See Different Types Of Cattle Breeds We Have In Nigeria And Their Purpose. (Pictures)

Breed of cattle that we have in Nigeria can be categorize into six. These are:

1. White Fulani – this is also known as white bororo or yakanaji or bunaji. They constitute over half of Nigerians cattle population. They are basically white in colour with black makings of at the mouth, nose etc. They have medium to large sized horn, large chest and hump. They are dual purpose breeds for diary and beef production and the milk yield is about 1000 gallons per lactation with butter fat content of 3 – 4%.

2. Another breed is sokoto Gudali, this is found mostly in sokoto State in Nigeria in Sahel Sudan region of Nigeria with sparse rainfall. The males are usually grey and the females white. They are notable for meat production (diary breed) its fleshy compact body makes it an ideal multipurpose bread that can be used for farm work as well as beef production.

3. Red Bororo – this is also known as red fulani or rahaji. It is common among Nigeria’s northern border with Chad and Niger. The body skeleton farm work is unusually large with long a curved horn and long legs which is adapted for long trek in search or fodders. The coat colour is red or reddish to brown. It is beef cattle.

3. N’dama – this is one of the coastal breeds of beef cattle. It is trypanotolerant and well adapted to humid tropics. It is useful as a draught animal, the average height at withers is about 120 cm (4ft) the coat colour maybe yellow, light red or black and it has no hump. It is a poem maker but produce good carcass even with poor grazing. It mature quickly and can be fattened up within 3 years

4. Muturu – this is the west African dwarf cattle with dark brown or pure black colour. It has no hump cattle with short horns. Its resistance to trypanosomiasis is very high which makes it well adapted to the forest zone of west Africa. It is however not found in large number. It is beef cattle.

5. Keteku- this is believed to be a cross between white Fulani and Muturu. It may be complex or slightly humped. It is heavier than muturu at maturity. The body colour is white or red. They are beef cattle.

6. Friesian – this diary cattle is indigenous to Netherlands. It has white colour in form of a star on the forehead and all it is Belly. it has excellent diary confirmation with well developed udder. Milk yield vary, it is about 1000 gallons per lactation with butter fat content of 3 – 4% it thrives very well on good pastures and is an excellent grazer. It is rearing in West Africa had not been successful because of its susceptibility to heat and trypanosomiasis but it has be used mainly to cross the local white fulani.

I’m showing this to the public to know different type of cattle breeds we have in Nigeria, so that they will be able to know which breed to choose, whenever they are ready to start their cattle business. Because, majority of our people nowadays don’t know that different cattle we have in Nigeria, are serving different purpose for human consumption.

I hope this is enough for a wise farmer to use as guide in choosing breeds of cattle for rearing.