I do not own the Fallout series.

AN: Uh... Hi? I've never written a fanfic before, so... Yeah, here we go. For clarification, this fic is from the perspective of a book you'd find out in the Wastes, like the Wasteland Survival Guide, it also takes place in 2290 and everything is from both my experiences with the Fallout franchise and my own headcannons, i.e., Minutemen ending, Independent Vegas, etc.,etc. Some of it might even come from ideas for future fanfics, I don't know...

Brahmin

Let's begin with the basics. A staple of any self-sufficient settlement, the common Brahmin (or Brahma) is a descendent of the domestic cow, or Bor Taurus. The Brahmin is an incredibly useful animal that can fill a number of tasks. It provides meat, milk, leather, and can be used as a beast of burden for caravans and farmsteads. Like its mono-headed Pre-War ancestors, the Brahmin is a timid creature that, for the most part, will run from confrontation and is nearly completely dependent on its owners for protection from large predators such as Radscorpions, Yao Guai, and Deathclaws. Keep in mind, this is in regards to predators that are larger than the Brahmin. While timid by nature, Brahmin are nonetheless ornery creatures when they want to be. They will not hesitate to use their hooves or horns to stamp/gore any potential threat to their calves, such as coyotes, bobcats, and unfamiliar humans. They're not particularly dangerous to their owners however and can be easily placated with a few good jabs from a particularly pointy stick.

The Brahmin is easily recognizable due to its stocky and broad frame, two heads that are partially independent of each other, enlarged udders, and its reddish hide. This hide can come in a variety of colors from dark brown to light pink, but most commonly, a Brahmin will have reddish fur with faded, barely noticeable light pink spots. Brahmin are cloven, or cleft, hoofed. This means that their hooves split into two toes that are covered in a thick keratin nail. The key to the hardiness of a Brahmin is that they don't need much to thrive. They can go long periods of time without water and their eight stomachs (double the number of their Pre-War ancestor) are used to eat difficult-to-digest plants meaning that they can feed on any sort of grass or weeds available to them.

As stated above, even a single Brahmin can be a great boon to any settlement. Brahmin are incredibly strong pack animals, capable of shouldering up to 500lbs. Their milk is capable of absorbing small doses of radiation and their hide is highly durable and can be used for making tough leather for armor, tents, saddles and other items of such nature, Tribals and ranchers alike have been known to use the animal's bones to make objects ranging from small tools, arrowheads and dice, even their fat has been used for soap making.

Brahmiluffs

Found in abandoned zoos, theme parks and the plains of the Mid-West, the Brahmiluff is a catch-all term for species of Brahmin that is not a direct descendant of domestic cattle, such as Water Buffalo, Yaks and American Bison. While far more aggressive than their pink-hided cousin, some species of Brahmiluffs can still be tamed and serve the same purposes as Brahmin. For whatever reason, Brahmiluffs have not suffered from radiation as much as the Brahmin has and as a consequence, they possess cleaner and healthier pelts.

Common Brahmiluff

The common Brahmiluff is the descendant of the African Water Buffalo (Syncerus Caffer), and is distinguished by large and wide horns fused together by a bony-plate in atop the center of its skull and a cleaner and less patchy tan pelt. Aggressive and unpredictable, it is impossible to tame an adult Brahmiluff, and harder still to find an unguarded calf to raise yourself. In fact, it is better to simply steer clear of these fearsome steers, lest you find yourself on the business end of its powerful goring horns. Originally native to the forests and riversides of Africa, the Brahmiluff has adjusted fairly well to life in Post-War America and continues to flourish in the ruins of theme parks and lakeside zoos.

Shorthorn Brahmiluff

A descendant of the American Bison, the Shorthorn Brahmiluff is easily identified by its shorter and curvier horns and its dark shaggy fur. In the 200+ years since the Great War, the vast migratory Bison herds, once devastated due to over-hunting, have largely repopulated themselves. Once more, the Shorthorn Brahmiluffs form to basis of many of the Tribes that inhabit the great plains of the Midwest. While not as aggressive as its African cousin, do not underestimate the noble bison, it takes skilled planning and years of training for even the venerable Tribals of the Plains to hunt these beasts and not find themselves crushed under a stampeding herd of hundreds of buffalo.

Brahmiluff Longhorn

Once native to the India subcontinent of South-East Asia, the Longhorn Brahmiluff (Bubalus Bubalis) is content to spend its day wading shoulder-deep in rivers and swamps, chewing on aquatic plants and watching the river bank for predators to gore with its long, spiraled horns. Thankfully for any prospecting settler, the Longhorn is not nearly as aggressive or independent as its African or American counterparts, and can be domesticated with relative ease.

Brahmin Trivia

The earliest records of two-headed Brahmin date only a few years after The Great War.

The highly addictive methamphetamine - Jet - is created using the captured fumes of Brahmin dung, this process of creation, while found all over, is believed to have - at the earliest- originated from a Brahmin ranch in the New Reno area. Interestingly, another form of Pre-War Jet has been found by scavengers throughout the Wastes, but the process of making it has been lost for the time being.

While females have enlarged udders, male Brahmin are born with four testicles. Curiously both genders have horns, though some Brahmin will only have horns on their leftmost head.

Brahmin rustling is a lucrative, if less than ethical, source of income for many of the desperate wastelanders out there. In fact, many of the New Reno crime families got their start and a large share of their income from the practice.

Wild Brahma herds do exist, but are usually very passive and are easily tamable by aspiring ranchers. However, caution should be taken, as where there are wild Brahmin, a predator is never far behind.

Rumors persist that occasionally, a Brahmin will be born with only a single head instead of two. However, this is widely regarded as mere superstition. After all, if a Brahmin was born with only a single head, then it wouldn't be a Brahmin.

The word Brahmin comes an Old World religion called Hinduism, which is still practiced in some parts of New California.

The term 'Brahmin Baron' refers to the highly successful and influential Brahmin ranchers of the New California Republic, specifically those that are represented by the Stockman Association. While President Tandi set regulations limiting the influence of Barons in congress, these policies were overturned by President Aaron Kimball, leading to widespread corruption.