CATTLE BREEDS
CHARACTERISTICS OF DAIRY CATTLE
Large and well developed udder
Udder is firmly attached and not pendulous
Teats are uniform size, well spaced and long
Large long and branching mammary veins
Large stomach
Good feeder
Good strong legs and well set hind quarters
Have a straight top line.
Long lean and smooth neck
Wedge or triangular-shaped when viewed from the sides
Examples of dairy cattle
Fresian (Holstein)
Origin: - Holland
Colour: -Black and white body
White forehead legs and switch.
Size: - Average mature cows weigh 600-680Kg live weight
- Average mature bulls weigh 900-1000Kg live weight
- Average mature calves weigh 35-40Kg at birth.
Milk yield: - 9000kg an average lactation of 305 days
-Butterfat content 3.5%
Temperament: - Docile and poor grazes
- Tolerant to cold but not heat
Ayshire
Origin: – Scotland
Colour: – Brown with white markings
Size: - Average mature cows weigh 500Kg live weight
- Average mature bulls weigh 700kg live weight
- Average mature calves weigh 30 -35kg at birth.
Milk yield: – 6000kg lactation of 305 days
- Butter fat content 4%
Guernsey
Origin: - Guernsey island (Coast of France)
Colour: - Yellowish brown to almost red with white marking on the legs, face, girth and tail
Size: - Average mature cows weigh 500kg liveweight
- Average mature bulls weigh 700kg liveweight
- Calves weigh 25 – 30Kg liveweight
Milk yield: - 5000kg per lactation of 305 days
- Buffer fat content 4.5-5.0%
Temperament: – Quiet and easy to handle
-Good grazers
-Fairly hardy and tolerate moderate heat
Jersey
Origin: - Jersey island in English channel
Colour: - Light yellowish brown (fawn) to a shade of black.
Black eyes, tail switched and muzzle
Size: - Average mature cows weight 450kg liveweight
-Average mature bulls weight 600kg liveweight
- Calves weight 20-25kg at birth
Milk yield: - 4000kg per lactation of 305 days
- Buffer fat content 5.53%
Temperament: - Bulls are aggressive and vicious
- Excellent grazers on poor pastures
-Cows are nervous and sensitive
-Resistant to high temperature
CHARACTERISTICS OF BEEF CATTLE
Good foragers on poor pastures
Short legged
Breed regularly
High ability to convert feeds in fresh
Tolerance to high ambient temperature
Resistance to diseases as compared to dairy breeds.
Have square rumps and heavy quarters
Deep chest and girth
Grow fast and mature early
Have deep well flashed body
The body conformation is blocky, square or cylindrical appearances.The top and lower lines are almost straight.
Examples of the beef Cattle Breeds
Boran
Zebu
Boran and zebu ( Most important indigenous beef breeds) other breeds include Ankole, Bukandi, Maasai and Nandi cattle
CHARACTERISTICS OF IMPROVED BORAN & ZEBU
Short neck
Brood head and mussle
Straight and broad back
Loss skin having short fine hair
p class="bodytext1">Short and straight horns or polled
Average liveweight (Cows 450 – 500kg) (and bull – 800kg)
Regular breeding ability
Can withstand drought and heat
Can walk for long distances in search of pasture and water
High quality meat
Has large hump that store fat to provide energy and water in times of starvation.
Resistance to tropical diseases eg. Tryponosomiasis
Good grazers a forager even on poor posture or shrubs
EXOTIC BEEF BREEDS
Aberdeen Angus
Origin: - Scotland
Suited to highland areas only
Colour: - Black with long smooth coat
Shape: Cylindrical compact broad and deep
Size: - Mature bulls weigh 900kg liveweight
-Mature Cows weigh 720kg liveweight
-Poor breeder
Hereford
Origin: – England
Colour: - Deep red with white tail, lets, flanks hocks and brisket
Size: - Average mature bulls weigh 1000kg liveweight
- Average mature cows weigh 850kg liveweight
Shape- Beefy confirmation with large hind quarters
Charolais
Origin: – western France
Color: - White or creamy white
Shape: - Polled or short horns and well fleshed
Size: - Average mature bulls weigh 1200kg liveweight
Average mature cows weigh 1000kg liveweight
Galloway
Origin: – South West Scotland
Colour: – Black weigh brownish tinge
Size: – Average mature bulls weigh 1000kg liveweight
Average mature cows weigh 700kg live weight
Shape: – long body with thick undercoat with long hair
Short horns
Origin: - north East England
Colour: – Red, roan or white
Size: – Average mature bulls weigh 800kg liveweight
Average mature cows weigh 600kg liveweight
Shape – Small body
- Fast growth rate
-Yellowish horns with black tips
DUAL PURPOSE CATTLE BREEDS
These breeds combine qualities of both dairy and beef animals.Therefore they are good in production of both milk and beef.
Sahiwal
Origin – India and Pakistan
Colour – Reddish brown to silver
Size – Average mature bulls weigh 500kg -650kg liveweight
- Average mature calves weight 40kg at birth
Shape – Large dew lap and loose naval flap
-Breed forehead,
-Polled with long ears
-Deep body with short legs
Milk Yield – 2700kg per lactation of 305 days
-Butter fat content t of 3.7%
-Difficult milkers
Simmental
Origin- Switzerland
Colour- Light red with white patches and white head
Size: Smaller than sahiwal but with fast growth rate
Shape – Broad and straight back tat are well fleshed on the in quarters
Udder is well attached with large teats
Strong, short straight legs
Temperament- Docile, and adaptable to hot climate
Milk yield: -3600kg per lactation of 305 days
-Butter fat content of 4.0kg%
Red Poll
Origin:England
Colour: Deep red with white nose
Size: Average. cow weigh 450kg live weight
Shape – Strong short legs that are fleshed
- Polled
Milk yield: 2500kg per lactation of 305 days
Butterfat content 3.0%
Suitable for semi-arid areas.
CHARACTERISTICS OF BEEF CATTLE
- Good foragers on poor pastures
- Short legged
- Breed regularly
- High ability to convert feeds in fresh
- Tolerance to high ambient temperature
- Resistance to diseases as compared to dairy breeds.
- Have square rumps and heavy quarters
- Deep chest and girth
- Grow fast and mature early
- Have deep well flashed body
- The body conformation is blocky, square or cylindrical appearances.
- The top and lower lines are almost straight.
Examples of the beef Cattle Breeds
Boran
Boran is one of the most common indigenous beef cattle.
Zebu
Boran and zebu ( Most important indigenous beef breeds) other breeds include Ankole, Bukendi, Maasai and Nandi cattle
Livestock Production (Common Breeds)
Goats
Goat breeds
Meat goats
East African goats
Origin :-Indigenous breeds in semi-arid areas
Colour :-Range from pure white to pure black with spickles or roan and brown
Size:-Mature buck weigh upto 35 kg liveweight
- Mature nannyweigh upto 25-30kg liveweight
- Take 5-6 months to mature
Production: – good for meat production in harsh condition
Galla goat (also known as Boran, Somali goat, Samburu)
Origin:-Indigenous to Northern Kenya
Colour:-White hairs with black skin, nose, feet and under the tail
Size:--Mature buck weigh upto 40-50 kg liveweight
- Mature nanny weigh upto 25-30 kg liveweight
Temperament:-Docile and easy to handle
Production:- Good for meat production
Boer goat
Origin: – south Africa
Colour:-Mixed black and white with long hair and ears
Size:-Fast maturing
Anglo – Nubian goat
Origin:-North East Africa
Colour:-Mixed roan with white
Shape:-Long legs palled and drooping ears
Production:-Mature nanny weigh 60-75 kg liveweight
-Goat for eat and milk production
-Can produce 1-2 litres of milk per day
Jamnapari goat
Origin: – India
Colour:-Ranges from white roan to black
Shape:-Horned, Ears are large and flopped
Production:-Mature nanny weigh 45-60kg liveweight
-Kept for meat production though can produce
1-1.5 litres for milk per day
Dairy goat breeds
Toggenburg
Origin:-Switzerland
Colour:-Brown with white patches
-White ears and white stripe on the face and neck
Shape:-Polled or horned.Horns in males are long and curved
-Erect ears pointed backwards long hair, face slightly dished and has
tassels on either
-Side of the neck
Production:-mature nanny weigh 40-50 kg liveweight
-Produces 2-3 litres of milk per day
-Butter fat content 3.5%
Temperament:-Suffer from heat stress resulting in poor appetite.
Saanen goats
Origin:-Switzerland
Colour:-White or creamy white
Shape :– Usually polled
-Ears are erect and pointing forward
Production: – Mature nannyweigh 50-80 kg liveweight
-Produces 2-3 litres of milk per day butterfat content 3.5%
Kenya Alpine
Origin: – Germany
-Being used to upgrade the local breeds for milk production
Colour: – brown with black strip at the back
Shape: – Horned
Production: – Mature nanny weigh 50-60 kg liveweight produces 2-3 litres of milk per day
Livestock Production (Common Breeds)
Camel
Species of camels
There are two species of camels, one single humped, its origin is Arabia and
its known as Dromedary,
Dromedary is the only breed kept in Kenya .
Bactrian has two humps and is from Central America .
Livestock Production (Common Breeds)
Parts of a Pig
Pig breeds
Large white
Originated from Britain
-Widely kept for production of Pork
Shape and colour
- Long, large and white pig
- Skin may have few blue spots
-Snout is broad and slightly dished
-Ear are upright
Growth rate
- slow weigh about 300 kg
-Boar weigh about 350 kg
Land race
Originated from Denmark
-Commonly kept for bacon production
Shape-long lean pig
-Has a straight snout and long ears drooping over the face
-Hams are deep and broad
-Weak legs
Grow rate - has ability to put on large amount of lean meat quickly
Sows are prolific and docile
Berkshire
Origin-England
Colour-Black with white feet, face and tail switch
Shape-Dished face and erect ears
Production-Good producer of bacon.
Tam Worth
Origin-England
Colour-Red, varying from light to dark
Shape-Has long legs
Production-Good bacon producer
-Poor mothering ability with slow grow rate
Saddle back
Origin:-South of England
-Includes both Essex and wessex saddle back
Colour:-Black with white band that runs around the shoulders
Shape:- Body is long and curved
It has a straight snout and drooping ears
Production:-Excellent mothering ability
-Good for port and becon production
-Good forager
Duroc Jersey Pig
Origin:Britain
Colour:Pure black
Shape:Long strong frame
Production:Sows produce large litters with good mothering ability
Fast growth and early maturing