Definition of a breed:

• crossbred animal is the progeny of mating two or more different distinct breeds.
• breed is defined as a sufficiently homogenous, sub-specific population of domestic animals sharing definable, identifiable, and heritable morphological and physiological characteristics that distinguish them by visual inspection from other groups within the same species.
• strain is a closed breeding subpopulation within a breed selected for a specific performance trait.
• Race is an anthropological or broader taxonomic term.

Mandya sheep breed and Bannur strain:

• Nilgiris is a fine-wool breed of Tamil Nadu.
• Karakul is a pelt-producing fat-tailed sheep breed.
• Mandya sheep (native to Mandya and Mysuru districts of Karnataka) is famously known as Bannur or Bandur; it is widely acclaimed for its compact, fleshy barrel-shaped mutton conformation and marbling.
• Caracul is an alternative spelling for pelt sheep.

Kadaknath (also known as Kalamasi due to its black flesh) is an indigenous breed native to the Jhabua and Dhar districts of Madhya Pradesh. It is known for fibromelanosis (melanin hyperpigmentation of skin, muscles, internal organs, and bones). Kadaknath was officially granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2018 under Geographical Indication Registry.

Option breakdown:

• Aseel is an aggressive game bird breed of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, not holding a GI tag.
• Nicobari is a hardy native breed of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, renowned for high egg production among indigenous breeds.
• Kadaknath holds the official GI tag for its black meat and tribal heritage in Madhya Pradesh.
• Vanaraja is a synthetic dual-purpose crossbred chicken developed by DPR Hyderabad for backyard farming.