Indian Zebu breeds outperforming abroad: a story on the “pizza effect”

Abstract

Indian cattle breeds, such as Gir and Nellore, have been used extensively in breeding programs across various countries due to their exceptional adaptability, disease resistance, and resilience under harsh environmental conditions. Notably, the introduction of Indian Zebu cattle significantly enhanced milk and meat productivity in several South American countries. A prominent example is Brazil, where, over the past 35 years, Indian Zebu breeds underwent a substantial genetic improvement for dairy and beef production. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in India to re-import these genetically enhanced Zebu breeds from Brazil. This phenomenon exemplifies what is commonly referred to as the “pizza effect” – a cultural or biological element originating in one country, being significantly transformed abroad and, subsequently, reintroduced to its place of origin in an enhanced form. This article also explores the metaphorical “flavor and aroma” of an alternative to the pizza effect – India’s growing interest in incorporating exotic Bos taurus genetics as a strategy to enhance the dairy performance of its indigenous breeds, rather than relying solely on the reimportation of improved native germplasm.