Spain	—	—
Angeln		Germany	—	Dairy
Angoni		Malawi	—	—
Ankina		United States	—	—
Ankole		East Africa	meat	dairy
Ankole-Watusi		United States
Aracena		Spain	—	—
Arado		Ethiopia	Meat	Dairy
Argentine Criollo		Argentina	Meat	Dairy
Argentine Friesian		Argentina	—	Dairy
Armorican		France	Meat	Dairy
Arouquesa		Portugal	Meat	Dairy
Arsi		Ethiopia	—	—
Asturian Mountain		Spain	Meat	Dairy
Asturian Valley		Spain	Meat	Dairy
Aubrac		France	Meat	Dairy
Aulie-Ata		Kazakhstan	—	Dairy
Aure et Saint-Girons		France	Meat	Dairy
Australian Braford		Australia	Meat	—
Australian Brangus		Australia	Meat	—
Australian Charbray		Australia	Meat	—
Australian Friesian Sahiwal		Australia	—	Dairy
Australian Lowline		Australia	Meat	—
Australian Milking Zebu		Australia	—	Dairy
Australian Shorthorn		Australia	Meat	—
Austrian Simmental		Austria	—	—
Austrian Yellow		Austria	—	—
Avétonou		Togo	—	—
Avileña-Negra Ibérica		Spain	—	—
Aweil Dinka		South Sudan	—	—
Ayrshire		Scotland	—	Dairy
Azaouak		Mali	—	—
Azebuado		Brazil	—	—
Azerbaijan Zebu		Azerbaijan	—	—
Azores		Portugal	—	—

Cow names starting with B

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Bachaur cattle		India	—	Dairy
Baherie cattle		Eritrea	Meat	Dairy
Bakosi cattle		Cameroon	Meat	—
Balancer		United States	Meat	Dairy
Baoule		Ivory Coast	—	Dairy
Bargur cattle		India	—	Dairy
Barrosã		Portugal	Meat	—
Barzona		United States	Meat	—
Bazadaise		France	Meat	—
Beef Freisian		United States	Meat	Dairy
Beefalo		United States	Meat	—
Beefmaker		United States	Meat	—
Beefmaster		United States	Meat	—
Begayt		Ethiopia	Meat	Dairy
Belgian Blue		Belgium	Meat	Dairy
Belgian Red		Belgium, France	Meat	Dairy
Belgian Red Pied		Belgium	Meat	Dairy
Belgian White-and-Red		Belgium	Meat	Dairy
Belmont Red		Australia	Meat	—
Belted Galloway		Scotland	Dairy	—
Bernese		Switzerland	—	—
Berrenda cattle		Spain	Meat	Dairy
Betizu		Spain, France	Meat	—
Bianca Modenese		Italy	Meat	Dairy
Blaarkop		Netherlands	Meat	Dairy
Black Baldy		Australia	Meat	—
Black Hereford		England	Meat	—
Blanca Cacereña		Spain	Meat	Dairy
Blanco Orejinegro BON		Colombia	Meat	Dairy
Blonde d'Aquitaine		France	Meat	Dairy
Blue Albion		Great Britain	Meat	—
Blue Grey		Great Britain	Meat	—
Bohuskulla		Sweden	—	—
Bonsmara		South Africa	Meat	—
Boran		eastern Africa	Meat	—
Boškarin		Croatia, Slovenia	Meat	Dairy
Braford		United States	Meat	—
Brahman		India	Meat	Dairy
Brahmousin		United States	Meat	—
Brangus		United States	Meat	—
Braunvieh		Switzerland	Meat	Dairy
Brava		Spain	—	—
Bretonne Pie Noir		France	—	Dairy
British White		Great Britain	Meat	Dairy
British Friesian		Great Britain	—	Dairy
Brown Carpathian		Ukraine	—	—
Brown Caucasian		Armenia	Meat	Dairy
Brown Swiss		Switzerland	—	Dairy
Bue Lingo		United States	Meat	Dairy
Burlina		Italy	—	Dairy
Buša cattle		former Yugoslavia -  Bosnia and Herzegovina,  Croatia, Kosovo,  Montenegro, North Macedonia,  Serbia (Dinaric Alps)	Meat	Dairy
Butana cattle		Sudan	—	Dairy
Bushuyev		Uzbekistan	—	Dairy

Cow names starting with C

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Cachena		Portugal/Spain	Meat	Dairy
Caldelana		Spain	Meat	Dairy
Camargue		France	Meat	—
Campbell Island cattle		New Zealand	—	—
Canadian Speckle Park		Canada	Meat	—
Canadienne		Canada	Meat	Dairy
Canaria		Spain	Meat	—
Canchim		Brazil	Meat	—
Caracu		Brazil	Meat	Dairy
Cárdena Andaluza		Spain	Meat	—
Carinthian Blondvieh		Austria	Meat	Dairy
Carora		Venezuelan	Meat	Dairy
Charbray		United States	Meat	—
Charolais		France	Meat	—
Chateaubriand		—	—	—
Chiangus		—	Meat	—
Chianina		Italy	Meat	—
Chillingham cattle		England	—	—
Chinese Black Pied		China	—	Dairy
Cholistani		Pakistan	—	Dairy
Cika cattle		Slovenia	Meat	Dairy
Coloursided White Back		—	Meat	Dairy
Commercial		—	—	—
Corriente		Spain	Meat	Dairy
Corsican cattle		France	Meat	—
Costeño con Cuernos		Colombia	Meat	—
Crioulo Lageano		—	—	—

Cow names starting with D

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Dajal		Pakistan	Meat	Dairy
Dangi cattle		India	—	—
Danish Black-Pied		Denmark	—	—
Danish Jersey		Denmark	—	Dairy
Danish Red		Denmark	Meat	Dairy
Deep Red cattle		—	Meat	Dairy
Deoni		India	—	Dairy
Devon		England	Meat	Dairy
Dexter cattle		Ireland	Meat	Dairy
Dhanni		Pakistan	Meat	Dairy
Doayo cattle		Cameroon	—	—
Doela		—	—	—
Drakensberger		South Africa	Meat	Dairy
Dølafe		Norway	Meat	Dairy
Droughtmaster		Australia	Meat	—
Dulong'		—	Meat	—
Dutch Belted		Netherlands	Meat	Dairy
Dutch Friesian		Netherlands	Meat	Dairy
Dwarf Lulu		—	—	—

Cow names starting with E

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
East Anatolian Red		—	—	Dairy
Eastern Finncattle		Finland	Meat	Dairy
Eastern Red Polled		—	—	—
Enderby Island cattle		New Zealand	—	—
English Longhorn		England	Meat	Dairy
Ennstaler Bergscheck		Austria	Meat	—
Estonian Holstein		Estonia	—	Dairy
Estonian Native		Estonia	—	—
Estonian Red cattle		Estonia	Meat	Dairy
Évolène cattle		Switzerland	—	Dairy

Cow names starting with F

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Fēng Cattle		China	Meat	Diary
Finnish Ayrshire		Finland	—	—
Finncattle		Finland	Meat	Dairy
Finnish Holstein-Friesian		Finland	—	—
Fjäll		Sweden	Meat	Dairy
Fleckvieh		Austria	Meat	Dairy
Florida Cracker cattle		United States	Meat	—
Fogera		Ethiopia	Meat	Dairy
French Simmental		France	Meat	Dairy
Fribourgeoise		Switzerland	—	—
Friesian Red and White		—	Meat	Dairy
Fulani Sudanese		—	Meat	Dairy

Cow names starting with G

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Galician Blond		Spain	Meat	Dairy
Galloway cattle		Scotland	Meat	Dairy
Gangatiri		India	—	Dairy
Gaolao		India	—	Dairy
Garvonesa		Portugal	Meat	—
Gascon cattle		France	Meat	—
Gelbvieh		Germany	Meat	Dairy
Georgian Mountain cattle		Georgia	Meat	Dairy
German Angus		Germany	Meat	—
German Black Pied cattle		Germany	—	Dairy
German Black Pied Dairy		Germany	—	Dairy
German Red Pied		Germany	Meat	Dairy
Gir		India	—	Dairy
Glamorgan cattle		England	Meat	Dairy
Glan cattle		Germany	Meat	Dairy
Gloucester		England	Meat	Dairy
Gobra		—	Meat	—
Greek Shorthorn		Greece	Meat	Dairy
Greek Steppe		Greece	Meat	Dairy
Greyman cattle		Australia	Meat	—
Gudali		Iran/Persia	—	Dairy
Guernsey cattle		Channel Islands	—	Dairy
Guzerá		Brazil	Meat	—

Cow names starting with H

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Hallikar		India		—
Hanwoo		Korea	Meat	—
Hariana cattle		India	—	Dairy
Hartón del Valle		Colombia	Meat	Dairy
Harzer Rotvieh		Germany	Meat	Dairy
Hays Converter		Canada	Meat	—
Heck cattle		Germany	—	—
Hereford		England	Meat	—
Herens		Switzerland, Italy, France	Meat	—
Hybridmaster		—	Meat	Dairy
Highland cattle		Scotland	Meat	—
Hinterwald		Germany	Meat	Dairy
Holando-Argentino		Argentina	Meat	Dairy
Holstein Friesian cattle		Germany, the Netherlands	Meat	Dairy
Horro		Ethiopia	Meat	—
Huáng Cattle		China	Meat	Dairy
Hungarian Grey		Hungary	Meat	—

Cow names starting with I

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Iberian cattle		Spain	—	—
Icelandic		Iceland	—	Dairy
Illawarra cattle		Australia	Meat	Dairy
Improved Red and White		—	Meat	—
Indo-Brazilian		—	Meat	—
Irish Moiled		Ireland	Meat	Dairy
Israeli Holstein		—	—	Dairy
Israeli Red		—	Meat	Dairy
Istoben cattle		—	Meat	Dairy
Istrian cattle		see Boškarin

Cow names starting with J

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Jamaica Black		Jamaica	Meat	Dairy
Jamaica Hope		Jamaica	—	Dairy
Jamaica Red		Jamaica	Meat	—
Japanese Brown		Japan	Meat	—
Jarmelista		Portugal	Meat	—
Javari cattle		India	—	—
Jersey cattle		Channel Islands	—	Dairy
Jutland cattle		Denmark	Meat	Dairy

Cow names starting with K

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Kabin Buri cattle		Thailand	Meat	Dairy
Kalmyk cattle		Russia	Meat	Dairy
Kangayam		India	—	Dairy
Kankrej		India	—	—
Kamphaeng Saen cattle		Thailand	Meat	—
Karan Swiss		—	Meat	Dairy
Kasaragod Dwarf cattle		India	—	Dairy
Kathiawadi		India	—	—
Kazakh Whiteheaded		—	Meat	Dairy
Kenana cattle		Sudan	—	Dairy
Kenkatha cattle		India	—	—
Kerry cattle		Ireland	Meat	Dairy
Kherigarh		India	—	—
Khillari cattle		India	—	—
Kholomogory		Russia	Meat	Dairy
Korat Wagyu		Thailand	Meat	—
Kostroma cattle		Russia	Meat	Dairy
Krishna Valley cattle		India	—	Dairy
Kuri		—	Meat	Dairy
Kurgan cattle		Russia	Meat	Dairy

Cow names starting with L

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
La Reina cattle		Nicaragua	Meat	Dairy
Lakenvelder cattle		Netherlands	—	Dairy
Lampurger		—	—	—
Latvian Blue		—	—	—
Latvian Brown		Latvia	Meat	Dairy
Latvian Danish Red		Latvia	Meat	Dairy
Lebedyn		Ukraine	—	—
Levantina		—	Meat	—
Limia cattle		Spain	Meat	Dairy
Limousin		France	Meat	—
Limpurger		—	Meat	Dairy
Lincoln Red		England	Meat	—
Lineback		Canada	—	Dairy
Lithuanian Black-and-White		—	—	—
Lithuanian Light Grey		—	—	—
Lithuanian Red		Lithuania	Meat	—
Lithuanian White-Backed		—	—	—
Lohani cattle		—	Meat	—
Lourdais		France	Meat	Dairy
Lucerna cattle		South America	—	—
Luing		Scotland	Meat	—

Cow names starting with M

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Madagascar Zebu		—	Meat	Dairy
Madura		Indonesia	Meat	Dairy
Maine-Anjou		France	Meat	Dairy
Malnad Gidda		India	—	Dairy
Malvi		India	—	Dairy
Mandalong Special		—	Meat	—
Mantequera Leonesa		—	Meat	Dairy
Maramureş Brown		Romania	—	—
Marchigiana		Italy	Meat	—
Maremmana		Italy	Meat	Dairy
Marinhoa		Portugal	Meat	Dairy
Maronesa		Portugal	Meat	Dairy
Masai		—	Meat	—
Mashona		—	Meat	—
Menorquina		—	—	Dairy
Mertolenga		Portugal	Meat	—
Meuse-Rhine-Issel		Netherlands	Meat	Dairy
Mewati		India	—	Dairy
Milking Shorthorn		Great Britain	Meat	Dairy
Minhota		Portugal	Meat	Dairy
Mirandesa		Portugal	Meat	—
Mirkadim		Bangladesh	Meat	—
Mocăniţă		Romania	—	—
Mollie		Spain	Meat	—
Monchina		Spain	Meat	—
Mongolian		China	Meat	—
Montbéliarde		France	Meat	Dairy
Morucha		—	Meat	—
Muturu		Nigeria	Meat	Dairy
Murboden		Austria	Meat	Dairy
Murnau-Werdenfels		Germany	—	Dairy
Murray Grey		Australia	Meat	—

Cow names starting with N

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Nagori		India	—	—
N'Dama		Guinea	Meat	Dairy
Negra Andaluza		Spain	Meat	—
Nelore		Brazil	Meat	—
Nguni		Southern Africa	Meat	Dairy
Nimari		India	—	—
Normande		France	Meat	Dairy
North Bengal Grey		Bangladesh	Meat	Dairy
Northern Finncattle		Finland	Meat	Dairy
Northern Shorthorn		Great Britain	—	Dairy
Norwegian Red		Norway	Meat	Dairy

Cow names starting with O

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Ongole		India	Meat	Dairy
Original Simmental		Switzerland	Meat	Dairy

Cow names starting with P

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Pajuna		Spain	Meat	—
Palmera		—	Meat	—
Pantaneiro		Brazil	—	—
Parda Alpina		Spain	Meat	Dairy
Parthenaise		France	Meat	—
Pasiega		Spain	—	Dairy
Pembroke		Wales	Meat	Dairy
Philippine Native		Philippines	Meat	Dairy
Pie Rouge des Plaines		France	—	Dairy
Piedmontese cattle		Italy	Meat	Dairy
Pineywoods		—	Meat	Dairy
Pinzgauer		Austria	Meat	Dairy
Pirenaica		Spain, France	Meat	—
Podolac		Croatia	Meat	Dairy
Podolica		Italy	Meat	Dairy
Polish Black-and-White		—	—	—
Polish Red		Poland	Meat	Dairy
Polled Hereford		England	Meat	—
Poll Shorthorn		Australia	Meat	—
Polled Shorthorn		United States	Meat	—
Ponwar		India	—	—
Preta		Portugal	Meat	—
Prim'Holstein		France	Meat	Dairy
Punganur		India	Meat	Dairy
Pulikulam		India	—	Dairy
Pustertaler Sprinzen		—	Meat	—

Cow names starting with Q

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Qinchaun		China	Meat	—
Queensland Miniature Boran		—	Meat	—

Cow names starting with R

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Ramo Grande		Portugal	Meat	Dairy
Randall		United States	Meat	Dairy
Raramuri Criollo		Chihuahua, Mexico	Meat	Dairy
Rathi		India	—	Dairy
Rätisches Grauvieh		Switzerland	meat	dairy
Raya		Ethiopia	Meat	Dairy
Red Angus		Scotland	Meat	Dairy
Red Brangus		—	Meat	—
Red Chittagong		Bangladesh	—	—
Red Fulani		West Africa	Meat	—
Red Gorbatov		Russia	—	Dairy
Red Holstein		—	—	Dairy
Red Kandhari		India	—	—
Red Mingrelian		Georgia	Meat	Dairy
Red Poll		England	Meat	Dairy
Red Polled Østland		Norway	Meat	Dairy
Red Sindhi		India/Pakistan	Meat	Dairy
Retinta		—	Meat	—
Riggit Galloway		—	Meat	—
Ringamåla		Sweden	—	Dairy
Rohjan		—	Meat	—
Romagnola		Italy	Meat	—
Romanian Bălţata		Romania	—	—
Romanian Steppe Gray		Romania	—	—
Romosinuano		Colombia	Meat	—
Russian Black Pied		Russia	Meat	Dairy
RX3		—	Meat	—

Cow names starting with S

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Sahiwal		India/Pakistan	—	Dairy
Salers		France	Meat	—
Salorn	—	—	Meat	—
Sanga		—	Meat	—
Sanhe	—	—	Meat	Dairy
Santa Cruz	—	United States	Meat	—
Santa Gertrudis		United States	Meat	—
Sayaguesa		Spain	Meat	—
Schwyz	—	—	—	—
Selembu		—	Meat	Dairy
Senepol		—	Meat	—
Serbian Pied	—	Serbia	—	Dairy
Serbian Steppe	—	Serbia	—	—
Sheko		Ethiopia	—	—
Shetland		Scotland	Meat	—
Shorthorn		England	Meat	—
Siboney de Cuba		—	Meat	—
Simbrah		—	Meat	—
Simford		—	Meat	—
Simmental		Switzerland	Meat	Dairy
Siri		Bhutan	—	Dairy
South Devon		England	Meat	Dairy
Spanish Fighting Bull		Spain	Meat	—
Speckle Park		Canada	Meat	—
Square Meater		Australia	Meat	—
Stabiliser		United States	Meat	—
Sussex		England	Meat	—
Swedish Friesian		—	—	Dairy
Swedish Polled		—	—	Dairy
Swedish Red Pied		—	—	Dairy
Swedish Red Polled		—	Meat	Dairy
Swedish Red-and-White		—	Meat	Dairy

Cow names starting with T

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Tabapuã		Brazil	Meat	Dairy
Tarentaise		France	Meat	Dairy
Tasmanian Grey		—	Meat	—
Tauros cattle		—	—	—
Taurus cattle		Germany	—	—
Telemark		Norway	Meat	Dairy
Texas Longhorn		United States	Meat	Dairy
Texon		—	Meat	—
Thai Black		Thailand	Meat	—
Thai Fighting Bull		Thailand	—	—
Thai Friesian		Thailand	—	Dairy
Thai Milking Zebu		Thailand	—	Dairy
Tharparkar		India/ Pakistan	—	Dairy
Tswana		Botswana	Meat	Dairy
Tudanca		Spain	Meat	Dairy
Tuli		Zimbabwe	Meat	Dairy
Tulim		—	Meat	—
Turkish Grey Steppe		—	Meat	—
Tux-Zillertal		—	—	Dairy
Tyrol Grey		Austria	Meat	Dairy

Cow names starting with U

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Umblachery		India	—	Dairy
Ukrainian Grey		Ukraine	—	—

Cow names starting with V

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Valdostana Castana		Italy	—	—
Valdostana Pezzata Nera		Italy	—	—
Valdostana Pezzata Rossa		Italy	—	—
Väneko		Sweden	—	—
Vaynol		Scotland	Meat	—
Vechur[8]		India	—	Dairy
Vestland Fjord		Norway	Meat	Dairy
Vestland Red Polled		Norway	Meat	Dairy
Vianesa		—	Meat	Dairy
Volinian Beef		Ukraine	Meat	—
Vorderwald		Germany	Meat	Dairy
Vosgienne		France	Meat	Dairy

Cow names starting with W

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Wagyu		Japan	Meat	—
Waguli		USA	Meat	—
Wangus		—	Meat	—
Welsh Black		Wales	Meat	—
Western Finncattle		Finland	Meat	Dairy
White Cáceres		—	Meat	—
White Fulani		—	Meat	—
White Lamphun		Thailand	—	—
White Park		Great Britain	Meat	Dairy
Whitebred Shorthorn		Great Britain	Meat	—

Cow names starting with X

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Xingjiang Brown		—	Meat	Dairy

Cow names starting with Y

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Yakutian		Russia	Meat	Dairy
Yanbian		China	—	—
Yanhuang		China
Yurino		Ukraine	—	—

Cow names starting with Z

Breed	Image	Country/region of origin	Meat	Dairy
Żubroń		Poland	Meat	—
Zebu		—	Meat	Dairy

 

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This table credit goes to Wikipedia animals