A large number of farmers in India depend on animal husbandry for their livelihood. In addition to supplying milk, meat, eggs, wool and hides, animals, mainly bullocks, are the major source of power for both farmers and drayers. Thus, animal husbandry plays an important role in the rural economy. The gross value of output from this sector was ₹358 billion (US$5.3 billion) in FY 1989, an amount that constituted about 25 percent of the total agricultural output of ₹1.4 trillion (US$20.8 billion).
List of Cattle breeds originating in India
| CATTLE | CHICKEN | SHEEP | GOAT |
| Alambadi | Asil chicken | Barbari goat | Banduru Sheep |
| Amrit Mahal | Brahma chicken | Beetal | Gaddi (sheep) |
| Bachaur cattle | Giriraja | Black Bengal goat | Magra sheep |
| Bargur Cattle | Gramapriya | Chamba goat | Marwari sheep |
| Brahman (cattle) | Kadaknath | Chigu goat | Nilgiri sheep |
| Dangi cattle | Vanaraja | Jamnapari goat | |
| Deoni cattle | Sirohi goat | ||
| Gangatiri cattle | Zalawadi | ||
| Gaolao cattle | |||
| Gyr cattle | |||
| Hallikar | |||
| Hariana cattle | |||
| Jaffrabadi | |||
| Javari Cattle | |||
| Kangayam cattle | |||
| Kankrej cattle and Guzerat cattle | |||
| Kasaragod Dwarf cattle | |||
| Kathiawadi cattle | |||
| Kenkatha cattle | |||
| Kherigarh cattle | |||
| Khillari cattle | |||
| Krishna Valley cattle | |||
| Mahesana (cattle) | |||
| Malnad Gidda | |||
| Malvi | |||
| Mewati cattle | |||
| Miniature Zebu | |||
| Nagori | |||
| Nagpuri (cattle) | |||
| Nelore | |||
| Nimari cattle | |||
| Ongole cattle | |||
| Ponwar cattle | |||
| Punganur cattle | |||
| Rathi cattle | |||
| Red Kandhari cattle | |||
| Sahiwal cattle | |||
| Siri cattle | |||
| Tharparkar (cattle) | |||
| Umblachery cattle | |||
| Vechur Cattle | |||
| Zebu | |||
Official Website of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (AH&D) : www.dahd.nic.in