The Brahman is a type of zebu breed developed from four Indian Bos indicus cattle breeds. They are renowned for the large hump over their shoulders, their large dewlaps, their fantastic production characteristics and good mothering abilities, along with their heat tolerance and parasite resistance. The Brahman breed is also an excellent choice for crossbreeding due to the high level of hybrid vigour shown by the offspring of these crosses.
Hybrid vigour, also referred to as heterosis, is the likelihood of the crossbred progeny which shows superior characteristics when compared to either of the purebred parents.
A greater heterosis is experienced when the genetics of the parent breeds of Brahman differs more. This leads to the European Bos taurus cattle like Hereford and Shorthorn breeds being crossed with Bos indicus breeds like the Brahman. Some advantages of crossbreeding includes: earlier sexual maturity, higher conception rates, higher milk production in cows, increased muscle growth and earlier physical maturity.
Brahmans are an especially good choice for crossbreeding and F1 progeny. The first filial generation produced by different parental breeds are often sought-after as replacement females in herds, thanks to their increased milk yield and higher level of fertility. They also produce larger calves at weaning, have an increased conception rate and a longer reproductive lifespan, enabling her to raise more young.
Brahman cross-breeds also perform very well in feedlots, thanks to their drought resistance, parasite resistance and heat tolerance characteristics. These traits enable them to require little effort in terms of keeping them healthy. These steers have an increased muscle gain with lower fat production, producing high quality frames that do not lay down excess fat.