06/11/2017
FLECKVIEH; THE ONLY DUAL PURPOSE CATTLE BREED IN
KENYA
Dairy farmers are showing an increasing interest in a new cattle breed, the Fleckvieh. The breed is fairly resistant to common animal diseases such as East Coast Fever (ECF) and even mastitis. The breed can give more milk with the same amount of feed that is given to other breeds. If a Friesian-Holstein dairy
cow is given 60 kg of feed, the amount of milk it will produce is equal to what a Fleckvieh cow will produce with only 45 kg of same type of feed.
Kenyan dairy farmers are used to the common exotic breeds of dairy cows such as the Holstein-Fresians, Ayrshire, Guernsey or even Jerseys. For couple of years, a new cattle breed has
attracted the attention of Kenyan dairy farmers: Fleckvieh is a high yielding, dual-purpose cow that can be used for both dairy and beef production. Hundreds of Kenyan farmers who have discovered the qualities of this breed have introduced them into their herds.
Years of selective breeding Fleckvieh (or Miling Simmental) is the second largest dairy breed in the world – and one of Europe’s oldest. At the moment, there are an estimated 42
million cattle with Fleckvieh bloodlines worldwide. Developed in the highlands of Germany, Switzerland and Austria, the breed became popular in most parts of the world because of their
adaptability to harsh climatic conditions.
Through many years of selective breeding, Fleckvieh has acquired some of the characteristics that dairy farmers
are looking for. The Fleckvieh breed was introduced by Fleckvieh Genetics East Africa (FGEA) from South Africa
in 2009.
The company gets most of its semen from top bulls in upper Bavarian region in Germany. Other sources of the Fleckvieh genetics are Austria, Czech republic, Australia. Farmers can
buy semen from these top bulls from the company and cross with their dairy cows. This is the cheapest and easiest way to reduce the cost of buying pure Fleckvieh breed for small scale farmers.
Active genetic potential “The Fleckvieh cow is durable, hardy
and easy to handle even within a small farm. They are able
to move easily even in the most difficult terrain. A mature Fleckvieh has good strength and body development. A mature cow weighs about 650-800 kilograms. The breed has a very large and active genetic potential. We believe it is going to be one of the major breeds in the country once farmers discover its quality.
Nutritious milk and good meat Studies show that every 1 kg of milk from a Fleckvieh cow contains 4.2% fat and 3.7% protein in addition the milk is also rich in other micronutrients and Omega 3 fats – which are vital for a healthy body.
Fleckvieh bulls are fast growing and gain muscle at a rate of 1.5 kilogrammes per day for the first 200 days when cross-bred with other breeds, the farmer is assured of high quality of milk and beef. Under intensive fattening conditions, young bulls reach a daily weight gain of more than 1300 grams. In the first 6 months after birth, a bull can attain up to 300 kg with proper feeding and management.
Disease resistance
Compared with other breeds, Fleckvieh owners will not have to
incur huge veterinary bills – due to the breed’s ability to withstand some of the common livestock diseases, mastitis for instance-This is an inflammation of the udder that cuts down milk production. The infection is caused by somatic cells
(dead cells) from the bloodstreams that get into the milk in the udder.
Fleckvieh cow milk has lower numbers of somatic cells compared to other dairy breeds, meaning that Fleckvieh is less prone to mastitis; there is another advantage: Less somatic cells means: The milk lasts longer without refrigeration.
And since Fleckvieh has a very thick skin, it is more resistant
against diseases transmitted by ticks and tsetse flies- the proboscis of these vectors cannot pe*****te the thick Fleckvieh skin.
For Semen from top Fleckvieh bulls contact: Fleckvieh Genetics (EA) Ltd. Mobile +254 712 095555 / +254 727 665885
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