ABSTRACT
The humid tropical regions of the Far East provided the cradle for Bos indicus cattle types whose wild ancestors were never discovered. Various cattle types migrated and adapted to climatic conditions over the African continent where more than 70 cattle breeds and types are on record. Shipwrecked sailors during the 15th and 16th centuries reported that the coastal regions of Zululand abounded with cattle. The North and South American continents and Australia had no indigenous cattle types. Vast beef-producing regions of the world are extensive and semiarid. The respective roles of late-maturing, dual-purpose cattle types, British breeds, and indigenous cattle should be defined more clearly, not only for economic benefit, but particularly for use by programs in developing countries. Breed standards are updated to redefine the true niche of cattle breeds in the beef-breed scene in the light of research findings. Production data and functional efficiency played minor roles in many early importations of cattle all over the world.
