Zebu Cattle.

Suitable Breed for Tropics.

THERE has been much discussion lately in Australian newspapers about whether Zebu cattle or European cattle with a Zebu strain would be more suitable for North Australian conditions than purely European cattle. Some of the writers appeared to think that they must seek far afield for reliable infor mation on this subject.

The fact is that they need go no fur ther than New Guinea or the Solomons for all the reliable data about the Zebu that they require. Cattle that are purely Zebu or with a predominating Zebu strain may be seen in large numbers throughout both Territories. They have been the subject of many experiments by plantation owners who have lost large numbers of European cattle from tick and other causes; and the experiments for the most part have been most suc cessful.

The Zebu in New Guinea is very valu able bcause it stands up quite satisfac torily to the climate and provides an abundance of fresh beef of acceptable quality. It has been used in some cases for dairy purposes but it is quite a small animal and gives a very small quantity of poor quality milk. The Zebu beef is largely used on many plantations for feeding native labour; and the majority of Europeans gladly accept the beef of young Zebu. It is not a black flesh, as some suppose.

“For practical plantation purposes the Zebu is the best thing you can get," said Mr. Drayson, manager of a group of plantations near Madang and who was in Sydney recently. “They do not suffer from tick, they provide an excellent beef

supply and we find them useful as trans port—we use them in teams of eight, but a pair will pull a small cart.

“I have found that a quarter strain of Zebu in European cattle will produce a beast that stands up to the climate very well. The Zebu increases rapidly—we got 65 youngsters out of a herd of 350 in a year—but they must be properly looked after. I have had 25 years’ tropi cal experience in all parts of the world and I can say definitely that the Zebu is easily the best beast for the tropics.”

The Zebu has also been introduced in large numbers into the Solomon Islands, particularly by Lever’s Pacific Planta tions, Ltd. —which big concern, by the way, has done a good deal of valuable pioneering work of this character.