Tropicultura (Jan 2003)
Les performances de la race taurine Somba en milieu paysan
Abstract
The Performances of Somba Cattle Race in Rural Area. Aiming to improve and preserve Somba cattle race in its birthplace, morphometrical and zootechnical characterisations studies have been managed from November 1995 to November 1996. White-black coat is the most represented. It was followed by blackwhite, black and fawn. The Somba cattle race is small sized with 96.6 cm to the withers and 172 ± 13 kg weight. The barymetrical equation established for all age animals is P= 139.10-6(PT)2.88 with a determination coefficient of 0.98. The birth weight is 12 ± 3 kg. The daily weight gains range from 96 g/day between 1 and 2 years to 104 g/day between 2 and 3 years. The fertility rate is 60.9%, and first calving age is 5 years. The interval between calvings is 18 months. The productivity per cow is 0.58 calf a year or 26.59 kg of calf and the productivity per 100 kg of cow is 15.92 kg calf. Those parameters show that the Somba is small sized and height but is prolific with a fertility rate of 60.9% in the harsh conditions in which the animals move. The breeding improvement would pass by the breeding environment improvement as feeding, watering and animal health; the bull-calves castration and to moderate milking in order to insure a better development of calves in the herds.
