Agriculture Form 1 – Livestock Production (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.

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.

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.

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.

Friesian-Holstein (largest of all dairy breeds)

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

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%.

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

Conformation:

• 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.

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.

Beef Cattle

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.

AberdeenAngus

• 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

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.

Shorthorn

• Origin:
  England.
• Has easy fleshing ability
• Colour: Red, Roan or white
• Shape: Cylindrical, compact and deep.
• It is polled.

Size:

• Bulls weigh 700-900kg,
• cows weigh 545-630kgs.

Galloway

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

Charolais

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

Dual Purpose Breeds

Examples: Sahiwal, Red Poll and Simmental.

Sahiwal

• Origin:
  India and Pakistan ..
• Colour: reddish brown.
• Size: Bulls weigh 650kg, and 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.

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.

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.

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 fibres.
• 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.

Characteristics;

• 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.

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.

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 Iitres 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.