Dzo

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A sturdy animal bred in the Himalayan regions by crossing a yak with a domestic cow, valued as a beast of burden
2. The hardy cross between a female yak and a bull, or a male yak and a cow, kept for milk and carrying loads in mountain areas
3. A mountain livestock hybrid produced from yak and cattle parents, prized for its strength and its milk in high Asian terrain

Etymology: Its name comes from Tibetan "mdzo", the word for the hybrid offspring of a yak and a domestic cow. Herders across the Himalayan highlands have bred these animals for generations because they combine the yak's tolerance of cold and thin air with the cow's larger body and greater milk yield, making them useful as pack animals and dairy stock where ordinary cattle struggle. The males are sterile, so herders depend on crossbreeding each generation. The Tibetan word is pronounced roughly "dzo" or "zo", and the English form reflects that sound. The female hybrid is often called "dzomo", and unlike the male she can be bred back to either parent species.

Synonyms: zo, dzho