Cattle : BORAN

Country of Origin:  Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, Africa.

International status: Found in Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbawe, South Africa, Australia and the U.S.A.. In healthy numbers (not rare) in Africa.

Photo: Boran cattle, NSW, kindly sent in breeder Jack Milbank, August 2022

History: Sanga cattle. Originally bred by the Borana people of southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya.

The Boran was brought to Australia in 1990-91 by the CSIRO in a commendable effort to find a zebu type breed unrelated to the Brahman, together with private breeders who formed the Boran and Tuli Consortium. Being unrelated to Brahman but also a hot climate animal, they brought good traits for hot climate, fertility and tender eating. A good temperament has also been bred in. Hybrid vigour for crossbreeding was hoped for, and achieved. Straws from eight Boran bulls were also brought in. 

Embryos were obtained from Zambia due to political problems getting them from Kenya, and put into Australian bred cows in the Cocos Islands; finally after this quarantine the calves came here in 1990-91. More embryos were taken from Kenyan Borans to Zimbabwe, to comply with Australian quarantine, and put into cows there, in 1992. These were the first Boran to be bred outside Africa. In 1993 the first Boran and Tuli crosses were born in the NT. 

The breed was developed in northern Kenya near the Somalia border. It's a breed Kenya is justifiably proud of. From the fifteenth century the East African Short Horned Zebu of Ethiopia became plentiful in Kenya, and was improved to be the Boran.

Bulls are rigorously inspected in Kenya and any congenital problem or conformation fault banned; only excellent animals are registered. Genetic testing has found the Boran's genetic structure to be unique.

Breed traits: Grey, fawn and red colours are seen. A full, wide, muscular rump defines Boran cattle from other Zebu types.  Cows weigh between 400 - 550kg and bulls 550 - 850kg. Bred for arid lands and hot climate, outstanding in those conditions. Not as large as some breeds they return a better rate per area due to their ability to forage and fast maturing rate.

Excellent mothers, in fact as they had to fight off lions, they are very protective after birth and must be avoided for a good week afterwards. Apart from that they are a very tractable breed. Good herd behaviour as they stick together for protection. High fertility. Humped back and loose skin with the heavy dewlap under neck and chest to dissipate heat.

Parasite and tick resistant. They turn off grass equally well as other breeds but excel in feedlots, with bigger than average eye muscle area and better than average marbling - CSIRO trial. Possibly the best cattle in hot climates with many inbuilt defences. A long lived breed, productive into their teens. Good temperament.

 

Photo : Small Boran. Naturally polled Boran cow, kindly supplied by Australian Boran Inc., formally known as Australian Small Boran Inc. 

Organisation: Australian Boran Cattle Inc. http://australianboran.com.au/     

there's a new website being developed, will post when it appears

Additional Notes: 

Story of Boran from Kenya to Australia - thank to Troy Gaylor for supplying this doco, written by Celia Burnett-Smith for the 2022 Boran Society Journal; wonderful. Troy has a herd of Boran in Australia, at Paradise Boran. 

 

Page by Janet Lane.

Organisation and link updated 29/03/2021 by A. Young.

Doco added to foot of page J. Lane 17.05.2022
updated Aug, 2022 JL

 

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