Gir Cattle

The Gir, also called Gyr, is an Indian breed of zebu (Bos indicus) cattle that originated in the Kathiawar peninsula of Gujarat, taking its name from the Gir Hills of that region, and has since spread to Maharashtra and Rajasthan and been exported to Brazil since the early twentieth century. It is recognisable by its rounded, domed forehead, the only ultraconvex profile among cattle breeds, long pendulous ears, and horns that spiral out and back, with a mottled coat ranging from red through yellow to white. Bred primarily for dairy, cows average around 2,110 kilograms of milk per lactation at about 4.5 percent fat, and cows weigh roughly 385 kilograms against 545 kilograms for bulls. As a Bos indicus breed it tolerates heat and tropical disease well, and it has been used in developing the Brahman breed and, crossed with Friesians, the Girolando hybrid in Brazil.