Guzerá
A Brazilian humped breed from Kankrej and Crioulo stock, usually grey or white
The Guzerá is a Brazilian taurindicine breed with zebu and taurine ancestry, formed from Kankrej imports from Gujarat and local Crioulo cows. It is usually grey or white, has horns in both sexes plus a polled variant, and is kept for meat and for a separate milk-and-meat line.
- Brazilian taurindicine breed, with zebu Kankrej and taurine Crioulo ancestry.
- Cows about 154 cm and 600 kg; bulls about 165 cm and 900 kg.
- Herd book started in 1938, with beef, milk-and-meat and polled lines.
- FAO (2007) and DAD-IS (2025) both class it as not at risk.
- Helped form the American Brahman and several other Brazilian breeds.
What do Guzerá cattle look like?
The Guzerá is a Brazilian taurindicine breed, meaning it has both zebu and taurine ancestry. It is humped, and both sexes usually carry horns, though a polled form exists. The coat is mostly grey or white, while the skin is black. Bulls are larger than cows: around 165 cm at the shoulder ridge and 900 kg, against about 154 cm and 600 kg for females. The herd book has three lines: a beef line, a milk-and-meat line, and the polled variant. FAO and DAD-IS both class the breed as not at risk.
Where does the Guzerá come from?
From about 1870, Kankrej bulls from Gujarat in India were brought to the Cerrado region of Minas Gerais in Brazil. There they were mated with local Crioulo cows of European origin, and the Guzerá began. Some Kankrej cows were imported as well. Roughly 70% of modern Guzerá carry zebuine mitochondrial DNA. The name is a Portuguese rendering of Gujarat. The cattle spread to Uberaba, northern São Paulo, Goiás, Rio de Janeiro and the Nordeste. The herd book was started in 1938.
What the Guzerá is known for
The Guzerá is a large, humped breed with mixed zebu and taurine roots. About 70% of modern animals carry zebuine mitochondrial DNA. A polled form exists alongside the horned kind. The herd book separates a beef line and a milk-and-meat line. FAO in 2007 and DAD-IS in 2025 both report it as not at risk. It took part in the making of the American Brahman during the twentieth century and in several other Brazilian breeds.
How the Guzerá is bred and kept
Breeding began around 1870, when Kankrej bulls arrived from Gujarat to the Cerrado of Minas Gerais and were mated with local Crioulo cows. Some Kankrej cows were imported too. The Guzerá herd book opened in 1938. Inside it, three lines are kept apart: a beef line, a milk-and-meat line called Guzerá Leiteiro, and a polled line called Guzerá Mocho. The breed later moved to Uberaba, northern São Paulo, Goiás, Rio de Janeiro and the Nordeste. It has been used in cross-breeding to make other Brazilian breeds.
Guzerá, drawn
What the Guzerá is kept for
The breed is kept for meat, and a separate line is selected for both milk and meat. That line is known as Guzerá Leiteiro. The herd book also has a beef line and a polled line, Guzerá Mocho. The Guzerá has value as a parent breed: it helped create the American Brahman and several Brazilian composites. Its large frame, with bulls reaching about 900 kg and cows about 600 kg, supports beef production.
The land and climate of the Guzerá
The breed began in the Cerrado, a tropical savanna region of Minas Gerais in Brazil. From there it spread to Uberaba, northern São Paulo, Goiás, Rio de Janeiro and the Nordeste. These are warm Brazilian landscapes, and the cattle are kept under savanna and tropical conditions. Its spread across several states shows a wide tolerance of Brazilian climates.
At a glance: where it belongs
Land and climate
Numbers, conservation and the herd book
The Guzerá herd book was started in 1938. In 2010, about 92,000 head were registered, some 3.5% of all indicine cattle in Brazil. That year saw roughly 17,500 new registrations. For 2022, the total reported was just under 40,000. The breed is found in the Northeast Region and in Goiás, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Both FAO in 2007 and DAD-IS in 2025 list it as not at risk.
Questions people ask about Guzerá
Where does the Guzerá come from?
It comes from Brazil. From about 1870, Kankrej bulls from Gujarat were imported to the Cerrado of Minas Gerais and bred with local Crioulo cows. The name is a Portuguese spelling of Gujarat. Later it spread to Uberaba, São Paulo, Goiás, Rio de Janeiro and the Nordeste.
What is the Guzerá kept for?
It is kept for meat, and a separate line is selected for milk as well as meat. That line is called Guzerá Leiteiro. The herd book also has a beef line and a polled line, Guzerá Mocho. Bulls can reach about 900 kg.
What does the Guzerá look like?
It is a humped taurindicine breed. Its coat is usually grey or white, and its skin is black. Both sexes are normally horned, but a polled variant exists. Bulls stand about 165 cm and weigh about 900 kg; cows are about 154 cm and 600 kg.
Is the Guzerá endangered?
No. FAO in 2007 and DAD-IS in 2025 both report it as not at risk. In 2010 about 92,000 head were registered, though the figure reported for 2022 was just under 40,000.
What breeds did the Guzerá help create?
It was one of the stocks behind the American Brahman. In Brazil it contributed to the Guzolando, Indu-Brasil, Lavinia, Normanzu and Pitangueiras. Its own ancestors are Kankrej cattle from Gujarat and local Crioulo cattle.
Good reading and sources
- Guzerá on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Guzerá", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryCow rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Sizes, colours and customs differ from one herd, valley or breeder to the next. Folk beliefs are described as tradition, never as advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-16.
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