White Fulani cattle are an important beef breed of cattle throughout the area traversed by the Fulani people and beyond in the Sahel zone of Africa. They are mostly Zebu but of Sanga cattle origin. Characterized by high lyre shaped horns, they have either thoracic humps like the Zebu or humps intermediate with the cervico-thoracic humps of the Sanga. [1]
The White Fulani and Red Fulani breeds are quite separate, both in origin and in locations where they are kept.
The zebu, sometimes known in the plural as indicine cattle, Camel cow or humped cattle, is a species or subspecies of domestic cattle originating in South Asia. Zebu, like many Sanga cattle breeds, differs from taurine cattle by a fatty hump on their shoulders, a large dewlap, and sometimes drooping ears. They are well adapted to withstanding high temperatures and are farmed throughout the tropics.
The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people is an ethnic group in Sahara, Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. Inhabiting many countries, they live mainly in West Africa and northern parts of Central Africa, South Sudan, Darfur, and regions near the Red Sea coast in Sudan. The approximate number of Fula people is unknown, due to clashing definitions regarding Fula ethnicity. Various estimates put the figure between 25 and 40 million people worldwide.
The Nguni is a cattle breed indigenous to Southern Africa. A hybrid of different Indian and later European cattle breeds, they were introduced by pastoralist tribes ancestral to modern Nguni people to Southern Africa during their migration from the North of the continent. Nguni cattle are dairy and beef cattle.
Nelore or Nellore cattle originated from Ongole Cattle cattle originally brought to Brazil from India. They are named after the district of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh state in India. The Nelore has a distinct large hump over the top of the shoulder and neck. They have long legs which help them to walk in water and when grazing. The Nelore can adapt to all except very cold climates. They are very resistant to high temperatures and have natural resistance to various parasites and diseases. Brazil is the largest breeder of Nelore. Nelore have the shortest ears of most Bos indicus types. There is a naturally polled strain of the breed.
Achham cattle are a breed of zebu cattle found in the Achham region of Nepal. Achham cattle are a small breed less than 1 meter in height at the withers. It is also called Naumuthe cow as it measures only nine fists from its hoof to hump.
Adamawa are a breed of cattle indigenous to Adamawa, Nigeria. They are a multipurpose breed, used as a draught animal and for beef and dairy production. The breed makes up 2% of Nigeria's total herd. Individuals are medium to large, with medium size horns curled in a crescent shape. They look similar to White Fulani or Bunaji, but their hump is pendulous in shape, differentiating them from White Fulani.
Sanga cattle is the collective name for indigenous cattle of sub-Saharan Africa. They are sometimes identified as a subspecies with the scientific name Bos taurus africanus. Their history of domestication and their origins in relation to taurine cattle, zebu cattle (indicine), and native African varieties of the ancestral aurochs are a matter of debate. "African taurine", "sanga", "zenga", "sheko", "African indicine" are all sub-groups of Sanga cattle.
The Red Fulani is an African breed of cattle found from Mali across Niger and northern Nigeria to Chad and Cameroon.
Tabapuan is a Brazilian type of polled beef cattle whose breed is a mixture of Zebu and Mocho Nacional. They are well known for their ability to survive in the tropics,
The Indian aurochs is an extinct subspecies of aurochs that inhabited West Asia and the Indian subcontinent from the Late Pleistocene until its eventual extinction during the South Asian Stone Age. With no remains younger than 3,800 YBP ever recovered, the Indian aurochs was the first of the three aurochs subspecies to become extinct; the Eurasian aurochs and the North African aurochs persevered longer, with the latter bring known by the Roman Empire, and the former surviving until the mid-17th century in Central Europe.
The Kangayam or Kangeyam is an Indian breed of draught cattle from the state of Tamil Nadu, in South India. Its area of origin is Kongu Nadu, the region surrounding Coimbatore, close to the border between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, but it is distributed over a considerably wider area. The breed name derives from that of the town of Kangeyam. It may also be called Kanganad or Kongu.
Siri is a breed of cattle originating from Sikkim, Darjeeling and Bhutan and are of the Zebu family of cattle.
Hariana or haryanvi is an Indian breed of cow native to North India, specially in the state of Haryana. They produce about 10 to 15 litres of milk a day, compared to 8.9 litres when cross-bred with Holstein Friesian cattle (HS), whereas pure HS can produce 50 litres a day, but it is not as disease-resistant in the conditions of North India.
Cholistani is a zebu breed of Punjab in Pakistan and India primarily used in dairy production. Cholistani originated from the Cholistan Desert area, particularly from Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar. This is a recently discovered breed and is thought to have been result of crossing of Sahiwal with other local breeds.
The red and black coated Arado cattle are small and hardy. They are the most common cattle variety in the north Ethiopian highlands. The Arado breed is part of the Zenga breed group. It is essentially reared for draught power, particularly tillage. The breed feeds mainly on crop residues; it is adapted to seasonal feed shortages. This breed is often cross-bred through bull and artificial insemination services.
The long-horned Raya cattle are a breed of cattle common in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. The Raya cattle have red and black coat colours. Bulls and oxen have thick and long horns and a cervicothoracic hump; cows have medium, thin horns. Raya cattle are closely related to the Afar cattle; this is a result of historical cattle raiding by the Raya people. The Raya cattle are however adapted to draught animals for tillage in the croplands of the highlands.
The Afar cattle are mainly found on the western margins of the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia. The Afar cattle have thick and long horns and a cervicothoracic hump; they are essentially reared for milk production.
The Abergele cattle are the smallest breed of cattle in north Ethiopia. They are reared in the Abergele lowlands and at the southwestern lower slopes of Dogu'a Tembien district. Abergele cattle are part of the Zenga breed group. The Abergele breed is known for its adaptation to the hotter and drier lowlands. It is also very tolerant to diseases and parasites and can cope with feed shortages during long dry periods.
Begayt is an Ethiopian breed of cattle. Currently there are ongoing cross-breeding programmes with Arado cattle, in an attempt to increase the milk production of the latter.
Fogera cattle is an Ethiopian breed of cattle. One of its typical characteristics are broad hoofs, that allow it to move more easily in the marshes of the Fogera Plain. At Woreta, the agricultural research centre specialises in preserving the breed.