Deoni
A horned draught breed from Maharashtra, kept for work and milk
The Deoni is a horned zebu draught breed from Maharashtra in India, named for the Deoni taluk in Latur district and spread through the Marathwada region and Bidar district. It is kept as a dual-purpose animal for work and milk, with cows about 122 cm tall and 295 kg, and bulls 135 to 140 cm and 590 kg.
- Named after the Deoni taluk in Latur district, Maharashtra
- Kept as a dual-purpose breed for draught work and milk
- Cows stand about 122 cm; bulls 135 to 140 cm and about 590 kg
- FAO listed it as not at risk in 2007
- Also called Dongari, Dongarpatti, Devni, Devani or Surti
What do Deoni cattle look like?
The Deoni is a breed of zebu cattle, the humped type placed in the indicus subspecies, and it is horned. Cows are moderate in size: about 122 cm at the withers, the ridge between the shoulders, and some 295 kg in weight. Bulls are noticeably bigger, standing 135 to 140 cm and weighing near 590 kg. The breed is classed as dual-purpose, so it is kept both for work and for milk, and it is counted among the draught cattle of India.
Where does the Deoni come from?
The breed carries the name of Deoni, a taluk, or sub-district, in Latur district in Maharashtra state, India. Its main range is the Marathwada region, and within it the districts of Latur, Nanded, Osmanabad and Parbhani. Herds are also kept in Bidar district, which lies in Karnataka. Farmers in these districts use the breed on the land, and it is one of the cattle breeds recorded for the country.
Deoni, drawn
What the Deoni is kept for
The Deoni is kept for two jobs, and that is why it is called dual-purpose. One is draught work: oxen, which are the trained working bullocks, pull ploughs and carts. The other is milk from the cows. In the inland districts of Maharashtra where the breed is kept, this pairing lets a farming household have working animals for the fields and milk for the home at the same time. Both uses are named for the breed.
Numbers, conservation and the herd book
In a 2007 review by the FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Deoni was placed in the not at risk category. Its numbers are spread over the Marathwada districts of Maharashtra and into Bidar district in Karnataka, so the breed is tied to a fairly compact stretch of inland western India. Bulls weigh about 590 kg and cows about 295 kg. Bulls stand 135 to 140 cm tall and cows around 122 cm.
From the Deoni
Questions people ask about Deoni
Where does the Deoni come from?
It comes from Maharashtra in India and takes its name from the Deoni taluk in Latur district. Herds are found in the Marathwada districts of Latur, Nanded, Osmanabad and Parbhani, and also in Bidar district in Karnataka.
What is the Deoni kept for?
It is kept for draught work and for milk, which makes it a dual-purpose breed. The working bullocks pull farm equipment and carts, while the cows supply milk for the household in the inland districts of Maharashtra.
How big is a Deoni?
Cows stand around 122 cm at the withers, the ridge between the shoulders, and weigh about 295 kg. Bulls are larger, at 135 to 140 cm tall and roughly 590 kg.
Is the Deoni at risk of disappearing?
In the 2007 review by the FAO it was classed as not at risk. The breed remains tied to the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and to Bidar district in Karnataka.
What other names does the Deoni have?
It is also called Dongari, Dongarpatti, Devni, Devani and Surti. These are alternative names recorded for the same Indian draught breed of the Marathwada region.
Good reading and sources
- Deoni cattle on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Deoni cattle", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryCow rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Sizes, colours and customs differ from one herd, valley or breeder to the next. Folk beliefs are described as tradition, never as advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-16.
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