By Joe C. Paschal, Professor Emeritus and Livestock Specialist
In 1980, the Journal of Animal Science published a series of invited papers on the value and importance of Zebu (Bos indicus) cattle. Dr. James Sanders, Dr. Bill Turner, Dr. Don Fanke, Dr. Marvin Koger and Dr. Tom Cartwright wrote about the development, adaptability, heterosis, crossbreeding, and future of the breeds. I thought it would be appropriate to review these fi ve landmark papers.
Dr. Sanders wrote “History and Development of Zebu Cattle in the United States” and much of what he wrote was about the Brahman breed, essentially the only Zebu breed in the US. Much of the history came from foundational breeders and ABBA archives and much of what he wrote was used in the 1982 “American Brahman, A History of the American Brahman” by Joe A. Ackerman, Jr.
Dr. Sanders described Zebu cattle as “the humped cattle of the world” that are further classified as to the position of their hump-thoracic humped (shoulder humped) or cervical humped (neck humped). Brahman cattle are thoracic humped. Both humped and non-humped cattle interbreed freely and the humped cattle were produced by selection from non-humped cattle. The humped cattle were developed in tropical and subtropical areas with natural selection responsible for tropical adaptation.
Dr. Sanders included history of the cattle in their native lands, emphasizing the importance of those breeds in the American Brahman, primarily from India but some from Pakistan including Guzerat, Nellore, Gir, Krishna Valley, and Mysore breeds. Dr. Sanders also discussed the use of Zebu cattle in Brazil where Mysore, Nellore, Guzerat, and Gir were imported. One reference noted that Brazilians purchasing cattle in India were known as “purchasers of cattle ears” for their preference for longer eared cattle. This preference and the ban on imports from Brazil in the 1920s led to the formation of the Indu-Brazil breed which was imported to the US in 1946 and is a major contributor to the formation of the American Red Brahman. Dr. Sanders summed up by writing “the American Red Brahman and the American Gray (sic) Brahman are distinctly different types” based on the breeds used in their creation.
Dr. Bill Turner wrote in “Genetic and Biological Aspects of Zebu Adaptability” that Zebu cattle are “uniquely suited to hot climates due to coat, hide, skin, and hematological attributes”, and that “form, growth, and physiological aspects are unique genetic aspects”. Many of these unique characteristics are well known today including the greater number and size of sweat glands located closer to the skin surface, and shorter more reflective hair coats. Dr. Turner reviewed research that proved Brahman genetic adaptation for better utilization of the usually poorer quality forages grown in tropical areas and higher resistance to internal and external parasites and diseases.
Dr. Turner wrote that hump placement could make Zebu cattle “look shallower” and that although Zebu cattle were docile, they could react more quickly than non-Zebu cattle when stimulated. He also documented their lowered reproductive rates and calf vigor, longer gestation, slower growth, less desirable carcass merit, and later maturity. However, he noted their greater maternal ability, calving ease, and longevity. Dr. Turner indicated that the use of Zebu cattle in commercial crossbreeding systems was well documented and they were noted for their high levels of heterosis (hybrid vigor) with non-Zebu crosses, especially maternal heterosis which greatly increased fertility, calf survivability, milk production, and calf weaning weights in Zebu cross females. Dr. Turner summed up his observations as “no other breed has such a well-defined and accepted role in commercial beef production”.
Dr. Don Franke wrote the third paper: “Breed and Heterosis Effects of American Zebu Cattle”. Dr. Franke reviewed the breed’s performance in reproductive, preweaning, post weaning traits reflecting many of the points covered by Dr. Turner, but then he turned his attention to the advantage gained from hybrid vigor due to crossbreeding. Increase in calving rate using Brahman (either as the sire or dam) averaged 9.9%, calf survival 4.7%, and weaning rate 12.3%. Calf birth weight went up 3.3 pounds while weaning weights increased 20.6 pounds. When calves were out of a Brahman cross cow by a third breed of bull, hybrid vigor increased BW by 1.9 pounds but WW increased by 31.1 pounds! Using Brahman cross females added pounds of calf and numbers of calves. Probably the most important impact of hybrid vigor was the effect on maternal performance, due to maternal hybrid vigor which can be very high in Brahman crossbred females. Dr. Franke noted that there was very little hybrid vigor for carcass merit traits with Brahman crosses intermediate to either of the straightbred parental breeds.
Dr. Marvin Koger addressed “Effective Crossbreeding Systems Utilizing Zebu Cattle”. Dr. Koger wrote that “heterosis levels are determined by the choice of breeds and system of crossbreeding used”. With the Brahman breed, crossing with any other non-Brahman influence breed will yield high levels of hybrid vigor for nearly every trait, Dr. Koger suggested that the crossbreeding system remain simple; should be rigidly followed; chose breed combinations to fit the environment, production, and marketing conditions; and follow rigid selection and culling procedures. He cited results from two diff erent 2-breed sire rotation (sire breeds are rotated every two years) reporting a 17.7% increase in weaning rate, 24.4% increase in weaning weight, and a 41.5% increase in annual production per cow. These results are about 3-4 times greater than straight F1 production. Dr. Koger also covered three breed terminal and selection in newly (in 1980) formed Bos indicus influenced breeds.
Dr. Tom Cartwright wrapped up the Symposium with “Prognosis of Zebu Cattle: Research and Application”. Dr. Cartwright listed fi ve areas of where Zebu (Brahman) cattle greatly differ from their European counterparts: (1) heat and cold tolerance, (2) reproduction, parturition, and lactation, (3) growth and maturation rates, (4) temperament and intelligence, and (5) combining ability and complementarity. I think you understand the first four areas. Combining ability is the average difference in performance of a breed compared in various crosses while complementarity is the cumulative effect of interactions among the phenotypes of the sire, dam and produce on the phenotypes of the production system.
Dr. Cartwright indicated several areas of special interest including the primary production characters; adaptability including heat retention and dissipation; nutritional uniqueness (lower maintenance requirements, utilization of lower quality forages, higher incidence of founder on high-energy feed); reproductive uniqueness (males and females); use in breeding systems; and selection goals. One of the unique nutritional characteristics is the sensitivity of the Brahman cow to periods of nutritional stress and her ability to recover quickly in a short period of time.
Brahman cows can have calving intervals of less than 12 months under good nutritional management. The fertility of Brahman bulls was also of concern. Finally, Dr. Cartwright indicated that immunogenetics, the forerunner of what we now know as genomics, had great potential for matching sires and dams to improve both breeding value and hybrid vigor.
I thought it might be useful to realize that the Brahman breed has always had the interest and excitement of Animal Scientists, even before 1980. US Meat Animal Research Center in Nebraska, Texas A&M, University of Florida, and several other universities understand the value and importance of Brahman genetics to the US and the world. You should too.
