American Brahman
A heat-tolerant American breed of zebuine-taurine hybrid beef cattle, developed from Indian stock.
Last updated
The American Brahman is a breed of beef cattle developed in the United States, combining zebuine and taurine ancestry. Its creation began in 1885, using cattle from India that arrived via the United Kingdom, India, and Brazil. The foundational stock included Gir, Guzerá, and Nelore cattle, along with some Indu-Brasil, Krishna Valley, and Ongole.
Known for its strong tolerance to heat, sunlight, and humidity, as well as good resistance to parasites, the Brahman has been exported widely, especially to tropical regions. In Australia, it has become the most common cattle breed. It has also been used to create many taurine-indicine hybrids, some of which, like the Brangus and Brahmousin, are now recognized as separate breeds.
Background
Zebuine cattle were present in the United States from 1849, when a single bull of Indian origin was imported from the United Kingdom to South Carolina. In 1885 a pair of grey bulls was brought directly from India to Texas; one was large, the other weighed little more than half that. Cross-breeding of these with local taurine cows was the first step in the creation of the Brahman breed.
Other small groups of Indian cattle were imported up to about 1906, mostly to Texas; some were imported as circus animals and later sold to ranchers. In 1924 and 1925 a total of 210 bulls and 18 cows of mainly Guzerá stock, but also including some Gir and Nelore, were brought from Brazil to the United States through Mexico. A breed association, the American Brahman Breeders Association, was formed in 1924, and a herd-book was started. The name 'Brahman' was chosen by J. W. Sartwelle.
In 1939 the herd-book was closed, thereafter recording only the offspring of registered parents. The registration in 1946 of eighteen imported Brazilian bulls, mainly Indu-Brasil and Gir, was permitted, as were some later additions of imported stock. The association registered all American indicine cattle in the same herd-book until 1991, when herd-books for Gir, Guzerat, Indu-Brasil, Nelore and Tabapua were separated from that for the American Red and Grey Brahman.
Did You Know?
- Exports of Brahman cattle to Australia began in 1933 and continued until 1954, amounting to 49 head; by 1973 their offspring numbered more than that.
- By 1987 there were over a million Brahman cattle in Queensland alone.
- In Oman and Fujairah, Brahman bulls are used in the traditional sport of bull-butting and may be fed milk and honey to prepare them.
- The Brahman is reported from fifty-five countries, with an estimated world population of over 1.8 million head.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the American Brahman?
The American Brahman is a beef cattle breed created in the United States as a zebuine-taurine hybrid, first developed around 1885. It was bred by combining lines such as Gir, Guzerá, Nelore, Indu-Brasil, Krishna Valley, and Ongole cattle that had been imported from India, the UK, and Brazil.
How did the American Brahman come about historically?
Starting in the late 19th century, American breeders imported zebu-type cattle from India and the United Kingdom, and later added Brazilian lines, then selectively crossed them with taurine stock to produce a hardy hybrid. The result was a breed purpose-bred for beef production in the demanding climate of the American South and beyond.
More in Domestic Breeds & Types
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: American Brahman (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced