CATTLE BREEDING. 



NO one who has had any experience of the b.e.A. an 

 colony will for a moment deny that British ideal stock 

 East Africa possesses most of the essentials to ren- country. 

 der it an ideal stock country. The cHmate of the 

 Highlands is so equable that the housing of cattle 

 is quite unnecessary at any time of the year, al- 

 though during the rains cows kept for milk produc- 

 tion thrive and yield better results when given 

 some protection at night. The wealth of the 

 natural pasture throughout the uplands can scarce- 

 ly be surpassed by any country in the world. 



Even during the dry seasons cattle thrive and native 

 keep fat upon the natural grasses without the aid of GRASSES AND 

 any artificial feeding. Both pink and white clover CLOVER, 

 are indigenous plants, and in many districts thickly 

 cover the ground, whilst a wild sainfoin is met with 

 on the Athi Plains and elsewhere. 



In Argentina and many other great cattle 

 countries artificial grass, paspalum and lucerne have 

 had to be planted before the land would carry any 

 considerable quantity of stock; yet there are districts 

 in this country which are said to keep a beast per 

 acre fat all the year round. Even the richest 

 Leicestershire pasture cannot claim to do this. 



By no means the least important attraction of cattle OF the 

 British East Africa as a cattle country is the abund- country. 

 ance and excellence of the native stock. From the 

 coast up to Victoria Nyanza are to be found vast 

 herds of animals, suitable for grading, in possession 

 of the natives, and although their price is steadily in- 

 creasing, good cows may be bought at figures well 

 within their value. At first sight the native cow will 

 probably disappoint the new comer; her small size no 

 less than her humped shoulder, drooping quarter and 

 varied colour being alike typical of the zebu tribe to 

 which she belongs; but she is hardy and thrifty, and 

 mated wath a pure bull produces offspring which par- 

 take of most of the good qualities of their sire 

 whilst losing the character of the dam. Pastoral tribes 

 such as the Wakamba, Masai, Nandi, Turkhana and 

 Lumbwa have bred cattle generation after generation, 

 with the result that it is no uncommon thing to find' 



