Prime
Cattle show focuses on Ankole longhorn
A farmer parades a bull that won the category for Best Ankole Cow. PHOTO BY FELIX AINEBYOONA
Traditionally, cattle in Ankole were kept for mostly prestige. Whoever had cattle was regarded as wealthy. But over the years, this has changed as that “wealth” is now in terms of milk produced and at how much a cow or bull from your farm was sold.
It is against this background that an annual show—the Livestock and Heritage Show—is held. The first was last year; and the second, held at Kakyeka Mbarara last week, attracted more than 30 exhibitors.
Among them were participants from Kenya led by Dr Eric Otieno, a veterinary surgeon and specialist in animal breeding and genetics. They showcased the Boran bulls, which are specifically for beef.
He trained Ugandan farmers how to handle their cattle during shows—a skill he says took him three months since cattle are not used to crowds.
Dr Otieno also emphasised to dairy farmers the importance of keeping records and regular washing of the animals with acaricides to protect them from ticks and other parasites.
The state minister for animal industry, Joy Kabatsi, who was the guest of honour, appreciated the efforts by the Uganda Livestock and Heritage Group in preserving the Ankole longhorn cattle.
She acknowledged that the breed can also be used to promote tourism and culture.
“This show will boost our tourism industry through the Ankole longhorn cattle, which is significant in the development of the country.’’
Good initiative
Friesian cows that produce 20 litres of milk per day were also displayed, which were a point of interest for show goers as they expressed surprise at the amounts that could be produced.
The two-day included an auction of bulls whose weight varied from 420 to 800 kilogrammes. One was bought by Frank Farm Estates at Shs14.5m. According to Dr Otieno, a registered pure breed Boran bull costs $3,000 (about Shs10m).
At the end, the many who attended the show appreciated the initiative to boost livestock farming in the region as well as the efforts to protect the Ankole longhorn, which is slowly diminishing.
