Zebu

the domestic ox of India. It differs from the ox of Europe in several respects. The horns are short and the shoulders are surmounted by a fleshy hump which is sometimes doubled. The zebu is used to draw plows and carts and to carry passengers. The beef is of fair quality. The hump is considered a delicacy. The zebu varies greatly in size. Some breeds are as large as ordinary cattle, others hardly exceed a young calf in weight. The original stock from which the zebu is descended is unknown. The varieties vary greatly in color. A certain milky white strain is considered sacred to Brahma. Sacred white zebu bulls are kept in temples with great ceremonial. See Buffalo; Yak