For Filipino farmers who would like to raise cattle in backyard paddocks, Outstanding OFW Arnel Corpuz, who specializes in Cattle Nutrition, recommends the Brahman Breed mainly because it is a tropical breed.
He said that one of the biggest mistakes of many cattle farmers, especially those who could afford to import breeding materials, was to bring in temperate breeds in a tropical country like the Philippines.
The Brahman is so versatile that it is used as a working animal and a source of meat at the same time.
Here is what The Cattle Site says about the history of the Brahman:
“The Brahman breed (also known as Brahma) originated from Bos indicus cattle from India, the “sacred cattle of India”.
Through centuries of exposure to inadequate food supplies, insect pests, parasites, diseases and the weather extremes of tropical India, the native cattle developed some remarkable adaptations for survival which cattle producers in the USA found useful and advantageous.”
Three principal strains of Indian cattle were brought to the United States and used in the development of the Brahman breed; the Guzerat, the Nelore and Gir.”
The Krishna Valley strain was also introduced and used but to a lesser extent. The general similarity of the Guzerat strain to the cattle selected and developed in the USA would indicate that cattlemen working with the breed have generally preferred this type.”
The Brahman has become so essential in the tropics that many British and Continental breeds have been “adapted” to such zones by incorporating a relevant percentage of Brahman blood.”
Synthetic breeds have resulted from such crossings: Brangus – Braford – SimBrah – ChaBray – BeefMaster. These are just a few examples of Brahman popularity.”
In the Philippines today, the Brahman is also bred with the famous Wagyu to produce a cross called the “Bragyu” whose meat fetches as much as P3,500 per kilo.
This is the direction that Arnel is taking now.
