LIVE STOCK AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS 327 



and Cochin China to southern China and the Malay States 

 and neighboring islands. It was also carried westward 

 through Persia, Arabia, and all of tropical Africa. There 

 are, therefore, very few taurine or humpless cattle in any of 

 these countries. Apparent mixtures of the zebu and taurine 

 cattle are found throughout tropical countries and these hy- 

 brid strains are probably of great antiquity. There have been 

 frequent importations of taurine cattle also, particularly in re- 

 cent years, into all parts of the Tropics and these animals 

 have been used to some extent in crossing with the native races 

 of zebus or hybrid zebus. 



In the Belgian Congo, satisfactory results have recently 

 been obtained from the introduction of Belgian and Brittany 

 cattle. These animals were used for crossing on the native 

 cattle and the hybrids show not only a remarkable degree of 

 resistance to tropical diseases but a rather better form and 

 milk-yielding capacity than those of the native cattle. Simi- 

 lar importations are being made into nearly all tropical coun- 

 tries in the attempt to improve the native strains of cattle. It 

 should be remembered in connection with any discussion of 

 the cattle industry of the Tropics that the inhabitants of 

 the Tropics look upon cattle as work animals more than as 

 a source of meat or milk. For this reason the demand for 

 beef and milk in the tropical countries is immeasurably lower 

 in proportion to the number of inhabitants than in cold cli- 

 mates. The Buddhist and Brahmin population are almost 

 strictly vegetarian and consider their cattle as sacred. In In- 

 dia, therefore, aside from the British or other temporary resi- 

 dents, the Mohammedans are the chief meat eaters and they 

 eat zebu, buffalo, camel, and other food animals. 



ZEBU (Bos Indicus) 



The zebu is readily distinguished from taurine cattle by 

 the possession of a hump on the withers, usually drooping 



