BEEF RESEARCH PROGRAMME

The objectives of the programme are to:
  • Enhance the beef production capability and reproductive efficiency of the indigenous cattle breeds through genetic and nutritional improvement.
  • Investigate the value of agro-industrial by-products and crop residues in animal nutrition
    make available proven bulls to farmers for genetic improvement of their stock.

Highlights of the research activities include the following:

  • Evaluation of indigenous breeds of cattle for beef production in their ecological zones.
  • Genetic improvement of promising breeds by selective breeding.
  • Studies on nutrient requirement of indigenous beef cattle.
  • Nutritional studies on growth and reproduction of beef cattle on range with and without supplementation.
  • Comparative studies on different systems of feedlot management and nutrition.
  • Studies on economics of beef production and marketing.
  • Evaluation of industrial by-products of crops residues as cattle feeds.
  • Socio-economic studies on beef production.

Major research achievements.

  • Proven bulls from genetically improved animal have been provided to farmers for the improvement of growth and reproductive performance of animals in the national herds.
  • Breeding strategies for improving beef cattle productivity, with particular reference to nomadic herds, have been developed. Crossbreeding had been employed to improve beef production of the indigenous breeds.
  • Crossbreds of the indigenous with the exotic beef breeds (such Chlorolais pr Simmental) or even the dairy breed (such as Friesian) gave better growth rates than the pure indigenous breeds by about 20% at yearling.
  • Method of estimating live weights of indigenous cattle breeds using body measurements, especially under field conditions, had been developed.
  • Technology for a rapid increase in beef production through feedlot operations had been developed. Best performance is obtained with animals 2 -3 years old (or about 250kg body weight) and a fattening period of about 120 days is considered optimum for maximum returns.
  • Packages to assist farmers in proving optimal nutritional requirements for better performance have been produced.
  • Inclusion of sun dried poultry litter in concentrate diet to replace 50% cotton seed cake in the diet reduced feed cost by 27% and gave optimum live weight per day.
  • Rations based on locally available agro-industrial by products (e.g. stovers, cowpea/groundnut haulms, maize, wheat or rice offal/bran, brewer's dried grains and molasses) to meet optimum productivity in beef cattle have been evolved.
  • The productivity of indigenous cattle breeds in institutional hers and government ranches have been evaluated. Breeds and management procedures suitable for extensive and intensive beef production systems in the different ecological zones have been identified and practical guidelines for farmers have been formulated.
  • Practical ways of improving the nutritional value, palatability and or acceptability of crop residues for ruminant feeding to improve beef cattle productivity have been developed.
  • Training workshops have been organized for extension staff from states' ADPs, private and government agencies in application of locally developed technologies in animal production.
  • Establishment of Beef Research in Talata-Mafara, Zamfara State, in order to bring research nearer to the grass-root and also to serve as focal point for the supply of pure bred pedigreed stock for private and state multiplication farms in the area.
PARAMETER BUNAJI SOKOTO GUDALI
Initial wt (kg) 179 193
Final wt (kg) 165 273
Daily gain (kg) 0.99 0.92
  No of Days 87 87
   Dressing (%) 52.2 50.0

When offered roughage and concentrates in a proportion of 60:40, indigenous breeds are able to gain about 1kg per day. An animal weighing about 250kg can gain as much as a third of its weight in about 100-120 days.
Beef potential of indigenous breeds grazing natural pasture

BREED 12 MTH WEIGHT (KG) 24 MTH WEIGHT (KG) DAILY GAIN (KG)
BUNAJI 150 227 0.27
SOKOTO GUDALI 144 241 0.29
   WADARA 142 189 0.22

The indigenous breeds have the potential to gain about 0.25kg per day when grazed on semi-improved parameters pastures and given low levels of supplementary feeding during the dry season.

CURRENT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES include the following:

  • Genetic improvement of indigenous cattle breeds for beef production in Nigeria.
  • Assessment of the nutritive and feed values of sown herbaceous species.
  • Comparative evaluation of cereal by-products as energy source for fattening beef cattle.
  • The replacement value of sun-dried layer litter for cotton seed cake in fattening Bunaji cattle.
  • Ethnoveterinary practices. The potential of Vernonia amygdalina and Annona senegalensis in the treatment of helminthosis in calves.
  • An assessment of the economic and carcass quality of bulls bought from open market.
  • Evaluation of vitamin-trace mineral premix (Nagge-mixR Beef) in Beef fattening concentrate rations.
    The programme collaborates  with other agencies and the organized private sector including feed millers.