A CLOSE LOOK AT A RARE AFRICAN BREED - THE KURI CATTLE OF LAKE CHAD BASIN - ORIGIN, DISTRIBUTION, PRODUCTION AND ADAPTIVE CHARACTERISTICS

The Kuri is a rare, little known breed of cattle of the Hamitic Longho rn (Bos taurus longifrons) type which is found on the islands and shor es of Lake Chad Basin in the area covering the common borders of Camer oon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria. It is taller and more massive than its l onghorn counterpart, the trypanotolerant N'Dama. The Kuri is trypanosu sceptible. It is a dual-purpose milk-and-meat breed which is tolerant of insect bites and has excellent swimming abilities. It has unique bu lbous horns which are believed to aid in flotation as it searches for water weeds, its main food. The Kuri is very well adapted to the aquat ic conditions of the Lake but is susceptible to heat stress and solar radiation. The breed is quite fertile, with a reported age at first ca lving as early as 36 months and a calving interval as short as 15 mont hs. Indeed, the Kuri cow can produce as many as 12 calves in her lifet ime. The cow is capable of producing as much as 6 kg of milk a day aft er feeding her calf and fattens well on pasture and in feedlot. Meat q uality of the Kuri is considered exceptional. The limited data on its population and distribution suggest that the Kuri can only survive in the environs of the Lake and is rapidly declining in numbers. Possible reasons for the declining trend include drought, protracted civil con flicts in the region, the retreating waters of the Lake and extensive crossbreeding with the zebus when they graze on the shores. The trend is exacerbated by lack of improvement programmes for the breed. The au thors suggest immediate action to assess the extent of zebu introgress ion and the establishment of a breeding/multiplication centre in the L ake area for characterization, enhancement and conservation of the bre ed.