Introduction of Shorthorn cattle into Africa
Classification and distribution of Shorthorns
Population statistics
Conclusion
J.E.O. Rege, G.S. Aboagye and C.L. Tawah
The authors can be contacted as follows: Dr J.E.O. Rege, International
Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dr G.S,
Aboagye, Department of Animal Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana;
and Dr C.L. Tawah, Centre for Animal and Veterinary Research, PO Box 65, Ngaoundéré,
Adamawa, Cameroon.
Present-day African cattle populations can be classified into four broad categories: the humpless Bos taurus; the humped Bos indicus (zebu), distributed widely in Africa; B. taurus x B. indicus derivatives (sanga), found mainly in eastern and southern Africa; and sanga x zebu types, such as the Fogera and Horro of Ethiopia and the Nganda of Uganda. The taurine (humpless) type has two subgroups - Longhorns (B. taurus longifrons) and Shorthorns (B. taurus brachyceros) - both of which are restricted to West and Central Africa. While the Longhorns are represented by two breeds only - the N'Dama and the Kuri - the Shorthorn subgroup has numerous representatives.
The origins of African cattle, like those of other cattle, are complex and clouded in the mists of antiquity, although attempts have been made to construct outlines with the aid of fossil, archaeological (Smith, 1980; Muzzolini, 1983; Epstein and Mason, 1984; Clutton-Brock, 1989), anthropological (Blench, 1993) and historical evidence. The first major description of African domestic cattle was prepared by Doutressoulle (1947), while Epstein (1971) was responsible for the most comprehensive review, conjecturing on the chronology of their introduction to the continent. A recension of this was presented by Mason (1984). There are descriptions of cattle types by Stewart (1937), Gates (1952), Payne (1970) and Fricke (1979). Archaeological material was reviewed by Smith (1980), Muzzolini (1983), Epstein and Mason (1984) and Clutton-Brock (1989). Blench (1993) presented additional ethnographic and linguistic evidence for the prehistory of African cattle. ILCA (1979a; 1979b; 1992a) and Shaw and Hoste (1987) made an overview of the distribution of trypanotolerant cattle of West and Central Africa.
There are two major groups of trypanotolerant cattle on the continent, the Hamitic Longhorns (represented by the N'Dama) and the Shorthorns (represented by several breeds/strains). The latest estimated population of cattle of N'Dama origin is 4.9 million head (49.5 percent) out of a total of 9.8 million (ILCA, 1992a). The various Shorthorn breeds, therefore, collectively represent only about 50 percent of the total. Several countries of the subregion have virtually only N'Dama cattle. These include the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone (ILCA, 1979a). Sudano-Sahelian countries, including Senegal and Mali, form the transition zone between the N'Dama and zebu, while Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia form the transition belt between the N'Dama and the Shorthorns.
More recent studies (Straw and Hoste, 1987; ILCA, 1992a) indicate two important trends: increased expansion of the N'Dama both within and outside its original breeding areas and the increased interbreeding between the zebu and the Shorthorn populations, particularly in the intermediate Sudanian zone between the zebu-dominated North and the tsetse-infested South. A combination of population pressure in the drier areas in the North and occasional exceptionally dry years has prompted the zebu-owning pastoral groups to devise strategies for the seasonal exploitation of pastures in the subhumid and humid zones, moving further to the forested areas in the south. One of the effects of the rising human population has been the increased intensification of slash-and-burn farming, which has expanded the "derived" Savannah at the expense of the rain forest, enabling the trypanosusceptible zebu populations to move southwards, more or less on a permanent basis. This has not only reduced the habitat of the Shorthorns, but it has also facilitated interbreeding between these two populations. In the absence of national programmes to develop these breeds, the effect of these pressures on Shorthorn populations has been considerable.
The African cattle population is a result of three major introductions from centres of domestication in Asia (Epstein, 1957; Faulkner and Epstein, 1957; Payne, 1970; Williamson and Payne, 1977; Oliver, 1983), which mostly followed the Nile Valley through Egypt or came through the Horn of Africa (Figure 1). Further migrations resulted in heavy concentrations of cattle in the East African Highlands, present-day Ethiopia and Kenya (Payne, 1970). Humpless Hamitic Longhorns arrived about 5000 BC. They were followed by the humpless Shorthorns about 2500 BC and the humped zebu, first around 1500 BC, then in large numbers around 670 AD.
Only a few publications exist on the Shorthorns of West Africa, for example, Jeffreys (1953) and Ferguson (1967). Although they are currently termed trypanotolerant, humpless Shorthorn cattle were historically distributed in almost all ecological zones. Not much is known about the actual movements of Shorthorn-type cattle, however. Despite their wide distribution, humpless Shorthorns are not represented in rock paintings to the same degree as are Longhorns.
It is speculated that increasing aridity at the time of their introduction may have made it impossible for the Shorthorns to follow the southwestward migration route across the Sahara. This may explain the route taken westward along the North African Mediterranean coast. Modern cattle in Egypt exhibit characteristics that resemble those of Shorthorn-type cattle, while existing breeds in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco are almost entirely of the Shorthorn type (Payne, 1970; Epstein, 1971). It is highly likely that, like the Longhorns before them, the Shorthorns split into two routes around Morocco. One stream moved north into present-day France and the British Isles - the Jersey, Guernsey and Kerry breeds are partly derived-from this stock - and the other moved south and westward, eventually coming into the rain-forest zone where, through exposure to trypanosomiasis, they became tolerant.
The movement of Shorthorn-type cattle southwards along the River Nile is much less documented. Stewart (1937) reasoned that, after entering Egypt from Asia, B. taurus brachyceros cattle spread southwards into western Sudan, as well as along the Mediterranean seaboard. Hartmann (1864) and Keller (1896) recorded sporadic occurrence of humpless Shorthorns in the Sudan among cattle that were by then already generally humped. Faulkner and Epstein (1957) made reference to a small number of cattle of this type in the Koalib Hills in the Nuba Mountains of the Sudan. This may be the same population that Mills (1953) reported to be tolerant to local forms of trypanosomiasis in a "tsetse pocket" in the Nuba Mountains. It is possible that crossbreeding with the predominant zebu-type populations in this area eventually occurred, hence Mason and Maule's (1960) conclusion that these cattle were of the zebu type. Isolated populations of Shorthorns were also reported in East Africa (Stuhlmann, 1927). Similar cattle are reportedly found in the island of Socotra off the Horn of Africa and were also reported in the 1920s on the islands of Pemba and Mafia, off the coast of the United Republic of Tanzania (Payne, 1964), and in Madagascar (Dechambre, 1951). The Baria of Madagascar supposedly descended from crossbreeds between these cattle, zebus and a feral small-humped type. These Shorthorn populations may have resulted from movements further south of the introductions through Egypt and/or from a separate introduction through the Horn of Africa.
Doutressoulle (1947) considered that Shorthorns were brought to West Africa by the Berbers from southern Morocco. Domingo's suggestion (1976) that these cattle came through northern Nigeria from Egypt is not supported by Payne (1970) Of Oliver (1983). From Morocco, the southern-bound Shorthorns supposedly spread between the Sahara and the Atlantic coast, to the Guinea coast and the hinterland of Nigeria. Cameroon formed the extreme eastern and southern limits of their distribution in the region (Epstein, 1971). Whatever the route might have been, shorthorned humpless cattle are depicted among the prevailing Longhorns in rock paintings on the Bauchi plateau of Nigeria dating from the second half of the first millennium BC. Epstein (1971) states that the Shorthorns were the most common type of cattle in northern Nigeria before the Fulani invasions of about 1820. It is believed that they migrated from this area to the Atacora mountain regions in Benin, where they were later called Somba (Pagot, 1974). Following the mountain chain along Benin, Togo and Ghana, they supposedly populated the north of Togo and Ghana. Migrations of Akan people from Ghana to settle in Côte d'Ivoire (where they became known as the Baoulé tribe) brought the Shorthorn to the area. Through further migrations from Benin City, in Nigeria, the Gulf coast was populated by the Shorthorns, eventually evolving to create the present-day local Shorthorn populations.
Elimination of Shorthorns from Chad, the Sudan and Ethiopia probably took place much earlier and was associated with the primary westward expansion of the zebu. Traces of Shorthorns are still found in the east and south of Chad. It is believed that the population of Shorthorns in West and Central Africa owes its existence to its tolerance to trypanosomiasis, a competitive advantage over the zebu. As has been alluded to, the zebus were introduced much later and spread west and south, stopped only by the western rain-forest barrier. (Crossbreeding between the zebu and the taurine types is thought to have formed the sanga types, which are the predominant cattle in the southern African region.) Present-day populations of Shorthorns in Central African countries have resulted from imports in recent times, during and after the colonial era.
Modern-day populations/breeds of B. taurus brachyceros cattle in West and Central Africa include the Ghana Shorthorn, Baoulé, Savanna Muturu, Somba, Namchi (Doayo), Kapsiki, Bakosi, Lagune, Dwarf (Forest) Muturu, Bakweri and Liberian Dwarf. This paper also describes the composition and distribution of stabilized Shorthorn crosses currently recognized as breeds in the region, including the Borgou, Méré, Ghana Sanga and Keteku (Borgu).
Shorthorns can be divided into two subgroups according to size and conformation. These, in turn, are related to the habitat in which they predominate (Figure 2). The larger Savanna type is predominantly found in the Guinean or Sudano-Guinean savannahs from Côte d'Ivoire to Cameroon (ILCA, 1979a), while the smaller Dwarf (Forest) Shorthorns are found in lesser numbers in pockets of the coastal and forest regions. Whether Dwarf Shorthorns are the descendants of a much larger progenitor type - dwarfing having resulted from generations of breeding- under the adverse effects of trypanosomiasis and mineral deficiency (Henderson, 1929) - or whether the larger Savanna type is a derivative of a dwarf type - selection for larger size having occurred in the relatively tsetse-free savannahs is still a matter of discussion.
In French-speaking countries, the Savanna Shorthorns are called Baoulé and the Dwarf-type Lagune, although local names or synonyms are also used. In English-speaking Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia, the name Muturu is used for Shorthorn cattle. In Nigeria, no distinction is made between the Savanna and the Dwarf types (ILCA, 1979b). The name Muturu is a Hausa word for humpless cattle. The name Kirdi - a general term used by the Fulani for non-Muslim pagans (ILCA, 1979b) - is sometimes used for Muturu. These populations are found in southwest Nigeria and in the Middle Belt (Adeniji, 1985).
Ghanaian and Liberian Dwarf Muturu and Ghana Shorthorn
The southeastern coastal area near Ada and Keta Lagoon in Ghana is the habitat of some typical Dwarf (Forest) Shorthorns known locally as Muturu (ILCA, 1979b). Ghana is also home to a reasonably large number of the Savanna Shorthorn type known locally as Ghana Shorthorn and for which the broader name West African Shorthorn is sometimes (ambiguously) used. The Ghana Shorthorn is distributed everywhere in the country (Sada, 1968), from the Gold Coast to the north (Domingo, 1976). They are particularly concentrated in the North, especially towards the northwestern border around Bole, Wa, Lawra and Tumu (ILCA, 1979b). The northern part of Ashanti Region is another area of concentration (Maule, 1990). A high concentration of relatively pure Ghana Shorthorns is also found around Bouna in neighbouring Côte d'Ivoire and near Gaoua in Burkina Faso (ILCA, 1979b). In Liberia, typical Dwarf Shorthorns are found in the eastern coastal areas of Maryland and Sinoe counties, while the less characteristic shorthorned animals are found in Grand Bassa County and inland in the counties of Grand Gedeh, Bong and Nimba.
Bakweri, Kapsiki, Doayo and Bakosi
A small population of the Dwarf Muturu is found in Cameroon at the foot of Mount Cameroon, between Buea and Victoria in the South-West Province, and is known locally as Bakweri. Cameroon also has three localized subpopulations of the Savanna Shorthorn type: Kapsiki, Doayo and Bakosi.
Kapsiki cattle (also called Kirdi as are the Nigerian Muturu) are found around the Mandara Hills of Cameroon (Dineur, Oumate and Thys, 1982) along the Nigerian border in the Margui-Wandala Division of Far North Province between Mokolo and Bourrah (ILCA, 1979b), as well as around Mogode at the border with Nigeria (Dineur and Thys, 1986). There are also a few Kapsiki herds on the Nigerian side of the border (ILCA, 1979b). The Doayo people keep a Savanna Shorthorn type of cattle in a small area in the northwestern foothills of the Poli Mountains in the Bénoué Division of North Province (ILCA, 1979b). These cattle are locally known as Doayo, Namchi (Namshi) or Poli. The Bakosi cattle are kept by a tribe of the same name located in southwestern Cameroon, west of Nkongsamba on the border between the South West and Littoral provinces (ILCA, 1979b). However, the cattle-rearing areas of the Bakosi people are limited to the northeastern part of the boundary of the Bakosi tribe on the western slopes of Mount Manengouba in the Bangeu subdivision of South West Province. It has been reported (Epstein, 1971) that the location of the Shorthorn cattle otherwise mainly coastal - in the highlands of Cameroon is a result of the fact that their owners were forced to retreat from the fertile plains of the Diamaré and the Adamawa regions at the time of the Fula migration at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Somba
The name Somba is used for the Savanna Shorthorn populations in Benin (where the name Atacora is also used) and Togo (where they are also known as Mango). The Somba tribe inhabits the area around the Atacora Mountains in Benin (Domingo, 1976). This mountain range has enabled the Somba breed to be maintained pure in its original habitat. Somba cattle are particularly associated with the district of Boukombé (Domingo, 1976; Shaw and Hoste, 1987), as well as with Natitingou and Tanguiete (Domingo, 1976). Somba are also found in Togo (ILCA, 1979b), where they represent 64 percent of the national herd (Straw and Hoste, 1987). They are raised by the Tamberma people who are believed to have the same ethnic origin as the Somba of Benin (Avegan, 1984). These cattle populations are concentrated in the north of plateau region, in Oti Division south of the savannah region, where they are known as Mango cattle, and in the Central and Kara regions (Avegan, 1984), where they are called Konkomba.
Baoulé, Lobi and Méré
The Baoulé are distributed in the north and central regions of Côte d'Ivoire (Pagot, 1974) and scattered throughout the forest zone (Straw and Hoste, 1987). Some can also be found in the eastern parts of the country (Glattleider, 1976). Baoulé cattle are grouped into several nucleus herds in Korhogo (Sinematiali) Region, Bouna, Dabakala and Central and High Nzi Valley, where they are herded by Peuhls (Fulanis) (Tidori et al., 1975). The breed is still relatively pure towards Bouake, Dabakala and Bouna (ILCA, 1979b). In Bouna Division in the northeast, they are called Lobi after a local tribe. Indeed, Baoulé in Burkina Faso are the same as the Lobi or Méré (ILCA, 1979a), which are found in the southern part of the country (ILCA, 1979b). We propose that the name Méré be restricted in the scientific literature to zebu crosses with the Savanna Shorthorns in the area. It is currently used for both purebred Lobi and crosses of zebu with Lobi (Burkina Faso), with Baoulé (Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso) and with N'Dama (Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Guinea) and is thus quite confusing. In Mali, the term Méré (or Bambara) is used for stabilized zebu x N'Dama crosses. Although the name Lobi is widely used for the Savanna Shorthorn cattle in Burkina Faso, these cattle are quite similar to the Baoulé of Côte d'Ivoire (ILCA, 1979b), although Tyc and Legrand (1972) observed that the Lobi are somewhat smaller than the Baoulé in some areas. In addition, because of the proximity of the populations in the two countries and cross-border movement of people and livestock, there is extensive interbreeding between Lobi and Baoulé.
Baoulé cattle were imported into the Central African Republic from Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso between 1955 and 1969 and were subsequently distributed under the métayage system throughout the country (ILCA, 1979b). Small numbers were also imported into Gabon for métayage operations in the 1940s (Straw and Hoste, 1987). In 1979, the CREAT (Centre de recherche et d'élevage) station at Avetonou in Togo purchased a herd of 120 Baoulé cattle from the Korhogo and Bouna regions of northern Côte d'Ivoire for trypanotolerance work (Morkramer and Dekpol, 1984).
Lagune
As previously mentioned, Lagune is the name used for Dwarf Shorthorn cattle in French-speaking West and Central Africa. These cattle are found mainly in Benin, but also in Côte d'Ivoire and Togo, in a zone about 40 km off the coast (Epstein, 1971). In Benin, Lagune are found mainly in the southern provinces of Atlantique, Mono, Ouemé and Zou, an area stretching from the coast to the north of Abomey (Domingo, 1976). In Côte d'Ivoire, they are located along the coastal region around Jacqueville, Abidjan and Sassandra (ILCA, 1979b). The population in Togo is mainly located in the maritime and plateau regions. Logone cattle (also known as Toupouri), found in southern Chad along the banks of the River Logone, are said to be similar to the Lagune (Anonymous, 1950). Payne (1970) makes reference to Lagone rather than Logone, but this must be the same population. Whatever the origin of the Chadian population, it is quite likely that, given the habitat, it is genetically different from the coastal Dwarf Shorthorns. In particular, this population is unlikely to be trypanotolerant to the same extent as are the Forest Shorthorns.
The introduction of Lagune cattle into Zaire began in 1904 when 50 head of cattle were imported from Benin (Mortelmans and Kageruka, 1976). Shortly afterwards, the breed was introduced at the Kangu Mission and at the Government Livestock Station at Zambi. Importation continued during the period prior to the First World War and the animals multiplied and spread throughout Mayombe in gas-Zaire, Kuilu in Bandundu and Lisala and Bumba in the Equateur region of Zaire. These animals came to be known as Mayombe or Dahomey. Lagune cattle were later imported into Gabon from Zaire in 1945, 1948 and 1958 (ILCA, 1979b). Some Lagune were also imported by Owendo Farms in Gabon from Benin in 1948 (Anonymous, 1950). A few Baoulé cattle were imported into Gabon from Côte d'Ivoire around 1956 as well. These Lagune and Baoulé cattle in Gabon are now indistinguishable from each other and are commonly referred to collectively as Baoulé (ILCA, 1979b). They are found mainly in the north of Gabon as well as in the Ngounie and Nyanga regions. A small Lagune population also exists in the Congo. This is a result of the importation from 1949 to 1959 of about 930 Lagune cattle from Benin (ILCA, 1979b).
Manjaca, Gambian Dwarf and Taurin de l'Est
Other increasingly less known Shorthorn cattle breeds include the Manjaca and the Gambian Dwarf. A few Manjaca cattle were reportedly found towards the coast in the Cacheu Region of Guinea-Bissau and also on the islands (ILCA, 1979b). Da Costa (1933) had earlier described the Manjaca of the Brames Region of the former Portuguese Guinea as "small, well proportioned and of typical Shorthorn conformation, distinguished by the black colour of the coat". In the ILCA report (1979b), this breed was reportedly disappearing as it was being absorbed by other breeds. Indeed, the report pointed out that the majority of cattle in Guinea-Bissau represented a heterogenous population with a "higher proportion of black and black-spotted animals with horns which are atypical for the N'Dama". The latest FAO/ILCA studies (Straw and Hoste, 1987; ILCA, 1992b), however, make no mention of the Manjaca. This breed has probably been wiped out through interbreeding. In Gambia the remnants of the Shorthorns may still be found south of the Gambia River, but these populations are being absorbed by the N'Dama, principally owing to the economic superiority of the latter. Whether purebred or crossed with zebu, N'Dama is the predominant type (Epstein, 1971). Equatorial Guinea has about 300 head of cattle, a small proportion of which are West African Shorthorn of the Savanna type, thought to have originated from neighbouring Cameroon (Straw and Hoste, 1987). There is a small population of Shorthorns in east Chad known locally as Taurin de l'Est (Eastern Taurine).
Stabilized crosses
Stabilized crosses developed from Shorthorn cattle include the Borgou, Méré, Ghana Sanga and Keteku (Borgu). Earlier reports (e.g. Doutressoulle, 1947; Flamigni, 1951) used the term Borgu to refer to all forms of humpless x zebu cattle crossbreeds in this region. In reference to crossbreeds of this type, Doutressoulle (1947) stated that "these same animals are encountered in the corresponding regions of the neighbouring... Togo, Nigeria, Ivory Coast (Méré-Lobi), with small differences due to environment and selection". The same report states that the Borgu is known by different names such as Borgowa, Kettije, Ketaku, Keteku, Ketari and Kaiama. Epstein (1971) states that "... the general conformation of the body as well as the occasional occurrence of relatively long horns in the Borgu indicate the influence of White Fulani and possibly N'Dama Longhorn blood" and that "... in Western Nigeria, this type of cattle, called Keteku, is derived from a mixture of the humpless Dwarf Muturu of the south and the zebu of the north". Epstein (1971) also recognizes the Biu of the Bornu Province of Nigeria as a type similar to the Borgu but smaller. Gates (1952) states that the Biu is the result of White Fulani crossed with humpless Dwarf Shorthorn. Mason (1988) and Maule (1990) recognize the Biu as a distinct breed, however, Mason (1988) and ILCA (1979a) observe that the Biu has been absorbed by zebu and Maule (1990) comments that the breed "is becoming rare". The general consensus is that the Biu - if and when it existed differed from the Keteku as it is known today: the Keteku is a broader mixture of zebu (mainly White Fulani) crossed with N'Dama and/or Shorthorns, while the Biu was more specifically defined as a cross derived from White Fulani and Dwarf Muturu. Reference has also been made to the characteristic long horns and white with black colour markings of the Biu (Epstein, 1971; Maule, 1990). Today, large numbers of Keteku are found in Kwara State where they are thought to be an extension of the Borgou population of Benin (Straw and Hoste, 1987).
ILCA (1979b) points out the difficulty of identifying a standard type for the Borgou breed in Togo since all intermediate types between the humpless breeds and zebu are commonly grouped under this name. However, the same report defines the Borgou in Benin as a cross between zebu (mainly White Fulani) and West African Shorthorn (Somba or Lagune). The situation of the Méré has been discussed above. It suffices to say that the Méré, like the Togolese Borgou, refers to crossbreeds between zebu and humpless breeds (including the N'Dama) in both Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire. In Burkina Faso the Méré is found mainly in a belt from west to east, including Bobo Dioulasso and Koudougou, which widens parallel to the southern border, south of Koupela and Fada N'Gourma. In Côte d'Ivoire, there is little information about the Méré crossbreeds or their numbers, although crossbreeding is extensively practiced in the North (ILCA, 1979b).
The Ghana Sanga is a cross between zebu and Ghana Shorthorn. The zebu breed is commonly White Fulani but occasionally Sokoto Gudali is used. Similarly, the N'Dama occasionally replaces the Shorthorn in the cross. The term is also used to include similar crosses involving the Dwarf Shorthorn. A distinction should be made between the general cattle group "sanga", which is used to mean long-term established zebu x humpless derivatives represented by several breeds in eastern Africa (e.g. Abigar, Nuer and Ankole) and southern Africa (e.g. Tswana, Tuli, Nguni and Africander), and the Ghana Sanga, which is a more recent and specific cross. Indeed, some reports have used the term sanga even for other recent crossbred populations such as the Borgou and Keteku. To avoid this confusion, others have used "pseudo sanga" in reference to the more recent zebu x humpless crossbred populations. Clearly, there is need to exercise care in the use of these terms. Indeed, it is for this reason that we attempt to rationalize the classification of Shorthorns. The Ghana Sanga resembles the Shorthorn type more closely than it does the zebu, but, like the zebu, it is found in drier areas of the country towards the northern border and on the Accra plains extending into Volta Region.
1. - Estimates of population sizes of West and Central Africa Shorthorns by country - Estimation de l'effectif par pays des bovine à courses cornes d'Afrique occidentale et centrale - Estimación del tamaño de las poblaciones de Shorthorn de Africa occidental y central por países
|
Breed/strain |
Country |
Population |
Reference year |
Source |
|
Ghana Shorthorn |
Ghana |
599 000 |
- |
Ngere et al. (1975) |
|
|
|
616 200 |
1975 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
675 000 |
- |
Cockcroft (1977) |
|
|
|
839 300 |
1985 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
|
738 448 |
1990 |
ILCA (1992b) |
|
Baoulé |
Central African Republic |
4 000 |
1955 |
Desrotour & Finelle (1976) |
|
|
|
7 620 |
1965 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
|
10 000 |
1967 |
Desrotour & Finelle (1976) |
|
|
|
18 700 |
1969 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
15 150 |
1977 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
9 650 |
1978 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
|
6 500 |
1983/84 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
|
7 500 |
1984 |
ILCA (1992a) |
|
|
|
6 700 |
1985 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
Côte d'Ivoire |
250 000 |
1977 |
ILCA (1 979a) |
|
|
|
300 000 |
- |
Tidori et al. (1975) |
|
|
|
250 000 |
- |
Glattleider (1976) |
|
|
|
350 000 |
1985 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
Gabon |
500 |
1985 |
ILCA (1992a) |
|
Lobi |
Burkina Faso |
484 000 |
1977 |
ILCA (1979a) |
|
|
|
490 000 |
1984 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
Muturu1 |
Nigeria |
378 000 |
- |
Oyenuga (1967) |
|
|
|
200 000 |
1938 |
Fricke (1979) |
|
|
|
176 000 |
1960 |
Fricke (1979) |
|
|
|
100 000 |
- |
Domingo (1976) |
|
|
|
120 000 |
1977/78 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
79 000 |
1983 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
|
59 500 |
- |
Ngere et al. (1975) |
|
|
|
37 500 |
1984 |
Akinwumi & Ikpi (1985) |
|
|
|
25 000 |
- |
Adeniji (1985) |
|
|
|
97 600 |
1991 |
ILCA (1992b) |
|
|
Ghana2 |
100 |
1983 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
Liberian Dwarf Muturu3 |
Liberia |
15 050 |
1977/78 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
5 500 |
1983 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
Bakweri |
Cameroon |
1 000 |
- |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
|
800-1 300 |
- |
ILCA (1 992a) |
|
Somba |
Benin |
75 000 |
1977 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
58 000 |
1983/84 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
Togo |
|
143 400 |
1976 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
158 000 |
1985 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
Doayo (Namchi) |
Cameroon |
3 102 |
1982 |
Dineur & Thys (1986) |
|
|
|
10 000 |
- |
Pagot (1985) |
|
|
|
6 960 |
- |
ILCA (1992b) |
|
Kapsiki |
Cameroon |
3 000 |
1977 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
3 000-5 000 |
- |
Dineur, Oumate & Thys (1982) |
|
|
|
3 289 |
1985 |
Dineur & Thys (1986) |
|
Bakosi |
Cameroon |
1 000-1 300 |
1983/84 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
Lagune |
Benin |
26 500 |
1976 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
20 000 |
1977 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
37 500 |
1983/84 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
|
40 000 |
- |
Adeniji (1985) |
|
|
|
37 200 |
- |
ILCA (1992b) |
|
|
Congo |
10 800 |
1977 |
ILCA (1979a) |
|
|
|
10 600 |
1983 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
|
4 500 |
- |
ILCA (1992b) |
|
|
Chad4 |
10 000 |
- |
Anonymous (1950) |
|
|
Côte d'Ivoire |
7 000 |
- |
Keita (1973) |
|
|
|
4 000 |
- |
Adeniji (1985) |
|
|
|
1 000 |
1985 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
Gabon |
500 |
1985 |
ILCA (1992a) |
|
|
Togo |
2 140 |
1976 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
2 500 |
1984 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
Zaire |
|
13 000-15 000 |
1976 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
15 000-20 000 |
1984 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
Borgou |
Benin |
500 000 |
1977 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
316 000 |
1983/84 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
|
352 300 |
- |
ILCA (1 992b) |
|
Togo |
|
64 200 |
1976 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
76 500 |
1984 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
Méré |
Burkina Faso |
510 000 |
1984 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
Côte d'Ivoire |
183 000 |
1985 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
"Sanga" |
Ghana |
122 300 |
1975 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
124 400 |
1984 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
Keteku (Borgu) |
Nigeria |
150 000-180 000 |
1977 |
ILCA (1979b) |
|
|
|
178 500 |
- |
Ngere (1985) |
|
|
|
95 000 |
1984/85 |
Shaw & Hoste (1987) |
|
|
|
292 900 |
1991 |
ILCA (1992b) |
1 Both Savanna and Dwarf (Forest) types.
2 Population in Ghana is Dwarf type.
3 Dwarf type but considered sufficiently isolated to be different.
4 "Logone" in Chad; on the basis of ecosystem must be different from Lagune.
In addition to the above crosses, there are other zebu x humpless (mostly N'Dama) crosses in the region. These include the Djakore or Djokore of Senegal, Bambara (also known as Méré) of Mali and various gradations of zebu x N'Dama crosses in Guinea, Zaire, Gambia and Gabon. In the Central African Republic, these crosses are also called Bambara. Maule (1990) defines the Bambara as a variety of N'Dama with zebu blood. Other than in Mali and the Central African Republic, the name Borgou is widely used to refer to various strains of zebu x humpless crossbreeds in French-speaking countries. In Ghana (Sanga) and Nigeria (Keteku and Biu) more specific names are used. In all cases, however, care needs to be taken to ensure that a "breed" in question is clearly defined in terms of composition and location.
Based mainly on the number of breeding females, levels of threat have been defined by different conservation groups and working parties (FAO, 1992). In general, populations with 1 000 to 5 000 breeding females have been classified as "minor", needing "watching" as "endangered" or "vulnerable". It has been pointed out that, while considering population sizes, the actual level of threat for a particular population should take cognizance of other special considerations that would change the risk level of the population in relation to an average population of this size (FAO, 1992). The following paragraphs concentrate mainly on population figures. The increasingly small herd sizes in most of the region, the high mortality rates, the poor reproductive performance (i.e. low fertility rates), the absence of breed societies, the general lack of government policy for improving indigenous breeds and the resulting tendency for indiscriminate crossbreeding and/or replacement need to be considered, however, in order to understand the causes and/or consequences of the population trends. Table 1 summarizes population figures for Shorthorn cattle breeds in West and Central Africa by country. To indicate trends in these figures, a reference (or census) year is given where available. When analysing these figures, one should keep in mind the low accuracy of the censuses and the unknown proportion of crossbreeds included in some breeds, such as the Ghana Shorthorn or the Lobi in Burkina Faso, for instance.
It must also be pointed out that most of the breeds are spread over several countries. The total population size must be considered to evaluate the level of risk. In a few cases, repeating the census in the same location gives a real indication of the population trend, such as in the case of the Muturu in Nigeria between 1977 and 1984 (Table 2).
Table 3 presents a summary of the classification of Shorthorn cattle populations and indicates the range of population estimates. The Baoulé (745 000-870 000 head), Ghana Shorthorn (600 000-800 000), Somba (215 000-220 000), Savanna Muturu of Nigeria (50 000-80 000) and Dwarf (Forest) Muturu (25 000-40 000) have the largest populations among the "pure" Shorthorns. Even these breeds are not all secure, however. The biggest threat seems to be pressure from the numerically superior zebu, especially through crossbreeding, and the increasingly popular N'Dama, through replacement. The potential role of government livestock policy is demonstrated both by the expansion of the N'Dama in West Africa and by increased populations of Lagune in some Central African countries where they have been successfully promoted through the métayage operations. ILCA's report (1992a) concludes that the trypanotolerant cattle population in the West and Central African region increased at an annual rate of 3.2 percent between 1977 and 1985 but that this growth was mainly a result of a substantial increase in the N'Dama population, which increased by 45 to 50 percent during this period. Expressed as a percentage of trypanotolerant cattle, both the Savanna Shorthorn type and the Forest type decreased during this period. The original N'Dama breeding area stretched from Guinea and Guinea-Bissau in the west and southern Senegal (Casamance and Senegal Oriental) in the north to Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia (forming the transition between the N'Dama and the Shorthorns) in the east. The breed has spread extensively, both within and outside this area, and now constitutes varying proportions of the national cattle herds in all coastal and some inland countries of West and Central Africa. On the other hand, although the Shorthorns have been introduced into new areas (Gabon, Congo and Zaire), populations in the "original" breeding areas have decreased substantially. In terms of individual breeds, those that are in the greatest danger and that need immediate attention are the Bakweri (800-1 300 head), Bakosi (1 000-1 300), Kapsiki (3 0005 000), Doayo (5 000-7 500) and Liberian Dwarf (5 000-12 000).
2. - Location of Muturu cattle in Nigeria - Localisation du bétail Muturu au Nigéria - Distribución de los vacunos Muturu en Nigeria
|
State |
19771 |
19842 |
|
Benue |
25 000 |
- |
|
Anambra |
10 000 |
11 310 |
|
Bendel |
5 000 |
1 574 |
|
Cross River |
4 000 |
2 575 |
|
Imo |
3 000 |
7 412 |
|
Ondo |
3 000 |
3 660 |
|
Oyo |
2 000 |
8 847 |
|
Kwara |
2 000 |
- |
|
Ogun |
2 000 |
536 |
|
Lagos |
1000 |
1217 |
|
River |
399 |
- |
|
Total |
57 000 |
37 503 |
1 Source ILCA. 1979b. 2 Source. Akinwumi & Ikpi, 1985.
3. - Classification and distribution of Shorthorn cattle types in West and Central Africa - Classification et répartition des différents types de bovine à courses cornes en Afrique occidentale et centrale - Clasificación y distribución de los tipos de vacunos Shorthorn de Africa occidental y central
|
|
Synonyms/composition |
Principal location |
Approximate population |
|
Savanna Shorthorns |
|
|
|
|
Ghana Shorthorn |
Gold Coast Shorthorn |
Ghana |
600 000-800 000 |
|
Baoulé1 |
- |
Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Central African Republic |
745 000-870 000 |
|
Savanna Muturu |
Muturu |
Nigeria |
50 000-80 000 |
|
Somba |
Atacora (Benin), Mango, Konkomba (Togo) |
Togo, Benin |
215 000-220 000 |
|
Doayo |
Namchi, Namshi, Poli |
Cameroon |
5 000-7 500 |
|
Kapsiki |
Kirdi |
Cameroon |
3 000-5 000 |
|
Bakosi |
Bakuri, Kosi |
Cameroon |
1 000-1 300 |
|
Dwarf Shorthorns |
|
|
|
|
Lagune |
Dahomey, Mayombe (Zaire) |
Benin, Zaire, Congo, Togo |
46 000-72 000 |
|
Logone |
Toupouri |
Chad |
NA |
|
Nigerian Dwarf Muturu |
Muturu |
Nigeria |
25 000-40 000 |
|
Ghanaian Dwarf Muturu |
Muturu, Forest Shorthorn |
Ghana |
100-200 |
|
Bakweri |
Muturu |
Cameroon |
800-1 300 |
|
Liberian Dwarf |
Muturu |
Liberia |
5 000-12 000 |
|
Stabilized crosses |
|
|
|
|
Borgou |
Zebu x Somba or Lagune |
Benin, Togo |
380 000-580 000 |
|
Méré |
Zebu x Lobi or Baoulé, (and N'Dama) |
Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire |
600 000-700 000 |
|
Ghana Sanga2 |
Ghana Shorthorn x zebu |
Ghana |
120 000-125 000 |
|
Keteku |
Muturu x White Fulani, "Borgu", Kaiama |
Nigeria |
100 000-300 000 |
|
Biu |
Dwarf Muturu x White Fulani |
Nigeria |
NA |
NA = not available
1 Includes the Lobi of Burkina Faso but excludes the crossbred types (Méré).
2 Occasionally N'Dama x zebu crosses; zebu used is principally White Fulani, but occasionally Sokoto Gudali.
It is clear that the stabilized crosses - Borgou, Méré, Ghana Sanga and Keteku - have such large, expanding populations that they are not in any danger. For example, there are about 124 000 Sanga in Ghana (Straw and Hoste, 1987) and their numbers are increasing at the expense of the Ghana Shorthorn and the Ghanian Dwarf Shorthorn. In terms of numbers, the Sanga is second only to the Ghana Shorthorn (839 000 head). What the stabilized crosses require is systematic characterization and breed improvement. Quantitative data is needed on the performance of these new "breeds" relative to that of the parental types.
