By General Beven Mundida & Mussolini Ganyo (Founder of Panganayi Boran Stud)
With many challenges facing agriculture these days, no farmer can afford animals that do not add value to the farm. This is why the choice of the breed need to be made only after careful consideration. Designed by nature as the perfect solution for regenerative agriculture, strip grazing and grass-fed beef, farming with Boran Cattle is the way to go.
Background of the Boran cattle breed
The Boran breed was developed after the introduction of Bos Indicus cattle to Africa after the Arab invasion of East Africa in about 700 AD. The breed gets its name from the Borana plateau in Southern Ethiopia, a region with harsh high altitude climatic conditions and frequent drought. Its composition is 24% European Bos Taurus, 65% Bos Indicus and 12% Africa Bos Taurus.
Boran are humped medium-framed animals with sound muscling and large capacity for size. They are beefier than other indigenous breeds such as the Nguni and Afrikaner and are able to store energy in the form of fat, which stands them in good stead during droughts and other challenging climatic conditions.
The Boran is resilient to African conditions and ideally suited for producing high quality meat with low input costs, a crucial attribute in the production of organic grass-fed beef. It can be successfully fattened off the veld thanks to its tremendous rumen capacity, ease of movement over harsh territory and browsing ability. They are not picky eaters and can happily graze on sour veld and fynbosveld that is usually unacceptable to other breeds.
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