Kankrej
(most common name)

local/other name (Kutch district):
• Nagar
• Talabda
• Vagadia
• Wagad
• Waged
local/other name (Radhanpur district):
• Vadhiyar
• Wadhiar
• Wadhir
• Wadial
local/other name (English):
• Bannai
• Guzerat
local/other name (Pakistan):
• Kankaraj

The Kankrej originated in the southeast of the Great Rann of Kutch (which is located in the Thar Desert in the Kutch District of Gujarat state) and adjoining Rajasthan state. In Pakistan, they can be found in southwest Tharparkar district in Sindh province.

The Kankrej has a silvery to dark grey coat with dark skin. Bulls are darker on the hump and rump; calves have rusty-red forequarters up to the age of 6–9 months.

Bulls raised for breeding are kept for only six to seven years and then they are sold to prevent inbreeding. However, breeding females are rarely sold by the professional breeders.

Steers are valuable for draught. Their gait — said to be ‘peculiar to the breed, smooth in action with a very long and even stride’ (Joshi and Phillips, 1953) — is known as the Sawai Chal (‘one and a quarter’); the hind leg is placed a little in front of the fore leg when walking.

Varieties of Kankrej include:
• Sanchori

Microsatellites show Kankrej affinity with:
• Mewati
• Nagori

The Kankrej also shows, so far unexplained, affinities with:
• Malvi
• Nimari
• Gir
• Hariana

In Brazil, the Kankrej gave rise to the Guzerá.

This page was last updated on: 2023-08-22

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