Zebu

Systematic

Having before a statute of species to share ( Boss indicus ), the zebu is currently regarded as a subspecies of Bos taurus : Boss taurus indicus . According to the current trend of the biologists to reclassify the domestic species into simple under group of the original wild species, the zebu is more and more often presented under the name of Bos primigenius indicus (under species of Bos primigenius ), or under the name of Bos primigenius F. indicus ” (F. for formed meaning that the zebu is a domestic “form”, and not a subspecies with whole share, statute reserved by certain biologists with wild animals).

Origin

The zebu is originating in the Indian peninsula. There existed during the Préhistoire, a branch differentiated from the aurochs in India, Bos primigenius namadicus . Is the zebu the downward one, or it separated later on from the bovine branch Bos primigenius taurus ? Current research in archeology does not make it possible to slice.
On the other hand, the history of the zebu comtemporain, boss taurus indicus, is known with more acuity. It was domesticated with Mehrgarh since 8500 and 6000 years. From there, it colonized all the Indian peninsula.
Thereafter, it arrived in Africa where its capacities of acclimatization were well adaptatées with the progressive draining of part of the continent. The three theories on the date of its arrival in Africa are the following ones:

old Arrivée (there are 3 to 4000 years) It would have probably arrived by the Mésopotamie and the Egypt. (Payne and Wilson, 1999 and Henri Lhote, the Extraordinary adventure of Peuls )
Arrived at the first millenium before JC of a zebu come from Egypt. (theory based on research archaeological: Muzzolini, 2000) This zebu, would slowly have diffused its genes with the wire of the crossings in the bovine populations autochtones of Africa.
Arrived later of Zebu S indo - Pakistani brought in the Horn of Africa by the Arab . (Ethiopia, Somalia) This thesis is supported by research on the molecular genetics; (Hanotte and others, 2002) it shows a fast diffusion of genes of zebus in the populations autochtones. The Malagasy settlement will also go back to this time.

One second arrival much more recent in Africa dates from the years 1880. Italian missionaries introduced European bovines in order to increase the productivity in Erythrée. With them, they brought the cattle plague which decimated the local livestock. A massive importation was made since the India in order to return to the local populations their means of subsistence.
Les American and the Australian ones were allured by qualities of bovine with bump and also imported it. They developed a flourishing breeding with the Brésil, with the the United States, in Central America and Australia.

Since the independence of India, exportaions them bovines ceased. The vahce is crowned in this country, and their voyage in addition to seas is not desired.

Morphology and aptitudes

The zebu exists colors as varied as those of the ox. However, the colors red and clear gray are majority. Generally, the hair is of clear color, enabling him to support heat. The skin is black and thus minimizes the cancer risks. The skin is full, even releases under the neck: it increases surface, allowing a better heat exchange. This skin with faculty to vibrate like that of the horses to make flee Fly S and Taon S. Its resistance to the external parasites is important.
Les ears is of big size and often hanging.
Une lubricating bump raises the level of the garrot, especially in the males. This bump being small or large, right or falling according to the races. It constitutes a heating reserve which enables them to support periods of " cows maigres".
Selon the races and the richness of the pastures, the individuals can weigh of 200 kg to more than one ton.

Uses

In India, it is high for its milk and its labor force. The too old animals are slackenings in freedom. They wander in the campaigns and the cities, with the research of food that the Hindous give them.

In the other countries, the production was also directed towards the meat. When the selection with European worked, their productivity equalizes almost that of the European bovines, but in climatic mediums where the zebus alone can be profitable.

It is raised by the farmers, for his Lait, for its Viande, its Cuir and like Draft animal. The horns of zebus are used to make handles of knife. They are preferred with the ox horns, because they are larger.
Chez the people of Africa practitioner nomadism and pastoralism, (Massaïs, Peuls) the prestige of the family is measured with the importance of the herds. Thus, the animals only are very seldom cut down. Their stockbreeders use their milk; even if the production by animal is weak, the draft is made in rotation on all the females, thus ensuring a sufficient quantity for the tribe. Ches Massaïs, blood is taken using an arrow on the Carotide of the animals. They thus provide a product rich in protein and iron, without having to cut down the animal.

The zebu being bovine, the list of the races existing and included in the List of the bovine races. It is difficult besides to distinguish bovine eurasiatic and zebu in Africa, so much the interbreedings between the two branches important and were repeated.

See too

Internal bonds

Boss taurus. Aurochs
List of the bovine races. bovine breeding

Literature

Of the taurins and the men
race of zebu natives in Nigeria

External bonds

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