A dzo () is a
hybrid between the
yak and domestic
cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...
. The word ''dzo'' technically refers to a male hybrid, while a female is known as a or . In
Mongolian, it is called a (хайнаг). There is also the
English portmanteau term of yattle—a combination of the words ''yak'' and ''cattle'', as well as yakow—a combination of the words ''yak'' and ''cow''.
Dzomo are
fertile (or
fecund), while dzo are
sterile. As they are a product of the hybrid genetic phenomenon of
heterosis (hybrid vigor), they are larger and stronger than yak or cattle from the region. In
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south and southeast. It covers an area of , with a population of 3.5 million, making it the world's List of countries and dependencies by po ...
and
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
, khainags are thought to be more productive than cattle or yaks in terms of both milk and meat production.
Dzomo can be
back crossed. As a result, many supposedly pure yak or pure cattle probably carry each other's genetic material. In Mongolia, the result of a crossed with either a domestic bull or yak bull is called (ортоом, three-quarter-bred) and an crossed with a domestic bull or yak bull results in a (усан гүзээ, one-eighth-bred).
Dzos inherit two distinct protein types, one from each parent, leading to alterations in their mitochondrial structure and function.
[Long, L., Zhu, Y., Li, Z., Zhang, H., Liu, L., & Bai, J. (2020). Differential expression of skeletal muscle mitochondrial proteins in yak, dzo, and cattle: a proteomics-based study. The Journal of veterinary medical science, 82(8), 1178–1186. https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.19-0218] Consequently, this adaptation significantly enhances the dzo's capacity to thrive at higher altitudes compared to either parent.
See also
*
Bovid hybrid
*
Yakalo, a yak-buffalo hybrid
References
External links
*
* dictionary.com
*
Bovid hybrids
Yaks
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