Nguni cattle

[andybob]

What are everyones' thoughts on raising locally adapted breeds which need minimal inputs, while capable of producing more lbs/acre than larger less adapted breeds? In the African context, the Nguni is capable of thriving in very harsh environments while needing the minimum of supplements, as hide colour is not discriminated against, and payment at point of slaughter is based on grade x price/lbs.
As packes encourage ranchers to raise larger framed cattle for better economy of throughput for their factories, would the better option be to create a premium market for quality pasture raised locally adapted cattle?
What are the thoughts on this type of native or naturally adapted breeds - Nguni tricoloured calf picture to add to the discussion;

 

[alacowman1]

Looks like a tight beefmaster...

 

[andybob]

Looks like a tight beefmaster...

The 8 in 5 conformation, with a large rumen are essential selection criteria for high functioning grass based bulls, fullblood Nguni have a large proportion of this genotype in the wider tribal owned herds.

 

[Georg]

Namibia is the driest country south of the Sahara in Africa. Here you find 4 ecotypes of Nguni cattle, locally known as SANGA. But SANGA also includes Tuli, Afrikander and other indigenous breeds. Therefore we call our different ecotypes Kaoko Sanga, Owambo sanga, Kavango Sanga and Caprivi Sanga. Our ministry of Agriculture is currently busy establishing the genetic code of the different ecotypes. Our Sanga are much smaller but much more hardy than imported Nguni from South Africa. One very disturbing fact is that the pure Sanga populations in the communal areas get interbred at a very fast pace on the advice of commercial breeders in order to sell their unadapted Simmentaler, Brahman, Simbra, Brown Swiss and other large carcass breeds. This goes so far that during the last draught when these unadapted bulls just lied down to die, these breeders fed them at their own cost, sometimes travelling a few hundred kilometers weekly.

 

[andybob]

Namibia is the driest country south of the Sahara in Africa. Here you find 4 ecotypes of Nguni cattle, locally known as SANGA. But SANGA also includes Tuli, Afrikander and other indigenous breeds. Therefore we call our different ecotypes Kaoko Sanga, Owambo sanga, Kavango Sanga and Caprivi Sanga. Our ministry of Agriculture is currently busy establishing the genetic code of the different ecotypes. Our Sanga are much smaller but much more hardy than imported Nguni from South Africa. One very disturbing fact is that the pure Sanga populations in the communal areas get interbred at a very fast pace on the advice of commercial breeders in order to sell their unadapted Simmentaler, Brahman, Simbra, Brown Swiss and other large carcass breeds. This goes so far that during the last draught when these unadapted bulls just lied down to die, these breeders fed them at their own cost, sometimes travelling a few hundred kilometers weekly.

I remember several discussions in the early 1980's with Dr Schmitt-Dumont who was working on projects selecting Sanga genetics, I think the main project was with "Herero cattle" She was interested in seeing the Tuli herd I had exported to Rugby farm Otjiwarongo in 1978 (now under the Omatako dam!)

 

[Georg]

I remember several discussions in the early 1980's with Dr Schmitt-Dumont who was working on projects selecting Sanga genetics, I think the main project was with "Herero cattle" She was interested in seeing the Tuli herd I had exported to Rugby farm Otjiwarongo in 1978 (now under the Omatako dam!)

The good vet is not with us anymore. Tulis are still being bred in Namibia, but all of the indigenous breeds are suffering to find new breeders.