Cattle : MASHONA

Country of origin : Zimbabwe, Africa.

Australian Status: LOST

International status: Healthy numbers in Africa of half a million. 

Arrived in Australia: 1988 (became extinct here). 2022 arriving again as embryos.

Australian Population: 2022:  none yet but the good news is there are 50 embryos being brought in this year, with plans to re-establish the breed here. Calves successfully born Spring 2022 :)

Distribution: Africa, USA (a good herd established in Florida), Australia

HIstory: Sanga breed. Over 1,000 years of history. Brought in by ET on Cocos Island quarantine facility in 1988, at same time as the Boran and Tuli breeds.

This Sanga breed is mostly Bos taurus, being tested and found 8 to 12% Bos indicus and the rest taurus.* This gives a higher fertility return. 

Breed Traits: Famous for a quiet nature. Tick resistance. Hot climate cattle. Most black, some red, some dun. Beef breed. Used for draught too in Africa. 

Organisation: Mashona Australia 

The Mashona Cattle Society of Zimbabwe is on Facebook and here Mashona Cattle Society of Zimbabwe

Additional Notes: Genetics of a 50% Mashona and 50% Angus bull was brought to Australia in 2021 by the Furrabara Station (Pharo cattle company, Pharo being the owners name not a breed name), however appears to used over Angus here. Not sure if they have used other Mashona genetics here.
Mashona straws available here from at least one genetics company. 

* Gulf Cattle Man website has the genetics figure. Florida based.

Photo : Mashona bull at Pharo Ranch, in Cattle, on Pinterest.

Page by Janet Lane

Back to Cattle