Kankrej cattle and Guzerat cattle
Encyclopedia
Zebu
Zebu , sometimes known as humped cattle, indicus cattle, Cebu or Brahmin cattle are a type of domestic cattle originating in South Asia, particularly the Indian subcontinent. They are characterised by a fatty hump on their shoulders, drooping ears and a large dewlap...
cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
from the district of Kankrej in the state of Gujarat in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, north of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
(Bombay) on the west coast of India. They are also known by the names Bannai, Nagar, Talabda, Vaghiyar, Wagad, Waged, Vadhiyar, Wadhiar, Wadhir, and Wadial. Guzerat cattle are a breed developed in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
from Kankrej cattle imported from India. The name is a Portuguese spelling of Gujarat. They are, of course, very similar, both being tall draft/beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
breeds with high horns. On the average, Guzerat are darker, bigger and have longer horns than Kankrej. The bulls usually are quite dark on the head and forequarters, lighter elsewhere. Guzerat and Kankrej are the principal breeds used in the formation of the American Brahman
Brahman (cattle)
The Brahman or Brahma is a breed of Zebu cattle , later exported from India to the rest of the world. The main breeds used were Kankrej, Gujurat, Nelore or Ongole and the Gir or Gyr cattle...
, along with the Gir
Gir cattle
The Gir or Gyr is one of the principal Zebu breeds originating in India. It has been used locally in the improvement of other breeds including the Red Sindhi and the Sahiwal. It was also one of the breeds used in the development of the Brahman breed in North America...
and the Nelore
Nelore
Nelore or Nellore beef cattle originated from Ongole cattle originally brought to Brazil from India. They are named for the district of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. The Nelore has a distinct large hump over the top of the shoulder and neck. They have long legs which help them to walk in water and...
. They show the usual advantages of Zebu cattle in the Tropics and Semi-Tropics, good heat tolerance and pest resistance.
Importance in India, Brazil and United States
In IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
this race is among the most importants(1). Guzerath is among the largest cattle of India and are prized in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as powerful draft animals and are moderate milk producers(1). In Asia, they are more created in the northern India(1).
In the United States, this race with the Nelore and Gir, are the three major Indian breeds that have had the most important impact on American cattle breeding(1). The Guzerat was the most important zebu breed for the formation of the American Brahman cattle(1). In the United States, pure guzeraths are rare, while they are common in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and India(1).
In Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
this race remains very common, but nelore
Nelore
Nelore or Nellore beef cattle originated from Ongole cattle originally brought to Brazil from India. They are named for the district of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. The Nelore has a distinct large hump over the top of the shoulder and neck. They have long legs which help them to walk in water and...
has complete dominance in beef cattle
Beef cattle
Beef cattle are cattle raised for meat production . The meat of cattle is known as beef. When raised in a feedlot cattle are known as feeder cattle. Many such feeder cattle are born in cow-calf operations specifically designed to produce beef calves...
. Nelore has more than 80% of the Brazilian market for beef cattle. Guzeraths must compete with Gir
GIR
GIR can refer to:* Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois* Geographic Information Retrieval* Gir, one of the pen names of Jean Giraud, a French comics artist...
, Indo-Brazilian
Indo-Brazilian
Indo-Brazilian cattle are a Zebu beef breed developed in Brazil from Gir, Kankrej and Ongole cattle brought from India. While this is nearly the same mixture which produced the American Brahman, the two breeds differ in appearance, with the Indo-Brazilian having much longer ears which hang down...
, Canchim
Canchim
The Canchim breed is a breed of beef cattle developed in Central Brazil by crossing European Charolais cattle with Indubrazil cattle already kept in Brazil where Asian Zebu type cattle are best suited to the tropical conditions. When compared with Zebu bulls, Canchim bulls produce the same number...
,etc. for the 20% of the market left after the nelore
Nelore
Nelore or Nellore beef cattle originated from Ongole cattle originally brought to Brazil from India. They are named for the district of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. The Nelore has a distinct large hump over the top of the shoulder and neck. They have long legs which help them to walk in water and...
. Some millions of Guzeraths are created in Brazil, against more than 100,000,000 of oxen with nelore
Nelore
Nelore or Nellore beef cattle originated from Ongole cattle originally brought to Brazil from India. They are named for the district of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. The Nelore has a distinct large hump over the top of the shoulder and neck. They have long legs which help them to walk in water and...
blood(2).