Zebu

The zebu or humped cattle (Bos indicus) is a domestic cattle domesticated in the area of the Indian subcontinent, which is mainly kept in tropical and subtropical climates.

It is much better adapted to the local climate than European ("taurine") breeds of domestic cattle. In Africa, many breeds of domestic cattle have resulted from crosses between zebus and taurine cattle. Since the 20th century, zebus have been crossed into taurine cattle breeds in other parts of the world with tropical climates to take advantage of their heat tolerance and disease resistance. Original zebu breeds give little milk and grow more slowly than taurine breeds. One of the earliest depictions of a zebu on coins comes from the Pisidian city of Termessos in the first century BC. The image shows that zebu cattle were considered typical of this city at the turn of the century.

Zebus are descended from a different subspecies of aurochs than taurine cattle. According to some experts, the original form of the zebus could represent a separate species (Bos namadicus) alongside the aurochs. Genetic studies show that today's domestic cattle do not belong to one tribe, as has long been believed, but are descended from two different lineages. Both forms seem to have separated already in the wild state about 600,000 years ago.

Zebu breeds (selection)

Indian subcontinent

In the Indian 19th Livestock Population Census, i.e. the nationwide statistical survey of domestic animals in India 2011, 37 indigenous (zebu) cattle breeds were statistically recorded (enumerated in order of frequency):

Pakistan's 2006 pet statistics distinguished the following indigenous (zebu) breeds (in order of frequency):

Worldwide

breeds of domestic cattle resulting from crosses with zebus

• Brangus
• Central Plains Gelbvieh (China)
• Santa Gertrudis Beef
• Senepol Cattle
• Tswana Cattle
• Watussi Cattle
• Canchim cattle (Central Brazil)

Gallery