This mother and calf are zebu oxen (Bos indicus), a breed thought to have originated in India. Though revered in India, these animals are used for milk, meat, and draft in many regions of South Asia and Africa.
The unique properties of their skin plus their lower internal body heat enable zebu to tolerate much higher temperatures than most cattle. The skin also secrets a unique aromatic oil that repels insects. Because of these characteristics, zebus are ideally suited for the hot tropics.
Zebus were introduced to the United States in the mid-19th century as the breed known as Brahman. They have been crossed with numerous European cattle breeds to create animals that withstand hot weather in the Americas.
(Photograph shot on assignment for, but not published in, "Burma," July 1984, National Geographic magazine)
