Marketing challenges and opportunities faced by the Nguni cattle project beneficiaries in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa - Institutional Constraints to Small Farmer Development in Southern Africa - page 107

was signed with the National University of Lesotho that provided for that University
receiving the Nguni cattle from Fort Hare and participating in the process of popularizing
the breed in the neighbouring country of Lesotho which shares a number of agro-ecological
characteristics with the Eastern Cape Province (Obi, 2007).
6.3 Qualities, characteristics and traits of Nguni cattle
Nguni cattle are small-framed and are well adapted to the environment because they have
evolved in those surroundings for thousands of years and are endemic to the South of Africa.
(Muchenje et al. , 2008). They are known by their high fertility rates and excellent resistance
to ticks and immunity to tick-borne diseases. Disease incidence and mortality are low
(Mapiye et al., 2007). The Nguni cattle is characterized by its multi-coloured skin, which
can present many different patterns, but their noses are always black-tipped (Figure 6.1).
Due to its diminutive, almost stunted, physical appearance and its popularity as draught
animal, farmers consider the Nguni cattle to have little or no value as a source of beef. Under
sound management conditions it is becoming increasingly popular as a beef breed (Muchenje
Figure 6.1. Nguni cattle / Herd of Nguni cattle at the University of Fort Hare experimental farm.