RAS question
Tharparkar breed of cattle is found primarily in:
Correct answer: (B) Barmer-Jaisalmer.
Tharparkar cattle are found primarily in the Barmer-Jaisalmer belt of western Rajasthan, with the broader Rajasthan distribution also covering Jodhpur.
Explanation
Tharparkar is a desert-linked cattle breed, not a breed associated with Rajasthan’s eastern or south-eastern districts. It is a dual-purpose, drought-resistant breed of the Thar Desert region, with its home tract mainly in Jaisalmer, Barmer and Jodhpur. ICAR - National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Ruminant genetic resources of Rajasthan state: Status, distribution and characteristics places animals with typical Tharparkar characteristics in Jodhpur, Barmer and Jaisalmer districts of Rajasthan, besides Kutchch in Gujarat, with some animals also found in Suratgarh tehsil of Sriganganagar. Barmer-Jaisalmer is the primary location because it falls within the breed’s western Rajasthan home tract.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Jaipur is not part of the Tharparkar distribution; the breed is mainly placed in western Rajasthan districts such as Barmer, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur.
- (C) Kota is outside the Thar Desert-linked home tract of Tharparkar cattle and is not among the Rajasthan districts where typical Tharparkar animals are found.
- (D) Udaipur is not a Tharparkar tract; the breed is tied to the Barmer-Jaisalmer-Jodhpur belt instead.
Concept
RAS covers Rajasthan’s animal genetic resources within economic geography, especially the district-wise distribution of indigenous livestock breeds. Indigenous livestock breeds often connect desert ecology, drought adaptation and western Rajasthan’s pastoral economy.