Other
Names: Boenca or Boyenca (Guinea-Bissau), Fouta Jallon,
Fouta Longhorn, Fouta Malinke, Futa, Malinke,
Mandingo (Liberia), N'Dama Petite (Senegal). Incorrect names
that are sometimes used: Dama and Ndama.
The N'Dama breed is the most representative "Bos Taurus" breed in West Africa. The origin of this breed is located in the Fouta-Djallon highlands of Guinea (Conakry). From there the N'Dama has spread in the sudanian and guinean regions.
Being 
,
it has been used for large scale dissemination for grazing savannah in Congo,
Central Africa, Gabon, Nigeria and Zaire, especially in the regions infested
by the tse-tse fly.
Source: Trypanotolemi cattle and livestock development in West and Central Africa (Vol-1) FAO; Rome 1987
Its skin,with
short and thin hair, is fawn colored but varies from sand to black color,
sometimes spotted.
Cows produce only 2 to 3 liters milk per day during 7 to 8 months. The N'Dama breed is used for meat and the ratio carcass/liveweight is around 50%. The meat has a very good flavor without much fat.
Average liveweight for a mature steer varies between 250 to 300 kg.
In West Africa, to date there are approximately 7 million head of N'Dama.
For the last 65 years, this breed has been developed in Zaire, where large scale herds have been improved by permanent selection practices by a private company named "Compagnie J. VAN LANCKEIC' which owns over 40,000 head of purebred N'Dama.
This company has managed to increase, by selection, the average liveweight by 30 to 50kg without reducing the breed hardiness. This company is collaborating with the I.L.R.I. (International Livestock Research Institute) for an improved genetical analysis and selection of this breed.
The Trypanotolerant Cattle Populations 1983 - 85 Total N'dama SWAS DWAS Crosses --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.Senegal 1,053,000 644,000 409,000 2.Gambia 299,000 290,000 9,000 3.Guinea Bissau 300,000 300,000 4.Guinea 2,307,000 2,192,000 115,000 5.Sierra Leone 333,200 333,200 6.Liberia 12,600 7,100 5,500 7.Mali 1,092,000 409,000 683,000 8.Burkina Faso 1,000,000 - 490,000 510,000 9.Cote d'Ivoire 672,000 138,000 350,000 1,000 183,000 10.Ghana 994,000 30,200 839,300 100 124,400 11.Togo 242,000 5,000 158,000 2,500 76,500 12.Benin 760,000 500 58,000 37,500 664,000 13.Nigeria 200,000 26,000 53,000 26,000 95,000 14.Cameroon 11,000 1,700 8,300 1,000 15.Central Africa 7,400 600 6,700 100 16.Gabon 17,400 16,000 500 500 400 17.Congo 65,000 54,400 10,600 18.Zaire 451,100 415,000 15,000 21,100 19.Equatorial 100 100 Guinea 1983/85 Totals 9,816,800 4,862,700 1,963,900 99,700 2,890,500 % 100 50 20 1 29 1975/77 Totals 7,634,800 3,422,900 1,673,000 97,900 2,441,000 % 45 22 1 32 Implied compound growth rate % 3.2 4.5 2.0 0.2 2.1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Trypanotolemi cattle and livestock development in West and Central Africa (Vol-1) FAO; Rome 1987
Reference:
Correspondence from Campagnie J. Van Lancker, Rue Des Drapiers 31, 1050 Brussels, Belgium, Email: jvl@euronet.bePhotographs:Mason, I.L. World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds. Third Edition. C.A.B International. 1988
Campagnie J. Van Lancker, Rue Des Drapiers 31, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
