Zebu is an Asian cow perfectly adapted for life in hot and humid climates. It has several characteristic features that distinguish it from other representatives of the genus. Where does zebu live? You will find a photo of the animal and its description below.
Humpback cow
Zebu is a subspecies of a wild bull that comes from South Asia. The animal belongs to the genus of real bulls and the family of bovids. Zebu is a relative of European cows, but not too close. According to one version, they both descended from an extinct bull of the tour. But there is no exact confirmation of this, and the ancestor of zebu has not been established by science.
Another version suggests that they do not come from the tour, unlike the usual domestic cows. Their branches dispersed another three hundred thousand years ago and have since developed separately. During this time, the zebu acquired a number of characteristic features that helped them adapt to the specific conditions of the range.
She is easily recognized among other cows by the huge hump on the scruff of the neck. Animal zebu is very hardy and resistant to many diseases that often affect cattle. They do not suffer from pyroplasmosis, tuberculosis, foot and mouth disease, brucellosis.
Appearance and features
Zebu are strong and muscular animals. They have long, thin legs and a slender body, muscles and bone relief are clearly visible through the skin. Under their neck there is a noticeable fleshy fold. The zebu’s neck is short, the chest is narrow.
Horns can be of various shapes and sizes. As a rule, they are long and slightly bent inward. But there are species with short or bent to the side horns. The zebu's ears are oblong, which is why it hangs down a bit. The hump on the back is formed by muscle tissue with layers of fat. It occupies up to 3% of the total mass of the animal.
The color of the zebu can be any: red, white, brown, black. Very often it is not monophonic, in places that are more often affected by the sun (forehead, neck, back, lower back), it is darker. Humpback cows have thick and dense skin, covered with sparse hairs and a thin layer of fat. All this provides reliable protection against parasites.
The hump, oar-shaped ears, folds on the skin, a large number of sweat and sebaceous glands play an important role in the thermoregulation of the body zebu. Increased salivation helps process dry food even with minimal water. Thanks to this set of zebas, the high temperatures and the influence of the scorching sun are excellently tolerated.
Where do zebu live?
These amazing cows live in regions with tropical and subtropical climates. It is believed that they come from India. Now they can easily be found not only there, but also in other countries of Asia and Africa. In this regard, Iranian, Indian, African and other zebu are usually distinguished.
In the XIX century, they were taken to South America and Australia. Currently, animals are bred in Pakistan, India, Iran, Japan, Korea, Madagascar, the Philippine Islands, the United States, Brazil and other countries.
Tasty meat and extreme zebu stability give rise to crossbreeding them with other cows. In Africa, such hybrids began to be developed a century ago, having received the breed Afrikander, Bosmar. In the Soviet Union, they were bred in the Central Asian republics.
In the USA, the Brahman breed was created, which is now used in Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, the USA and Brazil. In total, about 75 different breeds were bred on the basis of zebu (guzerat, beefmaster, brangus, kenana, boran, etc.). 35 of them are found in India.
Breeding
Animals become adults at about 45 months of age. For representatives of different species, the timing is different. The ripening period is the longest for the Indian zebu, and shortest for the Filipino.
Pregnancy lasts about 285 days. How long it lasts depends not only on the species, but also on nutrition, conditions of the cow and even on the sex of the future calf. In young individuals, the hump is barely noticeable, but grows up to 40 cm over time. Cows are not able to calve every year, usually this happens every two or a half years.
Zebu cows are used on the farm for up to 12 years, and bulls become unsuitable for ten years. A mating begins when a bull reaches the age of 2.5 years. At the same time, the bulls are castrated, which are used exclusively as draft power.
Value for man
Like other cows, zebu are very useful on the farm. They give some milk and are best known for meat. It is not greasy and stiff, but is characterized by excellent taste. Bulls are also harnessed to carts, and their manure is used for fertilizer and fuel.
In some countries, zebu are sacred animals. In India, they are associated with ancient myths about the god Indra and Shiva. The image of a cow is found on temple bas-reliefs and sculptures, on the famous columns of Ashoka. The bull Nandin is considered a symbol of procreation and sexual energy. Cows themselves are considered symbols of purity and abundance.
They are also sacred to zebu in Madagascar, but here, unlike India, they can be killed. From ancient times they were sacrificed, smeared with milk and blood. It is believed that the meat of a cow gives strength and fills a person with the spirit of an animal.