The difference in performance of the purebreds and Nguni and Simmentaler crossbreds

Abstract

Surveys and research were done involving different breeds in Namibia. One can not ignore or forget that beef production is one of the important contributing components to the Namibian economy

Type of breed to keep in Namibia, depends primarily on the level of management and the environment. On average 50 percent of the Namibians are small scale farmers with no or little control over their herd and our land is declared as a drought country. For that matter we need the right type of breed which can survive this harshly environmental conditions. The indigenous Nguni cattle have survived and reproduced under conditions that have prevented many exotic breeds from prospering. Although, that this is the case the exotic Simmentaler made up forty percentage of the breeds in Namibia and is used as a sire of most crossbreeds in this country

The objective of this paper is to review recent information on the production performance (referring to milk production, growth rate, carcass weight and reproduction) of the Nguni and Simmentaler and some means of results about their crosses, as practised at Omatjene Research Station as well as some local farmers