Brahman (bovine breed)

The Brahman breed of cattle has its origins in the Zebu cattle originally brought to the United States of America from India.

It has been used in the creation of numerous bullfighting-zebus hybrids, some of which, such as the Brangus and Brahmousin, are established as separate breeds.

The Brahman is characterized by a hump on its back near the withers and by its long soft ears. The most common colors are white, gray and red. The Brahman has a remarkable capacity for adaptation and survival. It can be fed on unsuitable grasses and is very resistant to insect pests, parasites, diseases and extreme climates.

Brahman cattle can travel great distances to obtain water. Brahman thrives where other livestock can barely survive.

Etymology of the name

The Brahmin cattle breed of Indian origin was named after the Brahmins (Hindu priests), who in turn were named after the Hindu god Brahma. Many Hindu Brahmins are vegetarians and consider cows and bulls sacred, and do not eat beef. In Bengal their name is Brahmin, because the etymology of their name is typical of Bengal. This breed of cow is presented as 'Brahma' at the 'Krishi Divanishi' from Bangladesh [6], but the Bengaliization of the name of this breed of cow as 'Brahma' It is linguistically inconsistent.

Features

All Bos indicus, including the Brahman, are characterized by a large hump on the upper part of the shoulders and neck. The color of the Brahman varies from very light gray or red to almost black. Most of the breed is light to medium gray in color. Mature bulls are usually darker than cows and often have dark areas on the neck, shoulders and lower thighs. They have short, thick and shiny hair, which reflects much of the sun's rays, and black-pigmented skin, which allows them to graze in the midday sun without suffering. Its horns curve upward and sometimes lean backwards, in addition to having pendulous ears.

Brahmans have abundant loose fur, which is believed to contribute to their ability to withstand hot weather by increasing the body surface area exposed to the cold. Another characteristic of this breed is the greater number of sweat glands and the ability to sweat freely. Cattle Bos indicus also produce an oily secretion from sebaceous glands that has a characteristic odor and is said to help repel insects.

The Brahmans are intermediate in size between beef breeds. Bulls usually weigh between 725 and 1000 kg and cows between 450 and 650 kg in average conditions. Calves are small at birth, weighing 60 to 65 pounds, but they grow very quickly and are weaned at weights comparable to other breeds.

Geographic distribution

The Brahman breed is found in more than 60 different countries in the world, however, in the countries where we can see the breed the most are: the United States, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil or Australia.

History

Zebu (Asian humpback) cattle have been present in the United States since 1849, when a single bull of Indian origin was imported from the United Kingdom to South Carolina. In 1885, a pair of gray bulls were brought directly from India to Texas; one was large: weighing over 800kg, the other weighed just over half that. Crossing these with local bullfighting cows was the first step in creating the Brahman breed. Other small groups of Indian cattle were imported until about 1906, mainly to Texas; some of them were imported for display as circus animals and then sold to ranchers. In 1924 and 1925, larger numbers of Brazilian cattle were brought to the United States through Mexico. These were mainly Guzerat but also included some Gyr and Nelore; There were 210 bulls and 18 cows in total.

In 1924 a breed association, the American Brahman Breeders Association, was formed and a stud book was started. The name "Brahman" He was chosen by JW Sartwelle, secretary of the association. In 1939 the herd book was closed and, from then on, only the offspring of the registered parents were recorded. Eighteen imported Brazilian bulls, primarily Indubrasil and Gyr as well as some later additions of imported cattle, were permitted to be registered in 1946. The association registered all American Indian cattle in the same studbook until 1991, when the studbooks of Gir, Guzerat, Indubrasil, Nelore and Tabapua were separated from those of the American Red and Gray Brahman.

Exports of cattle of this breed to Australia began in 1933 and continued until 1954, and amounted to 49 head in total; In 1973 their descendants numbered more than 225,000. Some additional imports, totaling around 700 head, took place after 1981. In 1987 there were over a million in Queensland alone, and by the end of the century there were more of them in Australia than of any other breed, particularly in the tropical north of the country.

Abilities

It is a race shaped by several millennia of natural selection in a difficult and changing environment. It has developed an adaptation that makes it very interesting in tropical cattle crosses due to the following characteristics:

• Resistance to the insects and diseases they transmit.
• Heat resistance: the skin is dark (less sensitive) and the fur is clear. (which makes it reflect a part of the light) The skin is loose and has sweat glands: it allows a large exchange surface and therefore the ability to cool. Studies in Missouri have shown less internal heat: less heat is released and ingested foods are used more efficiently to produce proteins.^{[chuckles]required]}
• Capacity to make a reservation: the protuberance on the cross is filled during the monsoon and constitutes a reservation during the dry season.
• Adaptation to drought. The need for water is reduced and the drink is not daily. ^{[chuckles]required]}
• It is said that its docility facilitates management ^{[chuckles]required]}
• Eye cancer is almost unknown in the race. They have established a considerable reputation for a high percentage of meat mass.

While the Brahman is not necessarily developed to withstand cold climates, when crossed with a Bos taurus breed, the resulting offspring are much more adaptable to the cold. It will cause an increase in birth weight if Brahman bulls are used on Hereford cows, therefore it is recommended to select bulls carefully for birth weight.

Uses

The Brahman is bred for the meat industry, particularly in areas where good resistance to hot or tropical conditions is needed. As with other Zebu cattle, the meat is of lower quality than that of specialized breeds of European cattle. For this reason, it is commonly crossed with cattle of those breeds, either by raising hybrid calves born to purebred parents or by creating a composite or hybrid breed, of which there are many. Some of these breeds, such as the Brahmousin (Brahman x Limousin), Brangus (Brahman x Angus) and Simbrah (Brahman x Simmental) have acquired breed status in their own right, but many others have not. These include the Brahorn (Brahman x Shorthorn), the Bravon (Brahman x Devon) and the South Bravon (Brahman x South Devon), the Bra-Swiss (Brahman x Brown Swiss), the Saber (Brahman x Sussex) and the Victoria (Brahman x Hereford).

In Oman and Fujairah, Brahman bulls are used in the traditional sport of bull topping. These are two of these bulls engaged in a fierce round of headbutting. The first to collapse or give up ground is considered the loser. Brahman bulls being trained for this sport are maintained on a special diet of milk and honey for superior strength.

Studies at the University of Missouri found that Brahman and European cattle thrive equally well at temperatures up to 13°C. They found that European cattle begin to suffer adversely as air temperatures rise above 20°C, showing an increase in body temperature and a decline in appetite and milk production as 24°C. Brahmins, on the other hand, show little effect from temperatures above 40°C. Although heat tolerance is only one factor in livestock environmental adaptation, it is considered the most important.

Another factor contributing to the high heat tolerance of Brahmans, discovered in the Missouri studies, is that they produce less internal body heat in hot climates than cattle from European breeds. Waste heat is produced from feed at the expense of growth and milk production.