Pakistan's Qurbani breed guide

Central Punjab's signature dual-purpose goat — large, long-eared, the default choice for Qurbani.

Central Punjab — Sahiwal, Okara, Faisalabad

45–80 kg

South Punjab's big black goat — impressive size and a jet-black coat prized for Qurbani.

South Punjab — Multan, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan

55–90 kg

Sindh's spotted-brown milk-and-meat goat — long-eared and widely kept around Dadu and Larkana.

Upper Sindh — Dadu, Larkana, Sukkur

40–65 kg

Small, prolific meat goat — common on Punjab commercial farms, rarely used for Qurbani.

Central Punjab — Sahiwal, Okara, Faisalabad

20–35 kg

Small spotted meat-and-milk goat — an affordable Qurbani option for smaller households.

Central Punjab — Sahiwal, Okara, Faisalabad

25–40 kg

The 'dancing' goat of Punjab — springy gait, solid meat frame, common at Eid markets.

Central Punjab — Sahiwal, Okara, Faisalabad

35–55 kg

Bahawalpur's black-faced white sheep — the 'kajal-eyed' meat breed popular for Qurbani.

South Punjab — Multan, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan

35–60 kg

Central Punjab's brown-bodied dual-purpose sheep — meat, milk, and wool from one breed.

Central Punjab — Sahiwal, Okara, Faisalabad

40–70 kg

The Thal desert's white fat-tailed sheep — hardy, drought-tolerant, and reliable for Qurbani.

Thal Desert — Bhakkar, Mianwali, Khushab

35–55 kg

Pothohar's compact white fat-tailed sheep from the Salt Range — stocky Qurbani pick.

Pothohar Plateau — Chakwal, Jhelum, Attock

30–50 kg

Balochistan's prized fat-tailed sheep — Quetta market's premium Qurbani export.

Balochistan — Quetta, Sibi, Naseerabad

40–65 kg

Lower Sindh's white fat-tailed meat sheep — a compact Qurbani option around Karachi.

Lower Sindh — Karachi, Thatta, Badin

35–55 kg

Pakistan's top dairy breed — the reddish-brown Sahiwal bull is a Qurbani mainstay across Punjab.

Central Punjab — Sahiwal, Okara, Faisalabad

300–500 kg

Cholistan desert's white-and-grey cattle with lyre horns — a photogenic Qurbani choice.

Cholistan Desert — Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan

350–550 kg

Sindh's compact deep-red dairy cow — a solid-coloured Qurbani pick in Karachi and Hyderabad.

Lower Sindh — Karachi, Thatta, Badin

280–420 kg

Thar desert's drought-tolerant white cow — popular for hissa (shared) Qurbani in Sindh.

Thar Desert — Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mithi

300–450 kg

Pothohar's patched black-and-white cow — a recognisable single-family Qurbani option.

Pothohar Plateau — Chakwal, Jhelum, Attock

250–400 kg

Balochistan's giant grey bull — Naseerabad's famous heavy Qurbani export to Karachi.

Balochistan — Quetta, Sibi, Naseerabad

450–700 kg

Pakistan's top dairy buffalo — the jet-black Nili-Ravi with prized wall-eye markings.

Central Punjab — Sahiwal, Okara, Faisalabad

450–800 kg

Sindh's coiled-horn black buffalo — a recognisable Qurbani pick in Karachi and Hyderabad.

Upper Sindh — Dadu, Larkana, Sukkur

400–650 kg

KPK's smaller mountain buffalo from the Swat valley — primarily a milk breed.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — Peshawar, Swat, Dera Ismail Khan

300–500 kg

Cholistan's tall racing camel — slender, tan, a premium hissa (shared) Qurbani option.

Cholistan Desert — Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan

450–650 kg

The Thal desert's heavy draught camel — favoured for hissa Qurbani for its size.

Thal Desert — Bhakkar, Mianwali, Khushab

500–750 kg

Lower Sindh's coastal camel — a practical Qurbani choice at Karachi mandis.

Lower Sindh — Karachi, Thatta, Badin

400–600 kg

Balochistan's mountain camel from the Pishin valley — seasonal Qurbani availability.

Balochistan — Quetta, Sibi, Naseerabad

450–650 kg