In this article
Girolando is the best-known dairy cow in tropical Brazil and also the most misnamed. The confusion has a direct effect on the price of an animal, and the same logic applies wherever Holstein is crossed with zebu cattle.
What the breed officially is
Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, through Ordinance 79 of 7 February 1996, made the Girolando breed official: a cross of Holstein with dairy Gir, with a composition of 5/8 Holstein blood + 3/8 Gir, according to Embrapa’s technical bulletin on dairy breeds and crossbreeding.
The stud book belongs to the Brazilian Girolando Breeders’ Association, based in Uberaba, Minas Gerais. It is a synthetic breed from two parent breeds, developed for tropical and subtropical conditions.
What almost everyone calls “Girolando”
Embrapa is explicit: the term “Girolando” is often used wrongly, and the correct term is crossbred animals. In dairy farming, a crossbred is an animal from a cross of a European dairy breed with a zebu breed.
The most common cross is Holstein with Gir. Others are named the same way: Guzolando (Holstein x Guzerá) and Nerolando (Holstein x Nelore).
For buyers: a “Girolando cow” in an advert is very often an unregistered crossbred. It may be an excellent animal — but a registered pedigree and a verified blood level cost more precisely because they can be checked. Ask for the blood level and whether the animal is registered with the association.
How breeders reach 5/8
The most common route described by Embrapa:
- Proven purebred Holstein bull × Gir cow → F1 (half-blood)
- F1 females × proven Gir bull → 1/4 Holstein + 3/4 Gir
- 1/4 H + 3/4 G females × purebred Holstein bull → 5/8 H + 3/8 G
- 5/8 animals mated with each other → the stabilised Girolando
Stabilising the breed at 5/8 takes at least 10 to 15 years. To speed things up, a producer can buy 3/4 Holstein females and mate them with a half-blood bull, or use half-blood females with a 3/4 bull.
Why the half-blood performs so well
Heterosis, or hybrid vigour, makes offspring outperform the average of their parents. In Holstein x zebu crosses, Embrapa reports heterosis of 17.3% to 28% for milk yield — and it is highest in the F1.
The F1 combines the dairy aptitude and early maturity of the Holstein with the parasite resistance, heat tolerance and hardiness of the zebu. That is why about 70% of Brazil’s milk comes from Holstein x zebu crossbred cows.
A detail that settles a common question: genetically it makes no difference whether you cross a Gir cow with a Holstein bull or a Holstein cow with a Gir bull — the F1’s potential is the same. There can be a maternal effect on size: daughters of Holstein cows tend to be larger. Since 1993, proven dairy Gir bulls have been available in Brazil, which made the reciprocal cross practical.
Where the Gir side comes from
According to the Brazilian Zebu Breeders’ Association (ABCZ), the Gir averages 3,745.50 kg of milk per lactation, with 4.43% fat and 3.34% protein, and had 807,790 animals registered by November 2020. It is the traditional source of zebu dairy genetics and a base breed of Girolando. More zebu breeds are compared in zebu cattle breeds.
What this means when you buy
- Ask for the blood level, not the name. “Girolando” alone tells you little.
- Ask for the registration if the price is that of a registered animal.
- Check that proven bulls were used — F1 performance depends on the genetics of both parents.
- Match the animal to your system. Embrapa recommends Girolando mainly for herds averaging below 3,000 kg per lactation, and crossbreds in general for 3,500 to 4,500 kg.
The full picture of breeds and herd levels is in cattle breeds for beef and milk.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Girolando and a crossbred cow?
Girolando is the registered breed, with a defined composition of 5/8 Holstein and 3/8 Gir, made official in Brazil in 1996 and registered by the Brazilian Girolando Breeders' Association. A crossbred is any cross of a European dairy breed with a zebu breed, at any blood level. Embrapa notes that using "Girolando" for every crossbred is incorrect.
How much milk does a Girolando cow give?
It depends on blood level and, above all, on the production system. As a historical reference, Embrapa records that in 1989 the breed averaged 240 days of lactation, 1,990 kg per lactation and 8.29 litres per cow per day, and that these figures have risen considerably with genetic improvement.
Is Girolando used for beef as well?
Girolando is a dual-purpose breed adapted to the tropics, and F1 Holstein x zebu males can be raised successfully for beef. Embrapa adds a caution on crosses: beyond 3/4 Holstein blood, males are poor animals for beef.
How long does it take to form a Girolando herd?
At least 10 to 15 years to stabilise at 5/8 Holstein and 3/8 Gir. It can be sped up by buying 3/4 Holstein females and mating them with a half-blood bull, or by using half-blood females with a 3/4 bull.
Sources
- Raças e tipos de cruzamentos para produção de leite — Embrapa Gado de Leite, Comunicado Técnico 98, 2009 (heterosis of 17.3% to 28% for milk yield in Holstein x zebu crosses, highest in the F1; four herd production levels; Girolando 5/8 Holstein + 3/8 Gir)↗oficial
- ABCZ — Gir breed (3,745.50 kg milk per lactation, 4.43% fat, 3.34% protein; weaning 149/139 kg, yearling 272/236 kg; 807,790 registered by November 2020)↗oficial