The Sibi Bhagnari or Sibi is the largest breed of

Zebu The zebu (; ''Bos indicus'' or ''Bos taurus indicus''), sometimes known in the plural as indicine cattle or humped cattle, is a species or subspecies of domestic cattle originating in the Indian sub-continent. Zebu are characterised by a fatty ...

cattle and originates from

Sibi Sibi ( Sindhi: سيوي ur, ) is a city situated in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The city is the headquarters of the district and tehsil of the same name. Etymology The origin of the town's name is attributed to Rani Sewi, a Hindu ...

Baluchistan Balochistan ( ; bal, بلۏچستان; also romanised as Baluchistan and Baluchestan) is a historical region in Western and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. ...

, though also found elsewhere in

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

and also

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

. The name is derived from the town of Bhag which is found to the south of Sibi and Naari which is a river that flows through the breeding area. The areas consists of

Talli Talli is a village at a distance of 22 kilometers from Sibi city of Balochistan, Pakistan. References See also * Sibi District * Mehergarh * Sevi * Bibi Nani * khajjak * Marghazani Marghzani tribe is one of prominent tribes of Sibi and Mu ...

, Khajjak, Kurak, Mithri and

Bhag Bhag ( ur, بھاگ) is a city located within Kachhi District of Balochistan Province of Pakistan. It is the largest city of the district and sits at an altitude of 90 meters (298 feet). Prior to 2013, Bhag Tehsil was located within Kachhi Dis ...

. Each year the giant cattle are shown at the

Sibi Mela The Sibi Mela is an annual cultural show held in Sibi, in the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. The first Sibi Mela was held in Sibi in January 1885. It has subsequently developed into a cultural festival, with animal markets, camel racing, tent ...

Description

The breed typically has a white or grey coloured body and is black around the neck and has a black tail switch. The head is medium-sized with a short strong neck, small ears, short horns, small

dewlap A dewlap is a longitudinal flap of skin or similar flesh that hangs beneath the lower jaw or neck of many vertebrates. More loosely, it can be various similar structures in the neck area, such as those caused by a double chin or the submandibu ...

, straight back, wide chest and a moderate sized hump. Adult bulls can grow to in height with a mass of up to The bulls of the breed surpass the

Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part ...

by more than in mass. It is still been debated whether the Sibi is the biggest cattle breed in the world. Bulls have been shown to compete with

Chianina The Chianina () is an Italian breed of large white cattle. It was formerly principally a draught breed; it is now raised mainly for beef. It is the largest and one of the oldest cattle breeds in the world. The '' bistecca alla fiorentina'' is ...

. Sibi Bhagnari together with the smaller

White Nukra White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. W ...

are the only indicine cattle which give complete white coloured animals. (

is more white-greyish.)

Environment

Sibi are suited to extremes in conditions; in the breeding area it copes with a temperature range from and an average rainfall that is less than .

Farming

The cattle are mostly fed on dry fodder with

sorghum ''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family ( Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many ot ...

used as green and grain. Other grains include wheat, barley, pearl millet which are fed to force weight gain. Other supplements include

desi ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from c ...

, milk, yogurt, mustard oil, and occasionally eggs. Cattle breeds Cattle breeds originating in Pakistan

References

{{cattle-stub Cattle breeds originating in India