Guides: Breeds of Cattle – Local/Indigenous (Nigeria) and Exotic

Cattle are large domesticated mammals commonly raised for meat, milk, and other dairy products. They belong to the Bovidae family, which also includes goats, sheep, and buffalo. Cattle have a strong social structure and tend to form herds. They are herbivorous, with their diet consisting mainly of grasses, hay, and silage.

There are many breeds of cattle, each with its own unique characteristics. Some breeds are specifically bred for meat production, while others are raised for their milk. Cattle are usually classified into two categories: beef cattle and dairy cattle. Beef cattle breeds are typically larger and heavier, with an emphasis on meat production. Dairy cattle breeds, on the other hand, produce large amounts of milk and are typically smaller in size.

Breeds of Cattle are categorized into two groups, which are Indigenous breeds of cattle and Exotic breeds of cattle

Indigenous breeds of cattle

1. 1. White Fulani: The coat colour is white with black points on the ears, muzzle, feet, and tail tip.
   2. Red Fulani: They are found in Borno and Sokoto states and the Chad Republic. Plain red coat colour, temperament can be nervous and intractable.
   3. Sokoto Gudali: They are bigger than the White Fulani. Colour varies from white, gray white to green. Less resistant to tick and trypanosomiasis.
   4. Wadara (Shuwa Arab): They are used for milk, meat, and draft purpose. Colour is generally dark red and black. It is a hardy (rugged) animal.
   5. Ndama: Colour is light brown, black. Highly resistant to trypanosomiasis. Larger bodies than other breeds that are humpless. They are a hardy breed, with a large and strong head and with lyre-shaped horns.
   6. Kuri: They have gigantic bulbous horns. They are predominantly white
   7. Muturu: The typical coat colour of forest Muturu is black and that of the Savannah Muturu is black and white. The smallest cattle breed. They are trypanotolerant.

Exotic breeds of cattle

1. Jersey: Jersey cattle are a small breed of dairy cattle. Jerseys come in all shades of brown, from light tan to almost black frequently fawn in colour.
2. Holstein Friesian: Large, colour is black and white or red and white. World’s highest producing dairy animal.
3. Brown Swiss: Brown in colour, noted for their dairy strength, and longevity, reproduces longer than cattle of other breeds.

Although cattle are also an important part of many cultures around the world. They have been domesticated for thousands of years and have played a significant role in agriculture and food production. Today, cattle are found on farms and ranches around the world, providing food and other products to millions of people.