Over 1000 breeds of cattle are recognized worldwide, some of which adapted to the local climate, others which were bred by humans for specialized uses.
Bos indicus (or Bos taurus indicus) cattle, commonly called zebu, are adapted to hot climates and originated in the tropical parts of the world such as India, Sub-saharan Africa, China, and Southeast Asia.
Bos taurus (or Bos taurus taurus), typically referred to as "taurine" cattle, are generally adapted to cooler climates and include almost all cattle breeds originating from Europe and northern Asia.
In some parts of the world further species of cattle are found (both as wild and domesticated animals), and some of these are related so closely to taurine and indicus cattle that interspecies hybrids have been bred.
Examples include the Dwarf Lulu cattle of the mountains of Nepal with yak blood,[2] the Beefalo of North America with bison genes, the Selembu breed of India and Bhutan with gayal genes.