What animals can be used for qurbani?

The four types of animal

The Quran calls the sacrificial animals "bahimat al-an'am", the grazing livestock, which scholars agree means camels, cattle, sheep and goats, male or female.

Chickens, ducks, deer or fish don't count as qurbani, even though they're halal to eat. Giving them away is still good charity, just not the Eid sacrifice. The Prophet ﷺ himself sacrificed two horned rams (Sahih al-Bukhari 5565).

Minimum ages

• Sheep: six months to one year, depending on the school. Hanafis and Hanbalis accept a well-grown six-month-old; Shafi'is and Malikis ask for about a year.
• Goat: one year old.
• Cow or buffalo: two years old.
• Camel: five years old.

The Prophet ﷺ said to sacrifice a mature animal, and only a younger sheep (a jadha'ah) if that was hard to find (Sahih Muslim 1963). Scholars differ slightly on exact ages, but reputable farms and charities follow these limits.

Defects that disqualify an animal

The Prophet ﷺ named four animals that don't count: one clearly blind in one eye, one clearly sick, one clearly lame, and one so thin it has no marrow (Sunan Abi Dawud 2802). Scholars add similar or worse defects, such as a missing ear or a broken horn reaching the core. Small flaws, like a scratch or a notch in the ear, are fine. The best animal is healthy, well fed and a good size.

Shares in larger animals

The Companions shared one camel or one cow between seven people (Sahih Muslim 1318). So seven friends or relatives can each take one share of a cow. A sheep or goat can't be split. Whether one sheep covers a whole household is a separate question. See Can I do one qurbani for my whole family?

The animal must then be slaughtered in the halal way, after the Eid prayer. See How is halal meat slaughtered? and What is qurbani and do I have to do it?