The Madura cattle are indigenous in Madura Island of Indonesia. They are raised and used for beef, milk, draught, racing and beauty contest in Indonesia.
They are most often referred to as a cross between Bos javanicus and Bos indicus (zebu), based on phenotypic appearance.
The Madura cattle originated on the Madura Island near northeastern Java, where the original cattle population was Banteng (which is very similar to the Bali cattle).
A zebu cattle breed from Sri Lanka named Sinhala cattle were introduced more than 1500 years ago. And a cross between the Banteng and the Sinhala cattle resulted better animals than either of the original cattle breeds.
Some sources also say that the Zebu component was the Ongole cattle breed from India. The breed is sometimes called as the dancing cattle.
Total population of these cattle was estimated by the FAO at 900,000 in 2002. And efforts are being made to conserve the breed on Sapudi island. Read more information about the breed below.
Madura Cattle Characteristics
The Madura cattle are small sized animal. They are mainly reddish brown in coloration with non-specific white patterning on the back and rump. Both cows and bulls usually have horns, and their horns are of small sized and upward curved.
As a small breed, average body weight of the cows is about 250 kg. And average live body weight of the bulls is about 300 kg. Photo from PetMapz and info from Wikipedia.
Uses
The Madura cattle are multi-purpose animals and used for many purposes. They are used for milk, meat, draught and racing in their native area.
Special Notes
The Madura cattle are strong and hardy animals. They are well known for the bull racing. In bull racing two bulls are yoked together, pulling a small sled on which the driver attempts to balance over a hundred-meter course. Review full breed profile of this breed in the chart below.
| Breed Name | Madura | |
| Other Name | Dancing cattle | |
| Breed Purpose | Milk, meat, draught, race | |
| Special Notes | Strong and powerful | |
| Breed Size | Small | |
| Bulls | 300 kg | |
| Cows | 250 kg | |
| Climate Tolerance | All Climates | |
| Coat Color | Reddish brown | |
| Horned | Yes | |
| Milk Yield | Average | |
| Rarity | Common | |
| Country/Place of Origin | Indonesia |
