LIVESTOCK BREEDS

BREED: The term breed is used to refer to a group/population of animals which possess certain
distinct characteristics that are common to individual’s' within that group and distinguishes them
from other groups/populations. Each breed has a breed association. This is an organization of
breeders who cooperate to improve the breed and preserve its purity. Breed Associations adopt a
standard of perfection for the breed, stating specifically the desirable and distinguishing breed
characteristics.

Breeds of livestock were developed for the purpose of improving livestock for a particular form,
function and use which is evident among the major farm animals of today. Thus, breeding and
selection for certain characteristics dates back to the early history of domestication of animals.

Cattle Breeds
Cattle forms the most numerous and most important of all domestic herbivores. With the exception
of the Hindu religion, there are few taboos against their full exploitation. They provide milk, meat,
hide, and manure. There are two (2) forms of cattle production:

1. Dairy cattle production

2. Beef cattle production

General characteristics of dairy Cattle

1. Long and thin and do not carry much flesh

2. Wedge shaped
3. Large abdomen which provides for a large rumen capacity can contain a a good volume of
feed
4. Large and well developed udder to make calving easier
5. Have a wide hindquarter to provide room for a larger udder and to make calving easier
6. Should be docile for ease of milking
Examples –Friesian, Guernsey, Ayrshire, Jersey and their crosses

General characteristics of Beef Cattle:

1. Blocky in appearance
2. Have a deep and thick body with short legs
3. Have a well-sprung (wide) rib
4. Should have special fleshing ability especially on' areas of valuable cuts. i.e. Thigh, Loin,
Rump and Back( marbling).
Examples: Bos Taurus – Hereford, Charolais, Simmental, Sahiwal (this is Dual-purpose) and Boran
and Zebu (Bos Indicus). Bos indicus account for 90% of total Beef production in Kenya.

Breeds of' Dairy Cattle

1. Friesian
 Origin - Holland (Friesland)
  Colour - Black and White, but the amount of black and white may vary from white with a few
black spots to almost black
 Size - Cows approx. 600 kg: Bulls approx 900 kg (800-900)
 Conformation – Long, narrow and straight head: Broad muzzle and open nostrils; strong
jaws
{NB: The cows are quiet and docile. but the bulls may be vicious}

 Milk production -Produces highest milk per lactation among all dairy animals (Average 6,000
kg per 305d lactation). Can produce over 16,000 kg in 305-day lactation. Kenya -yields of up
to 12,000 kg in a lactation have been obtained
 Butterfat - Approx. 3.5%
 Problem - Easily succumbs to.diseases in tropical conditions, e.g. ECF

2. Ayrshire
 Origin - Southwestern Scotland (UK)
 Colour - Red with white markings or white with red markings. The red may be very light to
almost black
 Size - Between that of Guernsey and Friesian. Cows approx. 550 kg; Bulls approx. 800 kg
(750-1,000 kg).
 Conformation- Straight top-lines, good udder. Long horns that tend to curve upward and
outward. However, there is also a polled strain. (NB: Ayrshires' are very active and may be
nervous and temperamental)
 Milk production – 5,500 kg per lactation
 Butterfat - approx. 4% on average
 (NB: Ayrshire's are better able to deal or cope with tick-borne diseases than Friesian)

3. Guernsey
 Origin -Island of Guernsey. one of the Channel Islands located off the coast of UK
 Colour - Varies from light fawn to almost red with white markings on the face, legs, tail,
switch and flanks. Some white spots may appear on the body
 Size – Cows approx. 500 kg: Bulls approx. 750 kg on average
 Conformation - Slightly dished face, which is longer than that of Jersey. Horns incline
forwards and medium in length and taper towards the tips. Cows are alert and active, but
are not nervous. They are easily managed
 Milk production - Approx. 5,000 kg per lactation
 Butterfat - Approx. 5%
4. Jersey
 Origin - Jersey Island another of the Channel Islands in the UK.
 Colour - Vary in colour from light fawn to black and from white spotted to solid-coloured.
The muzzle is black
 Size- Is the smallest of the dairy breeds with cows weighing approximately 400 kg and bulls
approximately 600 kg
 Conformation ~ Straight backline/top-line for cows. Has dished face, big eyes and excellent
udders
 Milk production – 4,000 kg per lactation
 Butterfat - 5% (approx. 5.5%). has the highest butter fat levels in milk amongst the exotic
dairy cattle.
NB: They have lower maintenance requirements than other dairy breeds. Jersey excels in grazing on
medium to poor quality pastures. Jersey doesn’t produce large quantities of milk, but they produce it
economically on little feed.

BEEF BREEDS

Aberdeen angus,

Origin Scotland

Characteristics,

 Polled,
 Pure black,Grey or silver sometimes with white udder.
 Excellent marbling

charolais,

origin France,

characteristics

 light coloured,
 large size and sturdy frame

Hereford

Origin England

Simmental/ Fleckhieh,

Well muscled animal,

B) GOAT BREEDS
The domestic goat belongs to the genus Capra. (Species include C. hircus., C. ibex. C. culicassca, C.
pyrenaic, C. falconeri.. Over 90% of world goat population (estimated at 500 million in early 1990s) is
found in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Their major uses include meat, milk, skins, hair
(mohair and cashmere) and manure.

 Mohair - is type of hair, which is smooth, strong, and more flexible than wool. Mohair is also
more uniform in diameter than wool and is usually obtained from Angora goats.
 Cashmere - obtained from goats in high altitude areas, and is obtained by combing, not
shearing.

Advantages of small ruminants (sheep and goats) over other domestic

livestock
 Need small initial financial outlay, i.e. they are affordable by the poor among the population
 Require low maintenance cost. They are, therefore, within reach of resource-poor persons
(i.e. those that lack infrastructure). Even domestic waste can be utilized
 Materials needed for constructing their structures are locally available and affordable
 The risks associated with their loss. e.g. through predation, other calamities, etc. are
"affordable" - i.e. fall within acceptable limits (cf In-calf Heifer costing between Ksh.75,000 -
150,000 and a Doe approx. KShs 2.500 - 5.000)
 Feed costs and requirements are minimal. They utilize marginal lands unsuitable for Crop or
Dairy cattle production. They can also be fed on roadside grazing (Tethering)
 Low labour cost. In Kenya before the introduction of free and compulsory primary
education, children and old people were used to herd them
 Their products (milk and meat) are in quantities that are small enough for local consumption
and sale. There is not much balance that will require refrigeration or transport to other
markets
 They are already adapted to the conditions in ASAL areas (where they dominate) and the
local communities who keep them are well versed with their management
Goat breeds are classified (according to their functions or products produced) into:

1. Dairy goats e.g. Saanen. Toggenburg, Nubian. Jamnapuri, Alpine

2. Dual-purpose goats e.g. Anglo Nubian, Boer
3. Meat goats e.g. Small East African goat, Galla or Somali goat
4. Hair goats e.g. Angora. Kashmiri (Cashmere)

1. Dairy goats

a) Saanen
 Is perhaps the best known of the dairy breeds of goats. It was first brought into Kenya in
1963
 Origin - Switzerland
 Coat Colour - white or, cream white
 Size - mature body weights of 60-70 kg in females and 70-80 kg in males are typical
 Milk production - Av. 700 litres/lactation of 8 months in our region. (NB: Yields ranging from
825 - 3,850 litres/lactation have been reported)
  Butterfat - 3.5 – 4%
 Note: The Saanen breed should be considered as an improver breed only when management
is at a very high level; otherwise its huge potential for improvement will be wasted

b) Toggenburg
 Origin - Switzerland, but now widespread in Europe, U.S.A and tropics
 Coat colour - Brown, light brown and dark brown. Also have white stripes on either side of
the face and a white muzzle
 Hair - Some varieties had long hair, which was selected against. Now; short and smooth hair
coat is more common
 Milk production - 500 litres/8 months
 Butterfat- 3.5%
 Note: The breed is able to adapt to tropical climates. It is popular in developing countries for
cross breeding with indigenous goats e.g. Small East African goats

c) Nubian
 Origin - Associated mainly with Sudan. This is the only indigenous goat in Africa associated
with milk production following selection and improvements
 Conformation - Tall, long legs (legged), long and pendulous ears
 Coat Colour - Black for most. Some black with broken brown
 Hair coat - Long
 Milk Production- Av. 280 litres/8 months. If subjected to selection and proper feeding,
capable of giving 500 litres in 2 lactations of 4 months each (i.e. 500 litres/8 months)

d) Jamnapari
 Origin - India and Pakistan. In Kenya, found mainly at Coast
 Colour - Black and white
 Conformation - Long pendulous ears
 Milk production. - Av. 400 litres/26l days
 Butterfat - Higher (5.2%)
NB: Very prolific breed (gives birth to Twins or Triplets). Can be used for Up-Grading of the Small
East African goat

e) Alpine
 More popular than Saanen in Europe
 Developed around Scandinavian countries
 Seed breeds are thought to have originated from Austria and Switzerland (out of
combination of many breeds)
 Distribution - Widely distributed in Europe as British Alpine, French Alpines and Swiss
Alpines. Each has slightly different characteristics. The Alpine has been bred for milk
production, but will also improve growth rates. It is relatively hardy and has been found to
be a useful improver breed in the tropics
2. Dual Purpose goats

a) Anglo Nubian
 Developed in Britain about 100 years ago out of Nubian and Jamnapuri goats
 Colours - Very variable including brown, black, black and white patches and grey
 Conformation. - It is a tall goat with long and pendulous ears. It is polled (i.e. without horns)
 Size - Mature body weights can be high: 50-70 kg in females and 60-80 kg in males. (It is a
useful breed to improve both milk production and growth rates)
 Milk production - Although milk yields are not as high as dairy breeds, its hardiness and good
adaptation to tropical environments make it an ideal breed with which to start any breed
improvement programme
 Butterfat - The Anglo Nubian has a relatively high milk-fat content (4.5%), making its milk
highly valued for butter and cheese-making

b) Boer Goat
 Origin - South Africa. Developed out of local goats in South Africa.
 Colour - Mainly white, often with red brown head and neck
 Conformation - It is a short, very stocky, well-muscled goat with long ears. It is very fast in
growth and has been used to improve the meat characteristics of local goat breeds
 In Kenya, the Boer is used for meat production and Up-grading of Galla goats for faster
growth of kids. Kids have been sold at a weight of 40 kg in about 10 months. Such meat was
of higher quality than the Top-grade in Rams

3. Meat goats (This are mainly indigenous goats)

a) Small East African goat

 Widespread in East Africa
 Colour - Varied
 Size - Varied. Adult S.E.A. goat averages 35 kg. For males up to 50 kg is quite possible
 Fine, smooth short coat
 Males have manes of long hair along the backline
 Fertility - More prolific than the Galla
 Use - Mainly for meat production. Others for meat and skin e.g. Mubende (in Uganda)

b) Galla goat
 Origin - North Eastern Kenya and Somalia.
 Colour - White with a black skin, Boran Galla has colour markings on mane, face and ears
 Use - Meat production; Up-grading of other indigenous breeds
 Other characteristics: Very fast in growth, well fleshed, females weigh 45 Kg live weight
while males weigh up to 60 kg. Provides better skill than S.E.A. goats

4. Hair goats
a) Angora
Origin - Thought to be Central Asia, it was developed in Turkey and is also well distributed. It was
moved to South Africa in 1839 and North America in 1849. Most countries in Southern Africa keep
them as a major enterprise. Lesotho has approximately 5% of the world’s population of 11.6 million.
Number is highly reduced in Kenya through Cross breeding. The breed is mostly kept in Wheat
growing districts like Laikipia and Narok.

b). Kashmiri (Cashmele)

 This is a goat for cold regions like the Himalavas
 Produces quality hair
 It is medium in body size
 Coat colour is variable

SHEEP BREEDS
 Domestic sheep is referred to as Ovis aries
 Sheep are more numerous ill the tropics than goats with a total population of some 500
million (as at 1993)
 However, they are proportionally less important than goats
 Africa has the largest population of tropical Sheep
 Like goats, their major uses include: meat, skin, wool, milk and manure

1) Fat-tailed sheep - e.g. Red Masaai breed

 The predominantly reddish-brown sheep of the Masaai people appear to be the best
established fat-tailed in Kenya
 It is the most numerous
 The facial profile is straight and ears are medium and usually pendulous
 This sheep matures fairly early, but the quality of the mutton is typical of those sheep with
localized fat depots

2) Fat- rumped sheep - e.g. Somali sheep

 This extremely distinctive sheep seems to have originated in the Horn of Africa and to have
spread from there to the arid areas of Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda
 In contrast with most other African sheep, the fat depot and colourings are remarkably
uniform
 The fat rump, white body and black head are most distinctive
 The coat hairs are particularly short and stiff, and probably have important reflective
properties
 The skins have a potential for good quality leather, and the meat is widely used

3) Improved sheep breeds - e.g. Dorper

 The typical Dorper is a large white sheep with a black head
 It arises from crossing Blackhead Persian with the Dorset Horn - a white-wooled sheep with
exceptionally good mutton qualities
  This stabilized crossbred has shown that it is almost as well adapted to arid conditions as the
Blackhead Persian, but it has a faster growth rate, a much improved mutton conformation,
and a much better mutton quality - an important feature being the absence of the localized
fat depots which are characteristic in the Blackhead Persian
 The coat of the back and sides is short and wool is mixed with hair; while the legs, ventral
abdomen, and face are free of wool - a great advantage where grass seeds are a problem
 Attempts to select for wool-free back and sides have shown that there is a considerable or
high correlation between the presence of wool and the desirable mutton qualities

4) Merino
 This world-renowned breed produces the finest quality wool
 Although it originated in Spain, it has been developed in Australia for nearly two centuries
 The merino is well suited to producing excellent quality wool in semi-arid and arid areas
 The merino is a large-framed animal with a complete lack of pigmentation

5) Corriedale
 This is one of the best-known dual-purpose breeds
 It is a stabilized cross breed between the Merino and the Lincoln and was first developed in
New Zealand
 More recently, it has been introduced in quite large numbers to Pakistan. India and Kenya
 It is a large sheep almost entirely white except for a few flecks of black on the nose and feet
 Its greatest potential is probably for the production of Crossbred lamb together with
medium-quality wool in the cooler areas of the tropics
6) Romney Marsh

 This breed originated in Britain, but was exported and developed in New Zealand
 This breed has been important in lamb production in Kenya
 Their particular value is in the production of high-quality prime lamb either bred pure or as
crosses

D) CAMEL BREEDS

 According to FAO (200 I), the world population of the species Camelus numbers 19 million.
94 to 96 per cent of these are the dromedary camels
 Camels are divided into 2 specific breeds
 The two-humped bactrian (Camelus bactrianus)
 The one-humped dromedary (Camelus dromedelus)
 The camel is increasingly breaking the cultural barriers to its adoption by tribes which have
not kept it traditionally (i.e. in Kenya)
 Aridity and land degradation has forced many livestock keepers to turn to the camels for
sustenance
 With increasing aridity and remoteness, camels prevail in the pastoralists' herds because
they are better adapted than any other livestock to water and feed stress
 The main differences between the dromedary and bactrian camels are as follows

Dromedary camel Bactrian camelus.

1. One humped Two humped (for energy to fight cold)

2. Found in hot tropical areas of Africa, Asia and Found in temperate and cold deserts of
Middle East Mongolia, China and Commonwealth of
Independent States (former USSR)

3. Coat colour – Fawn or beige and reflects Coat colour is brown and absorbs infrared rays to
infrared rays give more heat

4. Has no hair under the neck Has long hair under the neck

5. Has shorter limb bones (neck and legs) to lift Has shorter limb bones (neck and legs)
the body high above the ground to avoid
burning sand
6. Has long eyelashes that help to protect its Has short eyelashes
eyes during dust storms
7. Has extremely thick lips Has thin lips

8. Has trapdoor nostrils that can be closed during Lacks trapdoor nostrils
dust storms
9. Has broad feet Has no broad feet

10. Coat hair is woolly but short Coat hair is wooly but long to protect against
cold.

PIG BREEDS

1. Large white
 Colour -- White hair coat
 Ears - Erect
 Face - Dished-in
 Body length - Short
 Back. Loin and Rump - Forms an Arch
 Shoulders - Heavy, tilled with muscles
NB: Very popular with farmers because of fast growth, thus good for Bacon

2. Landrace

 Ears are drooping (falling forward)

 Has long body length
 Has white hair coat
 Shoulder is a bit narrow

3. Hampshire
 Colour - Black with white shoulder belt
  Has arched back
 Have erect ears
 Fast grower, muscular and very good for Pork
Other pig breeds: Berkshire, Tamworth, Duroc, Wessex Saddleback, etc.

F) POULTRY BREEDS
 Many species, breeds and strains of poultry are used in the service of man
 Some species are of limited importance while others, particularly the domestic chicken
(Gallus domesticus), have assumed worldwide importance
The classes of poultry considered important include:

a) Domestic chicken

b) Turkeys

c) Waterfowls - Ducks; Geese

d) Game birds - Ostrich; Guinea fowls

Domestic chicken
• Some better known breeds include:

1. White Leghorn
Origin Italy
Characteristics
 Single comb,
 Rose comb are permitted in some countries.
 Bright yellow legs,
 White ear lobes,
 Weight ranges from 2.4- 2.7 for cocks and 2.0 -2.3 for hens.
2. Rhode Island Red
Origin United states
 Comb single or rose
 Yellow legs colour
 Brown eggs
 Tail mostly black
 Plumage ranges from lustrous deep red to almost black

3. Plymouth Rock
Origin United States
 Barred plumage
 Single comb with 5 points,
 Early feathering,
 Yellow and unfeathered feet,
4. Jersey Giant
 Blue, black or black and white.
 Lay large brown eggs
 Single comb
5. Australorp
6. Light Sussex