In most temperate countries, milk comes mainly from
domesticated cattle which have over several generations become specialized for
milk production. In most tropical countries, on the other hand, milk comes from
domesticated cattle as well as buffalos, sheep, goats and sometimes camel.
Buffaloes are used largely for milk production in India, Zaire, Sudan and
Egypt. The contribution of buffalos, sheep, goats and camels is just 20% of
total milk production in the tropics. 80% milk comes from domesticated cattle.
Specialised Dairy Breeds
These include Friesian, Brown Swiss, Jersey,
Ayrshire and Guernsey (All of temperate origin). Friesian, Brown Swiss and
Jersey were imported to Nigeria for crossbreeding with indigenous cattle in
order to raise the level of production.
Holstein-Friesian
It originated from Netherlands but it has spread to
other parts of the world especially where emphasis has been on milk production.
The colour is black and white or red and white. World’s highest producing dairy
animal. Holstein-Friesian is a cross between the black cattle of the Batavians
(Holstein) and white cows of Friesian bred to produce the most efficient milk
with limited feed resources. Calf weighs 41 kg or more at birth. Holstein cow
weigh 650kg and 147cm tall. Heifers are bred at 13 months and weigh 363kg.
Holstein-Friesian
calves for the first time between 23 and 26 months
of age. Gestation period is approximately 9 months. Average milk production is
10,443kg, 381kg butterfat and 321kg. Top producing Holstein milked twice a day
produce 30,806kg milk.
Brown Swiss
This is the oldest of all dairy breed. It is brown
in colour. It produces the second largest quantity of milk per annum, 9,000kg.
MEkg is 9991kg, 397kg fat, 329kg protein. They have good milk, protein and fat
production and have correct feet and legs that allow them to stay in the
milking herd. They have one of the lowest somatic cell count averages of all
dairy breeds with best fat-to-protein ratio coveted by cheese makers. Brown
Swiss producers receive more for 45kg of their milk than milk producers from
other breeds. They are noted for their dairy strength, longevity and reproduce
longer than cattle of other breeds.
Jersey
Jersey cattle are a small breed of dairy cattle . Originally bred in the
Channel Island of Jersey. Jerseys
come in all shades of brown, from light tan to almost black frequently fawn in
colour. All purebred Jerseys have a lighter band around their muzzle, a dark
switch (long hair on the end of the tail), and black hooves. Cow weight ranges
from only 360 to 540 kg. Bulls are also small, ranging from 540 to 820 kg. They
are notoriously aggressive. High butterfat conditions, 6% butterfat and 4%
protein, and the ability to thrive on locally produced food. A lower
maintenance costs is incurred by its lower bodyweight, and superior grazing
ability as well as its genial disposition. The cattle has a calving ease and a
relatively lower rate of dystocia, leading to their popularity in crossbreeding
with other dairy and even beef breeds to reduce calving related injuries. High
fertility. Jerseys are adaptable to hot climates and are bred in the hottest
parts of Brazil.
Indigenous Dairy Breeds
Most of the indigenous breeds particularly, the
Southern breeds offered no prospect for milk production due to poor
performances in experimental stations. Nevertheless, some of the Northern
breeds offer some prospect for milk production because of the available figures
on yield as well as the large number of the breed e.g Kuri, Shuwa Arab, White
Fulani.
Kuri
The gigantic bulbous horns are an unmistakable
trait of the Kuri. It is also called Lake Chad Cattle or Buduma Cattle. These
cattle are native to the shores of Lake Chad where Cameroon, Chad, Niger and
Nigeria join. The Kuri are believe to be descended from the Hamitic Longhorn
cattle and have been herded by the Buduma and Kuri peoples for centuries. The
tribesmen were strict in their selection of animals for their horns, many of
which grow in a lyre or crescent shape. The horns sometimes reach 130 cm in
length and 55 cm in diameter. Most remarkable is the unique pear shape of the
horns.
These animals are kept as dairy cattle in herds of
approximately 30 females with one bull. The animals spend several hours each
day in the water swimming in search of water plants for food. It is thought
that the horns act as floats. The cattle are acclimated to water to such a
degree that they survive with difficulty away from
their indigenous area. They are easily affected by the sun if unable to bath.
The Kuri are tall for an African breed, with a long back, shallow body and a
large, bony rump. The legs are strong, long and bony with large, widely cleft
hooves. Kuri are usually white in color. The females are 135 to 145 cm in
height and average 400 kg in weight. The bulls range from 152 to 180 cm and
average 475 kg of weight. Some males will reach 600 kg.
The breed has been known to produce reasonable
amount of milk and records from Maiduguri show the average of 6 lactations was
1,259kg in 280 days. Highest individual yield is 2,440kg in 314 days. The cows
yield 4 litres of milk a day after nursing their calves. The Kuri as at present
is confined to Lake Chad environment.
Shuwa Arab (Wadara Cattle)
This
is found in North East part of Nigeria. Wadara cattle are medium-sized, lightly
built cattle, and are usually dark red, black, pied or brown. They are
short-horned and have a small erect hump, representing some 6.6% of the national
herd. Wadara cattle are the ‘indigenous’ cattle of Borno and are referred to by
the Koyam and related pastoralists as ‘our’ cattle. They are frequently called ‘Shuwa’
in the literature, after the Shuwa Arabs who also herd them. A related breed
with a white coat, the Ambala, is often traded into Nigeria from Chad. In its
natural environment, it is used as dual purpose breed i.e. for milk and meat.
Average age at first calving is 45 months. Average breeding life is 7 years.
Average milk yield of 23 lactations was 1,305kg. Highest performance was
3,421kg in 305 days. The Shuwa Arab offers some prospect for selection for milk
production because of available figures on its performance as well as large
numbers of breed.
White Fulani (Bunaji) Cattle
This is the most widely distributed of all Nigerian
cattle breed. It is found in Nigeria particularly Kano, Bauchi and Katsina
province. It constitutes 50% of total cattle production. The coat colour is
white with black points on the ears, muzzle and feet and tip of tail. It is
used for milk production throughout the ecological zones in the country. The
breed has been involved in crossbreeding programmes with imported cattle. The breed
has given 1,000-3,600 kg milk per lactation. The udder is well developed with
medium size teat. It is a triple purpose breed - milk, meat and work. About 26
coat colour combinations have been reported. Mature size for male is 530-600kg.
Female is 340-360kg. Average age at first calving is 43 months. It has a
breeding life of 9-10 years. The bulk of White Fulani are in the hands of the
nomadic pastoralists. Under this condition, milk production is low ranging from
200-450kg/cow per annum. However, the milk production potential of the breed
has been recognized as a result of the performance of cow’s kept under improved
conditions on government stations such as Shika, Vom, Agege and University of
Ibadan. Birth weight is 21.6-25.1kg. Percent fat is 5.63-6.40%. It offers the
best prospects for dairy production among indigenous breed. It is easily
adapted to all ecological zones in the country and can be selected easily.
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