Begayt is an Ethiopian breed of cattle.[1][2] Currently there are ongoing
cross-breeding programmes with
Arado cattle, in an attempt to increase the milk production of the latter.
Origin of the cattle breed
Ethiopia has been at a crossroads for cattle immigration to Africa[1][3] due to
proximity to the geographical entry of Indian and Arabian
zebu
introgression with West African taurine due to
pastoralism
Furthermore, the diverse agro-ecology led to diverse farming systems which, in turn, made Ethiopia a centre of
secondary diversification[1] for livestock :
The
Sanga cattle originated in Ethiopia. They are a major bovine group in Africa – a cross-breeding of local long-horned taurines and Arabian zebus[3]
The Begayt are one of the
Zenga (Zebu-Sanga) breeds, which resulted from a second introduction and crossing with Indian zebu[3]
Threats on the cattle breed
socio-political stresses: civil wars and recent urbanisation
^
abcMerha Zerabruk, and colleagues (2011). "Genetic diversity and admixture of indigenous cattle from North Ethiopia: implications of historical introgressions in the gateway region to Africa". Animal Genetics. 43 (3): 257–266.
doi:
10.1111/j.1365-2052.2011.02245.x.
PMID22486496.
^Cattle breeds, milk production, and transhumance in Dogu'a Tembien. In: Geotrekking in Ethiopia's tropical mountains, Chapter 28. Cham: SpringerNature. 2019.
doi:
10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_28.
S2CID199323600.
^Pankhurst, R (1985). The history of famine and epidemics in Ethiopia prior to the twentieth century. Addis Ababa: Relief and Rehabilitation Commission.
^Van Cappellen, H (2016). The ox-plow complex on the edge: an ethnographic inquiry into social change and cross-breed dairy farming in Tigray, Ethiopia [MSc Thesis]. KU Leuven, Belgium.
Begayt is an Ethiopian breed of cattle.[1][2] Currently there are ongoing
cross-breeding programmes with
Arado cattle, in an attempt to increase the milk production of the latter.
Origin of the cattle breed
Ethiopia has been at a crossroads for cattle immigration to Africa[1][3] due to
proximity to the geographical entry of Indian and Arabian
zebu
introgression with West African taurine due to
pastoralism
Furthermore, the diverse agro-ecology led to diverse farming systems which, in turn, made Ethiopia a centre of
secondary diversification[1] for livestock :
The
Sanga cattle originated in Ethiopia. They are a major bovine group in Africa – a cross-breeding of local long-horned taurines and Arabian zebus[3]
The Begayt are one of the
Zenga (Zebu-Sanga) breeds, which resulted from a second introduction and crossing with Indian zebu[3]
Threats on the cattle breed
socio-political stresses: civil wars and recent urbanisation
^
abcMerha Zerabruk, and colleagues (2011). "Genetic diversity and admixture of indigenous cattle from North Ethiopia: implications of historical introgressions in the gateway region to Africa". Animal Genetics. 43 (3): 257–266.
doi:
10.1111/j.1365-2052.2011.02245.x.
PMID22486496.
^Cattle breeds, milk production, and transhumance in Dogu'a Tembien. In: Geotrekking in Ethiopia's tropical mountains, Chapter 28. Cham: SpringerNature. 2019.
doi:
10.1007/978-3-030-04955-3_28.
S2CID199323600.
^Pankhurst, R (1985). The history of famine and epidemics in Ethiopia prior to the twentieth century. Addis Ababa: Relief and Rehabilitation Commission.
^Van Cappellen, H (2016). The ox-plow complex on the edge: an ethnographic inquiry into social change and cross-breed dairy farming in Tigray, Ethiopia [MSc Thesis]. KU Leuven, Belgium.