| Red Sindhi | |
| Status: | FAO (2007): no concern |
| Country: | Sindh, Pakistan |
| Distribution: | Bangladesh, India, Pakistan |
| Use: | dairy |
| Maleweight: | 530 kg |
| Femaleweight: | 325 kg |
| Maleheight: | 132 cm |
| Femaleheight: | 115 cm |
| Skincolour: | brick red |
| Coat: | red-brown |
| Subspecies: | indicus |
The Red Sindhi is a dairy breed of zebuine cattle. It is believed to originate in western Sindh and in the Las Bela area of Balochistan, now in Pakistan.[1] [2] It is widely kept in Pakistan, where in 2006 there were approximately head; there are small numbers in India and in Bangladesh. Other names include Las Bela, Malir and Sindhi.
Figures reported for milk production vary from in a lactation of 270 days, or some per day. They have been used for crossbreeding with temperate (European) origin dairy breeds in many countries to combine their tropical adaptations (heat tolerance, tick resistance, disease resistance, fertility at higher temperatures, etc.) with the higher milk production found in temperate regions. It has been crossed with Jerseys in many places, including India, the United States, Australia, Sri Lanka, etc.[2]
The Red Sindhi range in colour from a deep reddish brown to a yellowish red, but most commonly a deep red. They are distinguished from the other dairy breed of Sindh, the Tharparkar or White Sindhi, both by colour and form, the Red Sindhi is smaller, rounder, with a more typical dairy form, and with short, curved horns, while the Tharparkar are taller with a shape more typical of Zebu draft breeds, and with longer, lyre shaped horns.[3] [4] [5] The bulls are usually of a darker colour than the cows.
It has been crossed with include Holstein-Friesian, Brown Swiss and Danish Red. It has also been used to improve beef and dual purpose cattle in many tropical countries, as it is sufficiently meaty to produce good beef calves in such crosses and the high milk production helps give a fast-growing calf which is ready for market at one year. It is somewhat smaller than the very similar Sahiwal and produces a little less milk per animal as a result. This has caused it to lose favour with some commercial dairies in India and Pakistan, which have been phasing out their Red Sindhi herds by breeding to Sahiwal bulls for a few generations. The resulting cows, which are three-quarters Sahiwal and one-quarter Red Sindhi, can not be distinguished from pure Sahiwal cattle. Red Sindhi cattle are also used for milk production in Brazil, but this race of zebu is not popular as others.[6]
Some Red Sindhi cows were exported to the Brazil in the middle of 20th century.[7]