GUZERAT CATTLE

The Guzerat race is equivalent to kankrej in India. Cattle designs and sculptures, older than 5.000 years, discovered in Mohenjodaro arqueologic escavations, proved that this race already existed at that time. The kankrej is breed mainly in Gujarat Province (Joshi e Philips, 1954), in low and dry lands, sandy soils, deprived of threes. The rains (range: 500 - 700 mm) concentrate from July to october and temperature changes from 5º C to 50º C (41º F to 122º F). So, the resistance of Guzerat cattle, developed along centuries living in the adverse enviroment of its native territory, made it easy to adaptat in difficult enviroments in any part of the world.
       In Índia, this breed is applied in milk production and in draft, and is prized as one of the best in milk production in that country. Because of religious beliefs, its not applied for beef production. However, its selection for draft resulted in huge size animals with poweful muscles.
       In Brasil, the Guzerat cattle was brought in the begining of Bos indicus importations, around 1870, and showed excelent adaptation and very good beef and milk production. It use to be the most important indian cattle breed until 1930, after this, most of the pure herds were crossed to form Indubrasil. Because of its great versatility of production and its capacity to transmit strength and resistance, the guzerat cattle is frequently applied in crossing with other races. After Indubrasil, it was crossed to form several races to produce milk, beef or both, as Tabapuã, Brahman, Pitangueiras, Guzolanda, Guzonel, Simbrasil, etc. Its intense use in crossing with other races, delayed the development of pure breeds, that now is in a fase of new expansion.