Wool-Yielding Animals in India: Sheep & Goat Breeds

India's wool production relies primarily on sheep and goats, adapted to diverse agro-climatic zones:

Sheep Breeds (Major)

• Nilgiri Sheep: Tamil Nadu hills; fine wool.
• Nilgiri Sheep: Tamil Nadu hills; fine wool.
• Deccani: Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka; coarse carpet wool.
• Nellore (Jodipi): Andhra Pradesh; coarse, colored wool.
• Mandya: Karnataka; coarse, hairy.
• Marwari: Rajasthan; coarse, desert-adapted.
• Magra: Rajasthan; carpet wool.
• Chokla: Rajasthan; fine carpet wool.
• Patanwadi: Gujarat; dual-purpose (meat/wool).
• Gaddi: Himachal Pradesh; fine undercoat.
• Rampur Bushair: HP/UK; fine wool.
• Merino & Rambouillet (Exotic): Crossbred for improved fineness in Himachal, UP, J&K.

Goat Breeds (Specialty Fibers)

• Pashmina (Changthangi): Ladakh; ultra-fine cashmere (<15 μm).
• Angora: Nilgiris, HP; mohair (long, lustrous).
• Chegu: Himachal/Ladakh; pashmina-type.
• Nilgiri Goat: Fine fiber.

Economic Role

~75M sheep, ~140M goats (2020 Livestock Census). Supports millions of pastoralists (Raika, Changpa, Gaddi, Kuruba, Dhangar). Wool used for carpets (Bhadohi, Mirzapur), blankets, shawls (Kullu, Kinnauri), apparel. Challenges: low productivity, poor marketing, breed dilution, climate stress.