The Brazilian Dairy Gir Breeding Programme aims to improve the Gir breed for milk production in tropical regions. Established in 1985, it is the first breeding programme of its kind in the world and has made use of various technical innovations, including genomic predictions. The Gir breed is native to India and is better adapted to tropical conditions than European breeds. The breeding programme has had notable success in improving the productivity and reproductive performance of the Gir breed, with average milk yield increasing by 25% over the past two decades. It has also developed a genetic improvement programme for beef production using Gir, and there are now more than seven million Gir cows in Brazil.
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Characteristics of the Dairy Gir Leiteiro Cow
The head must have an ultra-convex profile, be medium, thin and dry, with a broad forehead and a skewer thrown back, without nimbure; straight, narrow and delicate bevel; muzzle black and broad, moist, with flared nostrils; thick, firm lips, large mouth and elliptical-shaped eyes, bright and darkly pigmented, protected by upper eyelid wrinkles and black eyelashes. Ears of medium length should be pendant, starting in the form of a tube wrapped around itself, then opening outwards, curving inwards at the tip and facing the face (“hawk”). The horns should be dark, symmetrical, thick at the base, protruding downwards and backwards, elliptical in section leading upwards and curving inwards, ideally.
Gyr Cattle 