It is a cow of the Brahman race, descendant of the Indian zebus, which will be chosen in a Martinique farm to be the muse of the next International Agriculture Show (SIA) in Paris, from February 21 to March 1, 2026. She will succeed Oupette, a limousine cow.
A “historic first” for the largest agricultural fair in France and a way of honoring “pride of ultramarine, particularly Martinican and Guyanese farms” where this meat breed prosperous.
The president of SIA, Jérôme Despey, praised A “choice of recognition” of the work of ultramarine breeders In terms of sustainability and for the quality of the meat of this breed, reputed to be not very fat, as well as “a choice for the future”.
“In a context of global warming, the characteristics of the Brahman can show us the path of cattle breeds better suited to a hexagonal France to” 4 degrees by 2100 “, he explained.
A livestock of 45,000 cattle
Race of Indian origin, the fruit of the crossing of zebus, the Brahman arrived in Martinique from the United States in the 1950s. It now has some 45,000 cattle.
Recognizable by its large hanging ears, the loose skin of its neck and its bump on the shoulders, the Brahman is a rustic cow, suitable for tropical heat.
Her dress is white, gray, red or black. It can be nourished exclusively with grass. It is “capable of catching up with a slowed down growth by a period of Lent (drought)”, according to the Union of Brahman Brahman Breeders (UEBB) in Martinique.
Brahman begins to reproduce later than European races, but can produce longer: up to 15 years, against 10 for the average of metropolitan cows.
Eight Brahman cows will make the Porte de Versailles trip
It is within the livestock of 300 heads by André Prosper, trinity breeder, in the east of the island of Martinique, that the muse cow will be chosen.
Heir to the family farm, this Martinican breeder has been working for 40 years at “the selection and development of the race”, which has become emblematic in Martinique and Guyana.
Since the first edition of the SIA in 1964, “this is the first time that a DOM has been invited,” he said at a press conference in Fort-de-France. “It is a great pride, not only for me, but for Martinican agriculture and particularly for the activity, the breeding sector”.
Eight cows of André Prosper’s livestock will travel to Paris. By departure, scheduled for October, the cattle selected will be used to prolonged contact with humans.
“The beasts that go have a differentiated treatment, that is to say that every morning, they are pampered, brushed. We create a very serene and peaceful climate with animals, “he explained.
They will make the trip to metropolitan area, three months before the International Agriculture Show. In 2025, this fair, annual high mass of the sector and a prized appointment of politicians, had attracted 607,503 visitors.
