Local Cattle Breeds in Uganda & East Africa: Types & Traits

What are local breeds of cattle?

Local cattle breeds are those primarily raised for meat production. There are over 250 such breeds worldwide, with some of the most well-known being Angus, Brahman, Beef Master, Piedmontese, Herefordshire, Gelbvieh, and Limousin.

What should you know about indigenous cattle?

Indigenous cattle, such as the Sanga which is related to the South African Nguni, are mainly found in communal areas. These cattle are highly adaptable to tough local conditions, such as high temperatures, prolonged droughts, and the presence of pests and diseases.

Below are some of the different types of local breeds of cattle as seen below;

1. The small East African Zebu

The Nandi cattle in Kenya and Teso cattle in Uganda are examples of the small East African Zebu. This breed of cattle is believed to have originated in the Indus valley in India. It is the most widely distributed type of cattle in East Africa and is a dual-purpose breed.

The coat color can be solid or spotted, multi-colored, black, black and white, or grey with straight, short hairs. Mature bulls weigh 300-450 kg and cows weigh 200-350 kg. They are small and stocky, with short horns, pronounced humps, and small dewlaps.

The average milk yield per lactation is 698 liters with a butterfat content of 5.9%. These cattle are better converters of local herbs and grasses into milk and beef, are heat tolerant, adaptable to a wide range of climatic conditions, resistant to diseases and parasites, have a good temperament, and are trypan tolerant.

Additionally, they have relatively shorter calving intervals compared to other indigenous breeds.

2. Boran

Boran cattle, also known as N.F.D cattle (Northern Frontier District cattle), were developed in Kenya by rangers from indigenous cattle of the Borana people of southern Ethiopia for beef production.

They belong to the group of large East African shorthorn zebus. The breed is now found in southern Ethiopia, Somalia, Karamoja, and other parts of East Africa.

The coat color can be tropically white or red, grey, or fawn with dark spots and black-pigmented skin. Mature bulls weigh 550-880 kg and cows weigh 400-550 kg.

They have a fairly long head with a broad forehead, a large thoracic hump, a heavily muscled body, well-developed hindquarters, and an extended dewlap. The daily weight gain is 450 g.

Boran cattle respond well to high-quality feeding and are vigorous grazers. They are disease resistant, suited to dry range land and a wide range of climatic conditions, and can live on low-quality feeds yet perform well.

They have high fertility rates, low calf mortality, excellent mothering ability, and longevity, and are easily herded. They are also good to cross with Bos Taurus for meat and milk production.

3. Nsagala (Sanga) Cattle

Sanga cattle are found in Ankole and Kigezi in Uganda and in Northern Tanzania. They are fairly large with long horns and produce more milk than East African Zebu. However, they are susceptible to diseases, especially tuberculosis, and have poor meat conformation with many bones and fewer muscles.

4. Intermediate types of cattle

These cattle are a cross between the Sanga and the short-horn zebu and are found in Uganda as Nyoro and Nsoga cattle and among the Masai in Kenya. They are bigger and produce more milk than zebu and are less susceptible to tuberculosis.