🐂 Zebu
Also known as: humped cattle, Bos indicus
Humped cattle of the tropics (India, Africa): milk and ghee.
Zebu are the humped cattle of the tropics (Bos indicus), easy to recognise by the hump over the shoulders and the large dewlap. According to the FAO, zebu are the main local dairy cattle of hot regions. Well-known dairy breeds include Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar, Kankrej and Gir, and in Africa Kenana and Butana.
Zebu give less milk than specialised temperate-zone cows, but they cope well with heat, ticks and poor fodder. That is why in the tropics they are crossed with dairy breeds: the hybrids give more milk while keeping some of the hardiness. India, where zebu have historically been the basis of cattle farming, is today the world’s largest milk producer.
Zebu milk is close to cow’s milk in composition — broadly speaking, they are the same species of cattle. In South Asia it is made into ghee and dahi; among East African herders such as the Maasai, zebu cows provide milk that is the basis of the diet and a measure of a family’s wealth.
How it connects to milk
Links
- What milk it gives
- 🥛 Zebu milk
- Its milk is used for
- 🧈 Ghee
- What it gives
- 🥛 Milk
- Feeds with milk
- 🍼 Calf
- Belongs to
- 🔬 Mammal
- Where it is milked
- 🌍 South Asia, 🌍 East Africa
- Which peoples keep it
- 🧑🤝🧑 Indians, 🧑🤝🧑 Maasai
- Part of
- 🐄 Cattle
Frequently asked questions
Why do zebu have a hump?
The hump is a mass of muscle and fat over the shoulders, typical of tropical cattle; it is linked to adaptation to a hot climate and seasons of scarce fodder.
How much milk does a zebu cow give?
Usually less than European dairy breeds; the best zebu dairy breeds, when well fed, give several thousand litres per lactation.
Is zebu milk the same as cow’s milk?
Yes, zebu are a type of cattle, and their milk is close in composition to the milk of ordinary cows.
History
Similar
🐄 Cow · 🐃 Water buffalo · 🐃 Mithun · 🐃 Yak · 🐕 Dog · 🦔 Hedgehog