Karan Fries Breed: ICAR–NDRI’s Climate-Resilient Answer to India’s Dairy Needs

India’s dairy sector may be on the brink of a major transformation with the rise of a little-known but powerful cattle breed called Karan Fries. Developed through decades of scientific breeding, this synthetic cow combines high milk productivity with resilience to Indian climatic conditions. For farmers, breeders and policymakers, Karan Fries represents a promising solution to boost milk output sustainably across the country.

Why in News?

The Karan Fries cow breed was recently granted official registration by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, highlighting its importance as a high-yield, climate-resilient dairy breed for India.

What is the Karan Fries Breed?

• Karan Fries is a synthetic dairy cattle breed developed by the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) through crossbreeding Holstein Friesian, a globally recognised high-yielding exotic breed, with Tharparkar, an indigenous Indian zebu cattle breed known for heat tolerance and disease resistance.
• The objective was to combine the productivity of exotic cattle with the hardiness of Indian breeds, creating an animal suited for Indian farm conditions.

Milk Yield and Performance Advantage

• Karan Fries cows produce an average of 3,550 kg of milk per lactation (around 10 months), translating to about 11.6 kg per day.
• Top-performing animals have yielded 5,851 kg in 305 days, with a peak daily yield of 46.5 kg.
• This performance is significantly higher than indigenous breeds, which typically yield 3-4 kg per day, and even surpasses many exotic breeds under Indian conditions.
• The figures highlight strong genetic potential and management adaptability.

How It Compares with Indigenous and Exotic Breeds

• India’s indigenous cattle usually produce 1,000-2,000 kg per lactation, while exotic breeds average 8-9 kg per day but often struggle with heat stress and diseases.
• Karan Fries bridges this gap by offering nearly double the milk production of most indigenous breeds while retaining adaptability to hot and humid climates.
• This balance makes it particularly suitable for Indian small and medium dairy farmers who need productivity without high maintenance costs.

Official Recognition and New Breed Registrations

• Karan Fries, along with another synthetic breed Vrindavani, and 16 newly recognized livestock and poultry breeds, received registration certificates from Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at an event organised by Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources.
• With these additions, India now has 246 registered livestock and poultry breeds, including 242 indigenous and 4 synthetic breeds.

Scientific Stability and Long-Term Breeding Success

• According to NDRI scientists, Karan Fries has achieved genetic stability after multiple generations of inter se breeding, overcoming the limitations of first-generation crossbreeds.
• The breed shows uniformity in production traits, adaptability to Indian agro-climatic conditions, and consistent performance.
• Experts note that this stability allows Karan Fries to serve as foundation stock for crossbred cattle improvement programmes across India, strengthening long-term dairy productivity.

Key Summary at a Glance

Question

Q. Karan Fries cattle is a cross between:

A. Jersey and Hariana
B. Holstein Friesian and Tharparkar
C. Brown Swiss and Gir
D. Jersey and Sahiwal