THE PERFORMANCEOF WHITE FULANI COWS (BUNAJI) IN COMPARISON WITH OTHER TROPICAL CATTLE

Abstract

Lactation records of White Fulani Cows at the University of Ibadan were compared to those of two Indian Zebus (the deshi and Hariana) and the Horro of Ethiopia. All breeds had been raised and kept in comparable tropical regions. None of the populations had been subjected to a selection and breeding program. With regard to milk yield per lactation and day, cows at Ibadan ranked first; 25% of lactations exceeded 1000 kg approaching the Hariana with 36% while only 5% of the Horro cows gave more than 1000 kg milk and none of the Deshi. Lactation length and the calving interval of the Ibadan cows were nearly as long as those of the two Indian breeds. With age of first calving they ranked second, but calving rate was only 0.8 as compared to 1.0 of Horro cows. Calf mortality was high, but overall viability of White Fulani heifers completing first Lactation surpassed the other cows. Their efficiency was 35% as compared to 26% of the Hariana and 59% of American Holstein with the other two breeds following far behind