Reis: The Cattle of Brazil 



205 



THE CARACL, FAMOUS NATIVE BREED OF BRAZIL 



Its origin is said to have been in a cross between two earlier native breeds, and it is here repre- 

 sented by a yearling bull. The caracu breed, although still capable of improvement, is 

 considered by experts to be admirably adapted to its environment; it also lends itself well 

 to crosses with improved beef breeds such as the Shorthorn and Hereford. In some parts 

 of Brazil, however, it is being displaced altogether by zebu hybrids, which are preferred 

 because of their vigor and hardiness, and ability to travel on foot long distances to market. 

 Photograph from Murdo ^Mackenzie, Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Fig. 5.) 



and recrossing of types heterozygous 

 from their origin, and the mixture of 

 mongrels of all sorts, that the patient 

 and hard-working breeder on our ranges 

 brought together the product of all this 

 aimless hybridization and saw with 

 extraordinary surprise that the beautiful 

 Fi type which once graced his ranges 

 now played a very small part in the 

 mixed cattle of the country. 



The Brazilian cattle then entered on 

 a period of free and rapid degeneracy. 



Breeders began to take alarm, and 

 tried to remedy the difficulty, which 

 constantly increased. 



In this period of anxiety, brought 

 about by the existence of such serious 

 evils, they again began, as at first, 

 without aim, without definite plan or 

 theoretical guidance, to attempt new 



experiments, certain that they would at 

 once find a remedy for the trouble. 



They took the route that seemed the 

 easiest — that of introducing ameliora- 

 tive factors. They forgot, in their 

 stupor, the evil occasioned by past 

 hvbridization, and ran after Shorthorns, 

 Dcvons and other fine types repre- 

 sentative of the best European breeds. 



The failure was enough to take the 

 heart out of anyone. 



Poorly equipped, by lack of knowledge 

 of the genetic constituents of the breeds 

 they were introducing; not having 

 proper foods, not counting on the influ- 

 ence of environment, accustomed to 

 the easy and economical conditions of 

 breeding which existed in the huge 

 herds of the interior, they assisted, 

 disheartened, the gradual extinction 



