Sheep[edit | edit source]
In Africa there are many well- adapted breeds of sheep.
Among them are:
- A BREED OF WOOL SHEEP
the Macina (Mali)
These are rather big sheep weighing 30 to 40 kilogrammes.
It is a breed that produces little meat and milk.
These sheep are raised for their coarse wool.
The wool is made into blankets.
- THREE BREEDS OF COARSE- HAIR SHEEP
- Moorish sheep
Nar variety These are big sheep that produce little meat. They are used for crossing with Astrakhan sheep to produce fur.
Touabir variety These are very big black and white sheep that produce a lot of meat.
- Peulh sheep
This is the commonest breed in west Africa.
Djallonquee variety
These are small black and white sheep that weigh 20 to 25 kilogrammes. They have short legs and are good meat producers.
Toronquee variety
These are bigger sheep, weighing 40 to 50 kilogrammes, white and brown in colour. They produce a lot of meat and the ewes give a lot of milk.
- Targui sheep
These have long legs, and can walk a long time in search of grass.
The big Targui sheep have mottled white hair.
The small Targui sheep have longer hair, brownish grey in colour.
The Targui are good mutton sheep because they produce a great deal of meat.
Attempts are now being made to cross them with European breeds, but foreign sheep adapt very badly.
Goats[edit | edit source]
There are many breeds very well adapted to the climate of their regions.
The chief breeds are: Northern goats of the savanna country and Southern goats of the wetter, forested regions in the south.
- Northern or Savanna goats
These are very big goats weighing between 25 and 30 kilogrammes. The buck has very big horns. The she- goats are white with black spots. They can produce two kids in a litter, and produce a lot of meat and milk.
- Southern or Forest goats
These are small animals weighing 18 to 20 kilogrammes. The body is short and fat. They are brown in colour, with the tip of the tail and of the legs black or white. They are bred for their meat. They are resistant to sleeping sickness in the very wet regions.
Northern goat; forest goat