Gir cow Photo: BIJIT SARKAR · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source ↗

Gir cattle (Saurashtra dairy zebu)

Gir is the most productive of the Indian dairy zebu (Bos indicus) breeds and the lead breed of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. It is registered with the ICAR National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) and is a priority breed under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission for indigenous cattle development. Gir is also the foundation breed of Brazil's tropical dairy industry, where it has been used to create the Girolando (Gir × Holstein) and to set world records for zebu milk yield.

Origin and distribution

The breed evolved in the Gir forests and adjoining tracts of Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Rajkot and Porbandar districts of Saurashtra. Today, breeding tracts also extend into Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and well-managed Gir herds are found in dairy farms across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, often promoted as A2 milk farms.

Appearance

Gir animals are medium-to-large, with a glossy red, mottled or yellowish-red coat — pure red and red-and-white patched animals are most prized. The breed has a distinctive convex, domed forehead ("ulta katora"), long pendulous ears that fold inward and a well-developed hump in bulls. Horns curve downward and backward in a characteristic half-moon. Adult cows weigh 385–425 kg and bulls 540–600 kg.

Productivity

Lactation yield averages 1,600–2,200 kg over 300 days under field conditions, with elite organised farms recording 3,500–4,500 kg. Fat content is typically 4.5–5.0%, supporting strong premiums under fat-and-SNF pricing (Milk Fat Snf Pricing). Age at first calving is 36–48 months and the inter-calving interval is 13–15 months. Gir cows are heat-tolerant, tick-resistant and known for placid temperament, making them well suited to tropical dairying and the A2 milk premium segment popular with desi-cow natural farms (Desi Cow Natural Farming).

Management

Gir thrives on rotational grazing supplemented with green fodder such as hybrid napier (Bullet Napier And Hybrids, Super Napier Fodder) and lucerne. A balanced concentrate ration of 2.5–3.0 kg per cow per day plus 400 g per litre of milk maintains body condition. Open-sided shed design with cross-ventilation and shade is adequate; tie-stall floors must be non-slip to protect feet. Breeding is usually by artificial insemination (Artificial Insemination Cattle) with progeny-tested Gir bulls supplied through Rashtriya Gokul Mission semen stations.

Sources

Gir — NBAGR breed profile. ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal.
Gir — Dairy Knowledge Portal. National Dairy Development Board.