American Cows Have Indian Origins, Scientists Find

Genetic research is showing that breeds of cows in the Americas, including the Texas Longhorn, are descendants of cows from India, reports Subodh Varma for the Times of India. India has the world’s largest cattle population in the world, followed by Brazil, China and US. The Indian breeds were shipped to East Africa, then to Spain and eventually to the Caribbean, suggests a study from the universities of Texas and Missouri. “This bizarre journey of the Indian cow's genes is a reflection of human migration as cows have practically coexisted with human society,” reports Varma. “Cows were domesticated around 10,000 years ago in two regions – Turkey and India – from a wild species called aurochs which were up to two times larger than current bovines.” Genetic traits lasting in some species, passed down over centuries, have lent the creatures immunity to tick diseases and ability to withstand drought conditions. – YaleGlobal