ICAR Registers 16 New Indigenous Livestock Breeds

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) registered 16 new indigenous livestock and dog breeds in 2026. The registration was completed through the ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBAGR) in Karnal, Haryana, and the total number of registered animal breeds in India rose to 262, including 258 indigenous breeds and 4 synthetic breeds.

Breed Registration Committee and ICAR-NBAGR

The Breed Registration Committee (BRC) held its 14th meeting in New Delhi on 7 August 2026 under the chairmanship of Dr. Raghavendra Bhatta, Deputy Director General (Animal Science) of ICAR. The committee recommended the registration of 16 new indigenous breeds, and ICAR-NBAGR later assigned unique accession numbers to each breed on 21 August 2026.

Registered Cattle and Sheep Breeds

The four newly registered cattle breeds are Koppal from Karnataka, Mahakaushali from Madhya Pradesh, Periyar from Kerala, and Umarda from Maharashtra. The four newly registered sheep breeds are Asomi from Assam, Kow Debar from Uttarakhand, Madgyal from Maharashtra and Karnataka, and Seemanchali from Bihar.

Other Newly Registered Breeds

The remaining registered breeds include Gomanchali buffalo from Goa, Totapuri goat from Rajasthan, Battisi goat from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, Nagal pig from Nagaland, Sikkimese yak from Sikkim, Braj donkey from Uttar Pradesh, Kashmiri pony from Jammu and Kashmir, and Kombai dog from Tamil Nadu.

Total: 16 new breeds → 262 registered breeds in India (258 indigenous + 4 synthetic).

Important Facts for Exams

• ICAR stands for the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, which functions under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• ICAR-NBAGR is based in Karnal, Haryana, and it deals with the registration and documentation of animal genetic resources in India.
• Breed registration helps maintain official records of indigenous animal genetic diversity in India.
• India’s registered animal breeds now include cattle, sheep, buffalo, goat, pig, yak, donkey, pony, and dog breeds.

Indigenous Breeds and Animal Genetic Resources

Indigenous breeds are locally adapted animal populations with distinct physical and genetic traits. Animal genetic resources include livestock and other domesticated animal populations used for breeding, conservation, and agricultural production.