Red Sindhi Cattle

Description:

Red Sindhi cattle are the most popular of all Zebu dairy breeds. The breed originated in the Sindh province of Pakistan, they are widely kept for milk production across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and other countries. They have been used for crossbreeding with temperate (European) origin dairy breeds in many countries to combine their tropical adaptations (heat tolerance, tick resistance, disease resistance, fertility at higher temperatures, etc.) with the higher milk production found in temperate regions. It has been crossed with Jerseys in many places, including India, the United States, Australia, Sri Lanka, etc. Other breeds it has been crossed with include Holstein-Friesian, Brown Swiss and Danish Red. It has also been used to improve beef and dual purpose cattle in many tropical countries, as it is sufficiently meaty to produce good beef calves in such crosses and the high milk production helps give a fast growing calf which is ready for market at one year.

Notes:

The Red Sindhi range in color from a deep reddish brown to a yellowish red, but most commonly a deep red. They are distinguished from the other dairy breed of Sindh, the Tharparkar or White Sindhi, both by color and form, the Red Sindhi is smaller, rounder, with a more typical dairy form, and with short, curved horns, while the Tharparkar are taller with a shape more typical of Zebu draft breeds, and with longer, lyre shaped horns.