Zebu is an Asian cow, greatadapted for life in a hot and humid climate. It has several characteristics that distinguish it from other members of the genus. Where does zebu live? You will find the photo of the animal and its description below.
Zebu is a subspecies of the wild bull that occurs.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 tour. But there is no exact confirmation of this, and the ancestor of zebu has never been established by science.
Another version assumes they do not occur.from the tour, in contrast to our usual domestic cows. Their branches diverged even three hundred thousand years ago and have since developed separately. During this time, zebu acquired a number of characteristics that helped them adapt to the specific conditions of the range.
It is easy to recognize her among other cows by the hugea hump on a nape. The zebu animal is very hardy and resistant to many diseases that often affect cattle. They do not suffer from piroplasmosis, tuberculosis, foot and mouth disease, brucellosis.
Zebu are strong and muscular animals.They have long thin legs and a slender body, through the skin, muscles and relief of bones are well visible. Under the neck they have a noticeable fleshy fold. The neck of zebu 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 curved horns. Zebu's ears are oblong, which is why they hang down a little. The hump on the back is formed by muscle tissue with layers of fat. It takes up to 3% of the total weight of the animal.
Zebu colors can be any:red, white, brown, black. Very often it is not monophonic, in places that are more often influenced by the sun (forehead, neck, back, loin), 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.
Hump, paddle-shaped ears, skin folds, largethe number of sweat and sebaceous glands play an important role in the thermoregulation of the organism zebu. Enhanced salivation helps recycle dry food, even with minimal amounts of water. Thanks to such a set, zebu perfectly tolerate high temperatures and the influence of the scorching sun.
These amazing cows live in regions withtropical and subtropical climate. It is believed that they originate from India. Now they can be easily met not only there, but also in other countries of Asia and Africa. In connection with this, 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 sustainabilitygive reason for crossing them with other cows. In Africa, these hybrids began to deduce a century ago, having received the Afrikander and Bosmar breeds. In the Soviet Union, they were bred in the Central Asian republics.
In the USA, the Brahmin breed was created, which is nowused in Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, USA and Brazil. In total, about 75 different breeds (Guzerat, Beefmaster, Brangus, Kenan, Boran, etc.) were bred on the basis of zebu. 35 of them are found in India.
Animals become adult individuals at about45 months of life. Representatives of different types of terms differ. The longest gestation period lasts for Indian zebu, and most of all for the Filipino.
Pregnancy lasts about 285 days.How long it will last depends not only on the species, but also on the nutrition, the conditions of the cow, and even the sex of the future calf. In young specimens, the hump is barely noticeable, but eventually grows up to 40 cm. Cows cannot breed every year, usually this happens once every two or one and a half years.
In the farm zebu cows are used up to 12 years,Bulls are becoming unsuitable for ten years. The event begins when the bull reaches the age of 2.5 years. At the same time, bulls are castrated, which are used exclusively as a force of burden.
Like other cows, zebu are very helpful inhousehold They give a little milk and are famous, above all, meat. It is not fatty and tough, but it is characterized by excellent taste. Bulls are also harnessed to wagons, and their manure is used for fertilizer and fuel.
В некоторых странах зебу – это священные животные.In India, they are associated with the ancient myths of the god Indra and Shiva. The image of a cow is found on temple bas-reliefs and sculptures, on the famous Ashoka columns. Bull Nandin is considered a symbol of childbearing and sexual energy. The cows themselves are considered symbols of purity and abundance.
Zebu are also sacred in Madagascar, but here inunlike India, they can be killed. Long since they were sacrificed, covered with their milk and blood. It is believed that cow meat gives strength and fills the person with the spirit of the animal.
