Fancher Love Ranch

History of the Zebu

The common ancestor of all bovines was called an auroch (Bos primigenius). These are the cattle depicted in the cave paintings of western Europe--humped with lyre-shaped horns, small hindquarters and massive, deep chests. They became extinct in the 1600s, although recent attempts to recreate the auroch have resulted in a striking resemblance to the original.

Descendants of the auroch were bison, yaks, and two types of cattle; Bos Taurus in Europe and Bos Indicus in Southeastern Asia. Bos Taurus are the cows we're all familiar with--large, heavy beef and dairy cattle. Bos Indicus cattle have humps, loose skin, and thrive in hot, humid conditions. Humped cattle are called Zebu--there are about 40 known breeds or varieties in India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. The African continent has another 35 Zebu breeds.

In the 4000 years since cattle became domesticated, the development of a cattle "type" or "style" occurs slowly and naturally along geographic lines. A mountain range or island habitat restricts characteristics peculiar to that area. This is why there are so many varieties of Zebus. Even though commerce in cattle was forbidden, a few Zebu were given to Westerners in the mid-1800s for service to the various governments of India, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and Indonesia.. By the 1880s some zoos and circuses featured Zebu in displays. American beef breeders imported four Indian breeds to create the American Brahman: the Gir, Guzerat, Nellore, and Krishna Valley. Because Zebu are resistant to many insects and enjoy the heat, the Brahman transformed many southeastern cattle ranches from white-faced and red or black to humped, gray, and long-eared. These cows and their crossbreeds gained tremendous weight while European breeds fell victim to tick fever and the heat.

Bos Indicus breeds are all sizes, usually according to range conditions. "Nadudana" is a Hindi word (of unknown dialect) for small cattle with straightish horns and non-droopy ears--a smaller version of the Nellore. So how did the Miniature Zebu come to be? My theory is that the circus/zoo cows tended to be the smaller cows of the importations, less desirable for beef breeding. Therefore, they were available for sale.

Miniature Zebu are still a very rare breed; sources on the Web count 500-1000 head in the US. Most people we know here in Texas have never heard of miniature cattle at all. Because of Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Mad Cow Disease, there will probably not be any more importations from anywhere, ever again. There are some possibilities for semen and embryos.

The Miniature Zebu Breed

When I first saw a Miniature Zebu, I assumed it was a tiny Brahman, but they're actually very different in their conformation. Miniature Zebu share the unique features of other Bos Indicus cattle: shoulder humps, generous dewlaps, thick hide with "extra" sweat glands, resistance to many parasites, and "twitchy" skin. All these characteristics help them to thrive in a hot, humid climate. Zebu need protection in cold-weather conditions, although there are breeders up north, even in Canada. They are good mothers, quite intelligent, active, and curious. All of ours can be hand-fed and petted. Size is limited to 42," measured directly behind the hump. The smallest size animals are around 33." We are breeding for a optimum size of 36--38." Our sale-age calves will mature to 35--38," so they're priced moderately.

Zebu mature slowly and rather late. Bos Taurus cows breed at 1 1/2 years; Zebu somewhat later. My heifer Pearl bred at 2 years. Bulls mature at 400-600 lbs; cows 300-500. They're also long-lived--18 to 20 years is not unusual.