SAHIWAL IN KENYA AND PAKISTAN
J. Hodges1/
- The Sahiwal
cattle are an international animal genetic resource able to contribute to many developing countries.
- Their ability
to survive, produce and reproduce at medium levels of milk per lactation in tropical conditions
makes them a valuable option to consider for crossing with lower producing
indigenous breeds in the developing countries or for breed substitution.
- The countries
with the largest populations are Pakistan (about 10 000 purebred animals), Kenya (about 2500 purebred
animals) and India (about 2000 purebred animals).
- Many other
countries have crossbred Sahiwal cattle, either produced from indigenous breeds
or from black and white temperate cattle. The
demand for these types of animals is increasing, shown by the growing
demand for semen under the FAO semen donation scheme.
- The population
of Kenya has recently been studied by a graduate student of the Kenya Government who has
analysed the records from the Sahiwal stud at Naivasha from a genetic angle.
- FAO is
currently supporting a similar genetic analysis of the Pakistan Sahiwal kept for many decades on the
government livestock stations. This is being undertaken under contract for FAO by
the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council in cooperation with the Swedish
Agricultural University.
- It is hoped
that the analyses of the Kenya and Pakistan populations may be combined at a later stage, in order to
identify the genetic differences, if any.
- It is also
hoped that a rational basis for using the limited numbers of this breed for the benefits of both the
home countries and the importing countries may then be developed and be the
means of accelerated genetic improvement.
1/ Animal
Production Officer, (Animal Breeding and Genetic Resources), Animal Production
and Health Division, FAO, Rome.