🇱🇰 The cattle breeds of Sri Lanka

Most Sri Lankan cattle are introduced or crossbred dairy animals rather than native stock. Local cattle faded out and today's dry-zone animals are crosses with Indian breeds. Cattle are kept mainly for milk, with artificial insemination common, but livestock is a small part of farming and the national economy.

• Sri Lanka has roughly 1.3 million cattle.
• Artificial insemination accounts for about 60% of cattle breeding.
• True indigenous cattle died out in the late 1930s.
• Thamankaduwa White is found only in eastern Sri Lanka.
• Dry milk powder has been imported since the 1980s, mainly from Australia and New Zealand.

Cattle in Sri Lanka

Cattle keeping in Sri Lanka is a small but widespread activity, set within a livestock sector worth about 1.2% of national GDP. Most animals are introduced breeds or crosses, not domestic breeds; local stock is described as having poor milk and meat quality. Farmers choose breeds according to climate. European dairy breeds suit the wet and intermediate upcountry, Indian breeds suit the dry and intermediate low country, and crossbreds serve the wet low country. Artificial insemination is the main breeding route, using mostly locally produced semen and some imports. Indian breeds and crossbreeding link Sri Lankan cattle farming to South Asian practice.

The breeds

The cattle breeds named include Ayrshire, Friesian and Jersey for the upcountry, and Sindhi, Sahiwal, Tharparkar, Australian Milking Zebu and Australian Frisian x Sahiwal for the low country. Mid-country farms use Jersey, Friesian and the Australian Milking Zebu. Local crossbreeds, found mostly in the dry zone, mix indigenous cattle with Indian Bos indicus breeds. The true indigenous breed died out in the late 1930s; animals now called Lankan Cattle are not true Lankan cattle. Thamankaduwa White is a local breed confined to the east. Hatton cow or Cape cattle, once good milkers, are extinct. The Australian Frisian x Sahiwal has not met expectations as a tropical dairy breed.

Regions and communities

Cattle are spread across Sri Lanka, but breed choice follows climate and region. In the upcountry wet and intermediate zones, European dairy breeds are recommended. The low country dry and intermediate zones suit Indian breeds, while the wet low country uses crossbreds. Mid-country farms use Jersey, Friesian and Australian Milking Zebu. Local crossbreeds are mostly in the dry zone. Thamankaduwa White is confined to the east. The Hatton cow or Cape cattle, once available in mid-country, are now extinct.

Milk, butter and beef

Cattle are kept mainly for milk. Locally processed dairy goods include yoghurt, which is the leading product and sold under many trade names, plus curd, ghee, ice cream, liquid milk, cheese and sweets. Households and a few companies do this processing. Milk and dairy consumption per person is about 36 kg, lower than in other South Asian countries. Dry milk powder has been imported since the 1980s, chiefly from Australia and New Zealand. Local breeds are noted for poor milk and meat quality.

Today

Sri Lanka has about 1.3 million cattle. Livestock as a whole makes up roughly 1.2% of GDP. Domestic breeds are rarely used; most cattle are crosses or introduced breeds. The true indigenous breed became extinct in the late 1930s, and animals now called Lankan Cattle are not true Lankan cattle. Artificial insemination is the main breeding method, with local semen production and limited imports.