LIVE STOCK AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS 329 



the same purpose in Burma, Sumatra, and Java. In Porto 

 Rico, nearly all cattle have some zebu blood and the same 

 should be said for Central America and West Indies, including 

 Cuba. 



Throughout tropical Africa, from the Cape to Cairo, the 

 zebu prevails in a great variety of forms but is largely re- 

 placed by European cattle in Cape Colony. Some of these 

 forms are practically without hump, particularly the Egyp- 

 tian cattle. In Madagascar, there are at least two well recog- 

 nized races of zebu. In the French colonies of West Africa, 

 there are about 1,500,000 zebus and this animal is considered 

 of fundamental importance as a source of power for agricul- 

 tural development. As a work animal the zebu has every- 

 where shown his superiority over taurine cattle, at least in 

 tropical countries. This is due not only to his greater resist- 

 ance to tropical diseases but to a generally more perfect adap- 

 tation to tropical conditions. The zebu ox will keep in good 

 condition where the taurine ox will be miserably poor. The 

 zebu appears to be less nervous and stronger and more endur- 

 ing, at least under tropical conditions. In Cuba, for example, 

 a special effort is being made at present to improve the size 

 and excellence of the work oxen of the country. Practi- 

 cally all heavy hauling, plowing, and other farm operations are 

 done by oxen. These oxen are crosses between the zebu and 

 Jerseys or other breeds of cattle. Their ability to do hard 

 work under varying tropical conditions is sufficiently attested 

 by the fact that practically every ox team in Cuba is in ex- 

 cellent physical condition. 



Likewise in Porto Rico a determined effort has been made 

 to improve the native cattle by crossing with zebu blood. The 

 purpose of this work, as with similar work in Cuba, is to in- 

 crease the working efficiency of the draft ox. Pure-bred 

 zebu sires were crossed upon Shorthorn, Hereford, and 

 Brahmin cows. The Shorthorn and Hereford blood appears 

 to broaden the frame of the hybrid somewhat and give more 



