M.M. Scholtz

Characterization of indigenous African cattle breeds in relation to carcass characteristics.

Carcass traits of two indigenous African (Sanga) breeds (Afrikaner and Nguni), one indigenous African composite breed (Bonsmara), one foreign composite breed (Santa Gertrudis) and two continental European breeds (Brown Swiss and Pinzgauer) were compared. Treatment means were adjusted to the mean overall subcutaneous fat proportion (47 g/kg). Despite differences in maturity type, only the Afrikaner dressed out significantly ( P P P > 0·05) in the high-priced cuts compared with the other breeds at the same subcutaneous fat level. Despite the statistical significance, differences were small in magnitude and probably of little commercial value. At the same time mean subcutaneous fat proportion, tissue yield and distribution patterns expected of late maturing breeds were observed for smaller indigenous breeds, suggesting that it was specific breed effects rather than maturity type effects, which were evident.

Genetic diversity of Afrikaner cattle in southern Africa

The Afrikaner is an indigenous South African breed of “Sanga” type beef cattle along with breeds such as the Drakensberger and Nguni. Six composite breeds have been developed from crosses with the Afrikaner. Additionally, Afrikaner has been the base from which exotic breeds were established in South Africa through backcrossing. The study examined genetic diversity of Afrikaner cattle by genotyping 1257 animals from 27 herds in different geographic areas of South Africa and Namibia using 11 microsatellite markers. Multiple-locus assignment, performed using the Bayesian clustering algorithm of STRUCTURE, revealed three underlying genotypic groups. These groups were not geographically localized. Across herds and markers, the proportion of unbiased heterozygosity ranged from 0.49 to 0.72 averaging 0.57; mean number of alleles per locus ranged from 3.18 to 7.09, averaging 4.81; and allelic richness ranged from 2.35 to 3.38, averaging 2.67. It is concluded that a low inbreeding level of 2.7% and a moderate to high degree of variation still persists within the Afrikaner cattle breed, despite the recent decline in numbers of animals.