Cow Ghee · Breeds
Rathi vs Sahiwal Cow: Which Is Better for Milk and Ghee?
Sahiwal and Rathi are both desi dairy breeds with A2 milk, and they are closer than most comparisons suggest. In research-farm records Sahiwal gave about 1,783 kg of milk in a 305-day lactation at 4.7% fat (ICAR-NDRI Karnal), while Rathi at Bikaner gave about 1,660 kg per lactation, with published fat figures around 5%. Sahiwal is more widespread and gives slightly more milk; Rathi is a hardier desert breed with slightly richer milk. Per lactation, their milk fat, and so their ghee potential, is nearly the same.
Quick take
- Sahiwal: ~1,783 kg milk per 305 days at 4.7% fat (NDRI).
- Rathi: ~1,660 kg per lactation at Bikaner; fat ~5%.
- Ghee potential is similar: ~84–88 kg of milk fat per lactation.
- Sahiwal for availability; Rathi for desert hardiness.
Rathi vs Sahiwal is a common question from dairy farmers and from ghee buyers looking past the Gir label. We make buffalo ghee, so this is a neutral look at what research farms have recorded for the two breeds.
Our own A2 buffalo bilona ghee is hand-churned from Murrah milk and lab-tested.
The two breeds at a glance
| Sahiwal | Rathi | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Sahiwal district, Punjab (now Pakistan) | Thar desert, Rajasthan |
| Found in India | Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan | Bikaner, Ganganagar, Jaisalmer |
| Looks | Reddish-dun coat, small horns, large hump in bulls | Brown with white patches |
| Milk per lactation | ~1,783 kg (305 days, NDRI herd) | ~1,660 kg (Bikaner station) |
| Milk fat | ~4.7% | ~5% (reported 5.3%) |
| Best suited to | Hot plains; widely used on dairy farms | Arid desert grazing |
Sahiwal figures: 600 lactations of 259 cows at ICAR-NDRI Karnal, 2001–2010. Rathi yield: performance records from the Bikaner research station; fat from breed summaries. Farm herds vary widely.
Sahiwal: the heat-tolerant workhorse
Sahiwal is the desi breed most organised dairy farms turn to. It is heat-tolerant and productive, and is kept across Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. In the NDRI Karnal herd, cows averaged about 1,880 kg of total milk per lactation (1,783 kg in the standard 305 days) at 4.71% fat and 8.81% solids-not-fat.
Rathi: the desert breed
Rathi takes its name from the Rath, pastoral people of the Thar who moved their herds with the grazing and lived partly by selling ghee and milk. It is valued for producing well on sparse desert pasture. Research records from Bikaner put its lactation yield at roughly 1,600–1,700 kg, and breed summaries give fat around 5.3% — a little richer than Sahiwal milk.
Which is better for ghee?
Do the fat maths per lactation:
- Sahiwal: 1,783 kg × 4.71% ≈ 84 kg of milk fat.
- Rathi: ~1,660 kg × ~5.3% ≈ 88 kg of milk fat.
That is almost a tie. Sahiwal gives a little more milk, Rathi a little more fat per litre. Either way, losses in bilona churning mean real ghee yield is lower (how much milk makes 1 kg of ghee). In practice Sahiwal ghee is easier to buy outside Rajasthan, while Rathi ghee is mostly sold regionally.
Are Rathi and Sahiwal A2?
Indian native breeds carry the A2 beta-casein allele at very high frequency — about 0.987 on average across breeds in published genotyping, as quoted in the Badri genotype study. High is not the same as every cow, so a brand selling “A2 Sahiwal” or “A2 Rathi” ghee should still show an A2A2 test on its herd (A2A2 explained).
Bottom line
For a dairy farmer in the plains, Sahiwal is the safer, better-documented choice; in the Thar, Rathi earns its place. For a ghee buyer, breed matters less than method, freshness and proof (10 questions to ask any A2 ghee brand). Gir and Badri join the comparison here: Gir vs Sahiwal vs Rathi vs Badri cow ghee. And if you are weighing cow against buffalo: buffalo ghee vs cow ghee.
Sources & references
- Verma MK et al. Effect of genetic and non-genetic factors on milk yield and milk constituents on Sahiwal cattle (ICAR-NDRI Karnal). Indian Journal of Animal Research, 2016; 50(5)
- Comparative evaluation of various performance traits and lactation curve models in Rathi cattle (thesis, KrishiKosh)
- Rathi cattle — Wikipedia
- Sahiwal cattle — Wikipedia
- Dar AH, Sodhi M et al. Distribution of allelic and genotyping frequency of A1/A2 allele of beta casein in Badri cattle. Journal of Livestock Biodiversity
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Rathi or Sahiwal cow?
Sahiwal gives slightly more milk (about 1,783 kg per 305-day lactation at NDRI) and is more widespread; Rathi gives slightly richer milk (around 5% fat) and suits desert conditions. Their milk fat per lactation is almost the same.
Which cow gives more milk, Rathi or Sahiwal?
Sahiwal, slightly. Research-farm records put Sahiwal at about 1,783 kg per 305 days and Rathi at about 1,600 to 1,700 kg per lactation.
Is Sahiwal cow ghee A2?
Sahiwal is an Indian native breed and native breeds carry the A2 allele at very high frequency, but a brand should still show an A2A2 test on its own herd's milk.
Where is Rathi cow found?
Mainly in the Thar desert of Rajasthan, in Bikaner, Ganganagar and Jaisalmer districts.
Which breed makes more ghee?
Per lactation they are nearly equal: about 84 kg of milk fat for Sahiwal and about 88 kg for Rathi, before processing losses.
Prefer buffalo? A2 by nature
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