Zimbabwe’s Nkone cattle breed recovers from near extinction

By Annelie Coleman |21 May 2024 | 6:46 am

Zimbabwe’s quintessential Nkone cattle breed is back from the brink of extinction, says Annelie Coleman. She spoke to George Hulme, a Nkone farmer and breeding society vice-chairperson, who jointly runs the Pungeni stud near Harare.

Nkone cows are known for their outstanding fertility, calving ease, hardiness and sterling mothering abilities.Photo: Supplied

Zimbabwe is home to three indigenous cattle breeds, namely the Nkone, Tuli and Mashona, each having traits that have been refined over the ages to flourish in the African environment. Zimbabwe’s indigenous breeds have over decades evolved into efficient beef producers, and the Nkone particularly so.

“Although Nkone numbers and breeders declined dramatically during the past few decades to a low that was considered close to extinction, numbers are again increasing in Zimbabwe. The decline is ascribed mainly to land reform and commercial farmers losing their land,” says George Hulme, a Nkone breeder and chairperson of the Nkone Cattle Breeders’ Society of Zimbabwe, who jointly runs his

Pungeni stud with Mark Hook’s HHN stud west of Harare. Hook is chairperson of the society.

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Hulme ascribes the growth in numbers to ongoing efforts by Zimbabwean Nkone breeders to promote this unique breed and to awareness of the Nkone as an extremely valuable indigenous cattle breed that has an important part to play in future cattle production in the country.

The Nkone, which has become adapted to harsh conditions over thousands of years, is ideally suited to the marginal areas of the country because of its built-in capacity to survive and produce under the toughest of conditions.

The medium-sized breed is known for early maturity, outstanding fertility and remarkable longevity, among a multitude of other positive traits.

King Mzilikazi Nkone cattle were first brought to Zimbabwe in 1836 by King Mzilikazi of the Ndebele, a once favoured general of King Shaka of Zululand, who left Zululand with his tribe after an cation over cattle with Shaka. The Nkone has evolved as a distinct ecotype of the original Nguni after being separated for nearly 200 years in a different environment.

“Although it has maintained its typical Nguni and Sanga characteristics, the breed has also invariably been exposed to other genetics over the years, resulting in the Nkone as it is known today. It has developed into an inimitable cattle breed that is totally adapted to unforgiving farming conditions, maintaining traits such us fertility and growth,” Hulme continues.

After a dramatic decline in Nkone numbers, the breed has gained new ground in Zimbabwe, with the number of breeders increasing from only two five years ago to seven. They represent 630 registered cattle compared to 150 five years ago. Photos: Supplied

The Nkone has always played a big part in the culture and traditions of the Ndebele people. Military regiments were distinguished by the colours of their cattle hide shields, each having a different colour pattern provided by their ed Nkone herds.

“The first commercial breeders and farmers of Nkone called them that because they liked the red-and-white colour pattern, called nkone by the Ndebele. We have kept the name as it distinguishes our particular ecotype. We strictly against poor pigmentation but not for any particular colour pattern, although some individual breeders still prefer the original colour pattern,” he says.

Tsholotsho The Nkone was recognised as a breed and a ed herd was formed of typical Nkone from Tribal Areas by the then government and based at Tsholotsho in Matabeleland in 1946. From the early 1950s onwards, commercial farmers began to see the value of the breed and gradually commercial herds became established, mainly in Matabeleland and the Midlands.

The Matopos Research Station Stud and Ian Pattullo’s Anglesea Stud, which also originated with breeding stock from John Brownlee’s Tsholotsho herd in 1965, are the oldest registered herds in the country.

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Hulme says: “Nkone cattle are one of the three Zimbabwean indigenous Sanga breeds and will form a valuable component of both the beef industry and agriculture sector in general in Zimbabwe in the future. It is therefore imperative to conserve and save the Nkone breed to ensure that its irreplaceable and uniquely adapted genetics continue to contribute to the future of the beef industry in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa, as well as internationally.”

The breed has consolidated its adaptation to harsh dry conditions and sparse grazing and maintains its superior fertility and calf-rearing ability. The breed offers a perfectly adapted mother cow in any breeding system, whether pure breeding, forming composites or terminal crossing with traditional beef breeds. Calves show a high growth rate from a low birth mass and wean up to 50% and more of their mothers’ weight.

Seven breeders The number of Nkone breeders now stands at seven, up from just two breeders five years ago. The number of registered cattle went up to about 630 currently, compared with 150 animals five years ago.

Hulme says: “The Nkone excels on all veld and soil types and thrives on poor soil and veld, from the very hot, drought-prone, low-altitude sweetveld areas to the high-rainfall, highveld sourveld. We continue to breed and for functional cattle and important economic traits. Fertility is paramount. The Nkone cow is highly fertile and able to produce a good calf every year on veld grazing and minimum inputs. The Nkone cow as the maternal line in any crossbreeding programme is outstanding.”

Nkone calves on a stud farm near Harare, Zimbabwe.

The ideal Nkone is well rounded and sleek, of medium-frame size, with great capacity. Being of moderate size, they do not reach the final carcass weight desired by some feedlots, but meat-to-bone ratio is high and finish as good as any. The meat is of top quality and well marbled.

Lowest cost per Kilogram Holme says the Nkone produces beef at the lowest cost-per-kilogram per hectare, similar to other moderate-sized indigenous breeds like the Mashona, making them a profitable and economically sustainable choice.

“Statistics from two sourveld herds on the central water shed in the north show the average birthweight for bull calves to be 31kg and 28kg for heifers. Nkone cows produce small calves at birth and the cow controls the size of the calf even when mated with larger breeds. Dystocia is virtually unknown in Nkone females.

“The average 205-day weaning weight for bulls is 154kg and 143kg for heifers, following a gestation period of 285 days,” he points out.

In these two relatively new herds, the inter-calving period (ICP) has been brought down from 473 days four years ago to 383 days, on sourveld grazing only. Basic performance recording, such as birthweight, 205-day weight, 400- and 600-day weights, ICP and weaner/cow weight ratio, is compulsory for all registered cattle.

Nkone crosses grow out exceptionally well at a young age, producing a superior carcass.