Begayt cattle
Begayt is an Ethiopian breed of cattle.[1][2] Currently there are ongoing cross-breeding programmes with Arado cattle, in an attempt to increase the milk production of the latter.
| Country of origin | Ethiopia |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Western Tigray |
| Use | Draught, milk, meat (in that order) |
| Traits | |
| Coat | black and white stained |
| Horn status | medium |
| |
Origin of the cattle breed
Ethiopia has been at a crossroads for cattle immigration to Africa[1][3] due to
- proximity to the geographical entry of Indian and Arabian zebu
- proximity to Near-Eastern and European taurine
- introgression with West African taurine due to pastoralism
Furthermore, the diverse agro-ecology led to diverse farming systems which, in turn, made Ethiopia a centre of secondary diversification[1] for livestock :
- The Sanga cattle originated in Ethiopia. They are a major bovine group in Africa – a cross-breeding of local long-horned taurines and Arabian zebus[3]
- The Begayt are one of the Zenga (Zebu-Sanga) breeds, which resulted from a second introduction and crossing with Indian zebu[3]
Threats on the cattle breed
- socio-political stresses: civil wars and recent urbanisation
- panzootic stresses: cattle plague[4]
- environmental stresses drought and destruction of ecosystems[5]
- extensive cross-breeding with Arado
Closely related types
References
- Merha Zerabruk, and colleagues (2011). "Genetic diversity and admixture of indigenous cattle from North Ethiopia: implications of historical introgressions in the gateway region to Africa". Animal Genetics. 43 (3): 257–266. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2052.2011.02245.x. PMID 22486496.
- Cattle breeds, milk production, and transhumance in Dogu'a Tembien. In: Geotrekking in Ethiopia's tropical mountains, Chapter 28. Cham: SpringerNature. 2019. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_28.
- Hanotte, O. and colleagues (2002). "African pastoralism: genetic imprints of origins and migrations". Science. 296 (5566): 336–339. doi:10.1126/science.1069878. PMID 11951043. S2CID 30291909.
- Pankhurst, R (1985). The history of famine and epidemics in Ethiopia prior to the twentieth century. Addis Ababa: Relief and Rehabilitation Commission.
- Van Cappellen, H (2016). The ox-plow complex on the edge: an ethnographic inquiry into social change and cross-breed dairy farming in Tigray, Ethiopia [MSc Thesis]. KU Leuven, Belgium.
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