LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION 1 [COMMON BREEDS]

5/12/2018

LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION 1 [COMMON BREEDS]

Introduction

The term livestock is used to refer to all domesticated animals. These animals include cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, pigs, rabbits, camels, bees, fish and donkeys.

The importance of keeping livestock:

Source of food.
Source of income.
Cultural values.
Source of animal power.
Provision of raw materials for industries.
Farmyard manure from the animals is used in maintaining soil fertility.
Cattle dung is used in the production of biogas.

Cattle Breeds

Cattle can be classified into two groups based on their origin. These are;

Indigenous cattle.
Exotic cattle.

1. Indigenous Cattle
Zebus
They are small in size and with a distinct hump and include:

Nandi,
Bukedi
Maasai cattle.

The Borana

These are the cattle kept in the Northern parts of Kenya.
They are larger than the Zebus.
Indigenous cattle are hardy hence able to tolerate the harsh environmental conditions in the tropics.
They are the major suppliers of beef in Kenya.

2. Exotic Cattle

Foreign cattle from the temperate regions.
They have distinct breed characteristics and are classified into various breeds.

General characteristics:

They have no humps.
They have low tolerance to high temperatures hence popular in cool climates of the Kenya highlands.
They are highly susceptible to tropical diseases.
They have fast growth rates leading to early maturity.
They are good producers of both meat and milk.
They cannot walk for long distances.
They have short calving intervals of one calf per year if well managed.

Exotic cattle breeds fall under the following groups:

Dairy cattle breeds.
Beef cattle breeds.
Dual purpose breeds.

a. Dairy cattle breeds.

They include;

Friesian,
Ayrshire,
Guernsey
Jersey.

Characteristics of Dairy Cattle

Wedge or triangular in shape.
Large stomach.
Docile with mild temperament.
Large, well suspended udders and teats.
Lean bodies.
Lean and smooth neck.
Large and long mammary milk wells and veins.
Cylindrical; uniform and well spaced teats.
Wide and well set hindquarters to accommodate the udder.

i. Friesian-Holstein (largest of all dairy breeds)

Origin: Holland
Colour: Black and white
Size: Cow weighs 550 - 680 kg Bull weighs 950 kg.
Highest milk producers of all dairy breeds about 9150 kg per lactation but with least butterfat content; 3.5%

ii. Ayrshire

Origin: Scotland
Colour: White with brown markings.
Size: Cow weighs 360-590kgs Bulls weighs 500-720kg.

Conformation:

Straight top lines, horns are long and face upwards.
Milk production is second to Friesian about 61OOkg per lactation with butter content of about 4%.

iii. Guernsey

Origin: Guernsey Island off the coast of France.
Colour: Yellowish brown to red with white legs, switch and girth ..
Size:
- Bulls 540-770kg.
- Cow weighs 450- 500kgs
Udders are less symmetrical.
Average milk production is about 5185kg per lactation with a butterfat content of 4.5% hence the yellow colour of milk.

iv. Jersey (smallest of all the dairy breeds)

Origin: England
Colour: Yellow brown with black muzzle and switch.
Size:
- Bulls weigh 540-700kg.
- Cow weighs 350-450kgs

Conformation:

Dished forehead, have straight top-line and level rumps with sharp withers.
Have protruding black eyes.
Average milk production 1270kg per lactation of butterfat content 5%.
They tolerate high temperatures.

b. Beef cattle breeds.

Examples:

Aberdeen Angus,
Hereford,
Shorthorns,
Galloway,
American Brahman,
charolais
Santa Getrudis.

Characteristics of Beef Cattle

Blocky or square conformation.
Have thick muscles or are well fleshed.
Early maturing.
Deep chest and girth and short legs.
Straight top and lower lines.

i. Aberdeen Angus

Origin: North East Scotland.
Colour: Black
Shape: Cylindrical, compact and deep; It is polled.
Size:
- Mature bulls weigh 900kg.
- Mature cows weigh 840kgs.
- It is found in Timau area of Kenya

ii. Hereford

Origin: England.
Colour: Deep red and white-faced.
Size:
- Average weight of bulls is 1000kg.
- Cows weigh 840kgs.
It is found in areas such as Naivasha.

iii. Shorthorn

Origin: England.
Has easy fleshing ability
Colour: Red, Roan or white
Shape: Cylindrical, compact and deep.
It is polled.
Bulls weigh 700-900kg,
cows weigh 545-630kgs.

iv. Galloway

Origin: Scotland.
Colour: Black
Kept in the highland areas like Molo in Kenya.

v. Charolais

Origin: France.
Colour: Creamy white.
Size:
- Bulls weigh 1200kg,
- cows weigh 1000kgs.
It is found in ranches in Laikipia District.

3. Dual Purpose Breeds

Examples:

Sahiwal,
Red Poll
Simmental.

i. Sahiwal

Origin: India and Pakistan ..
Colour: reddish brown.
Size:
- Bulls weigh 650kg,
- cows 400kg.
Milk production averages 2700-3000 per lactation with a butter fat content of 3.7%.
It has a pendulous udders which does not let down milk easily.
It is therefore said to be a difficult milker.
It is kept in semi-arid areas such as Naivasha.

ii. Red Poll

Origin: England.
Colour: Deep red with a white nose.

Conformation:

Polled-deep girth and short legs.
Kept in semi-arid areas such as Nakuru, Mogotio.

iii. Simmental

Origin: Switzerland.
Colour: Light red and white patches on the head.

Conformation:

It has broad and straight back, with well-sprung ribs and deep girth.
It is well fleshed at rear quarters, well suspended udders and large teats.

Sheep Breeds:

Purpose of Keeping Sheep;

Meat (mutton).
Wool production.

1. Exotic Sheep

Wool breeds -for example merino.
Dual purpose- for example Corriedale, Romney marsh.
Mutton breeds -for example Hampshire Down, Dorpers.

Merino
Origin: Spain
Characteristics:

It has white face and its lips and nostrils are pink in colour.
Rams have horns which are spiral in shape.
It is susceptible to foot rot, worm and respiratory diseases.

Corriedale

Origin: New Zealand.
Size:
- Rams 85 - 90kg.
- Ewes 60-- 85 kg
This is a dual-purpose breed with white open face and white spots on the legs.
It is hornless and hardy.

Romney Marsh

Origin: England.
Size:
- Rams 100 - 115kg.
- Ewes 84- 100 kg
It is a dual-purpose breed which s hornless with wide poll and black nostrils and lips.
It is average in prolificacy.
It is resistant to foot rot diseases and worm infestation.

Hampshire Down

Origin: England.
Size:
- Rams 125kg.
- Ewes 80-100 kg
It is a mutton breed which is early maturing, hardy and prolific.
Fleece is of poor quality because of the black fibers.
Lambing percentage is 125-140.

Dorper

Is a crossbreed of Dorset horn and black head Persian sheep.
It is mutton breed.

Dorset Horn

Dual purpose breed of sheep.
Indigenous Breeds of Sheep
Their bodies are covered with hair.
Their classification is based on their tails and their names vary according to different tribes.
Thin tailed sheep found in West Africa.
Fat tailed such as Maasai sheep.
Fat rumped sheep.

Maasai Sheep

Found in South Western Kenya and Northern Tanzania.
Size:
- Ram 38kg,
- Ewe 20-30kg.
Colour: Red and brown.
These are early maturing with long legs and small pointed horns.

Black Head Persian Sheep

Origin: South Africa
Colour: White with black head and neck.
It is polled with a big dewlap, fat rump and a curved tail.

Goats

Goats well adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions because of the following characteristics:

· They feed on a wide range of vegetation.
· They require very little amount of water.
· They are tolerant to high temperatures.
· They are fairly resistant to diseases.
· They can walk long distances without losing weight.

1. Indigenous Goat Breeds

Galla (white in colour). Adult female can weigh 25kg.
Somali (Boran): Found in Northern Kenya (white in colour).
Turkana/Samburu: (Long hair and bearded.
Mubende: (Black) (40-45kg). These are small and hardy and are kept for meat and milked by the pastoralists.

2. Exotic Breeds
Boer goat

Origin: South Africa
Colour: White
Has long ears and long hair on their bodies.

Anglo-Nubian

Origin: North East Africa
Colour: Roan and White
These have long legs, lopped ears and are polled.
They produce 1-2 litres of milk per , day.

Jumnapari

Origin: India
Colour: White, black and fawn.
They are horned, have large lopped ears
Produce 1-1.5 litres of milk per day.

Toggenburg

Origin: Switzerland
Colour: White patches on the body, white stripes on the face and neck.
Erect forward pointing ears and polled.
Can produce 2-3 of milk per day.

Saanen

Origin: Switzerland.
Colour: White
They have erect, forward pointing ears and polled.
Can produce 2-3 Litres of milk per day.

Angora

Origin: Angora in Asia.
Colour: White
It is kept for wool production.

French alpine (Pigs)

Characteristics:

They are sparsely haired and therefore cannot withstand cold.
Pigs wallow when it is hot due to absence of sweat glands.
They breathe fast when it is hot.
They have bristles instead of hair.

Breeds
Large White

Origin: Britain
Kept for bacon and pork production.
Long, large and white in colour.
Ears straight and erect.
Has dished face and snout.
Most prolific and with good mothering ability.
Fairly hardy.

Landrace

Origin: Denmark
White and longer than large white.
Ears drooping.
Good for bacon production.
Very prolific with good mothering ability.
Requires high level of management.

Wessex Saddle

Back Origin: England
Colour: Black with white forelegs and shoulders.
Straight snout and drooping ears. _
Good for bacon and pork.
Good for keeping outdoors.
Excellent mothering instincts.

Other pig breeds include:

Berkshire,
Middle-white
Duroc Jersey pig.

Pigs can be crossed to obtain hybrids or crosses.
Advantages of Crosses

Increased litter size.
Early maturing.
Increase in body length.
High proportion of lean meat to fat.

Poultry Breeds

There are three types of chicken breeds:
The light breeds kept for egg production.
The heavy breeds kept for meat production.
Dual purpose breeds - kept for both eggs and meat production.

Characteristics of Light Breeds

Never go broody hence poor sitters.
Excellent layers (over 220 eggs per year).
Poor meat producers (hens can attain 2kg; cocks 3kgs)
Very nervous and exhibit high degree of cannibalism.
Hen's comb is large and bent over one eye and cock's comb is large with 5 - 6 serrations.

Examples:

Leghorns,
Anconas,
Silkies,
Minorcas.

Characteristics of Heavy Breeds

Can lay few eggs and provide good meat as broilers.
Can go broody.
Heavier and bigger in size.
Grow fast.

Examples:

Light Sussex,
Cornish Dark
White.

Characteristics of Dual-Purpose Breeds
Go broody.

Have good meat.
Disease resistant (do not require high standard of management).
Rarely exhibit cannibalism.

Examples: Rhode Island Red.
Hybrids

These are developed by crossing two different breeds.
They are superior in performance.
Can attain 2kg in 56 days for broilers and layover 200 eggs per year for layers.

Examples:

Shavers,
Thombers
Isabrown.

Rabbits

Kept for the following reasons:

To provide meat, fur, hair or wool.
To provide skin for leather.
To provide manure.
As pet animals.
Used for research purposes.

Breeds

Californian white: white, very prolific black ears, nose and feet).
New Zealand white: (white with pink eyes - good for meat).
Flemish giant (dark grey - good for meat).
Angora rabbit (white, kept for wool production).
Chinchillah (greyish, kept for its fur).
Earlops (white with droopy ears).
Kenya white (white, smallest of breeds).

Camels

Kept for;

Transport,
Racing,
To provide milk, meat and wool.

There are two species of camels.
Dromedary (Camelus dromedarius)

Origin: Arabia and Syria
Are single humped, have light body
Good for racing and rapid transport.

Bacterian (Camelus bacterianus)

Origin: Central Asia
Has double humps, heavier and has shorter legs.
Can live in cold regions hence its thick and long coat acts as insulation.
Capable of shedding the coat during spring.

Terms used to describe livestock in different age, sex and use

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