麻豆社

Brazil鈥檚 Zebu cattle, or 鈥渟upercows鈥� are bred for size, strength, and meat quality. Every year the animals are showcased at ExpoZebu, Brazil鈥檚 premier cattle fair. These animals are preened, pampered, and prized, before being sold for millions for their genetic material.

Zebu cattle were not always part of Brazil鈥檚 landscape. After being imported from India in the late 19th century, farmers found their resilience to heat, pests, and poor pasture made them ideal for Brazil鈥檚 expanding cattle frontier.

Thanks to decades of selective breeding and low-cost pasture-based farming, Brazil is now the world鈥檚 largest beef exporter, and demand is only rising.

Despite its economic success and domestic popularity, Brazil鈥檚 beef has a significant environmental cost due to its emissions and links to deforestation. However, their genetic material has the potential to be used around the world to make cattle more resilient to climate change.

Photo Credit: Carolina Arantes

Contributors:
Carolina Arantes, Photojournalist, France
Dr. Oscar Broughton, Teaching Fellow and historian at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, UK
Dr Cassio Brauner, Associate Professor in Beef Cattle Production Systems, Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil
Dr Marcos Barozzo, Assistant Professor of Economics, DePaul University, Chicago, US

Presenter: David Baker
Producer: Louise Clarke
Researcher: Maeve Schaffer
Editor: Tara McDermott
Technical Producer: Craig Boardman
Production co-ordinator: Tammy Snow