Brahma Bull Facts

Size

• The average male Brahman bull in the United States weighs between 1,600 and 2,200 pounds. The female cow which weights 1,000 to 1,400 pounds. The Brahman is considered an intermediate size of cattle. As a beef cow, the Brahman have a lower fat content compared with other breeds such as the European cattle.

Coloration

• Brahman cattle range in color from very light grey to red or black. The most common colors are light grey and red. Mature bulls have darker sections of coloration on the shoulders and neck and also along the lower thighs of the animal. This make recognizing the bull at a distance very easy.

Disposition

• Brahman cattle disposition is very mild. This makes them very easy to work with. The cattle respond very well to attention and are docile. The cattle are considered intelligent and shy compared with other breeds of cattle. The bull of the species compared with other breeds is fairly docile also when not in breeding season.

Heat Tolerance

• Brahman cattle have loose-fitting skin. This additional skin plays a vital role in the ability of the cattle to adapt because Brahman can sweat through the pores of their skin, unlike European breeds of cattle. This makes the Brahman more tolerant to heat. Brahman cattle can withstand temperatures exceeding 105 degrees Fahrenheit without showing any ill effects. The breed is more common in the southwest areas of the United States because of this ability to tolerate high heat levels.

History

• The American Brahman is a cross-breeding of many different types of Bos indicus, cattle from India including the Guzerat, the Nellore, the Gir and to a lessor effect the Krishna Valley. The American Brahman most closely resembles the Guzerat strain of Brahman cattle. 226 bulls and 22 female cows of the various strains were imported between 1854 and 1926 to create the American Brahman cattle.