| Tuli Cattle |
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It is almost impossible to be exact about the ancient origins of the Tuli Breed, a breed which developed on a continent with almost no written history and where droughts and the migrations of the semi-nomadic populace changed the face of the continent continuously. The breed was one of a number which developed on the African continent over thousands of years and from what is known about the breed and the history of the various cattle breeds in Africa, it can be concluded that they stem from West Sanga Cattle
History
Characteristics / Attributes/ Features of the TuliThe Tuli is a medium-sized, pure African Sanga breed, which, in its neat, compact frame incorporates high fertility, hardiness, adaptability and excellent beef quality. It is usually neck humped but the horns vary greatly in size and shape depending on their exact ancestry. Its sleek and glossy short-haired coat varies in colour from silver, through golden brown to rich red. The name, Tuli, stems from the Ndeble word, “utulili” meaning dust, and vividly conjures up pictures of the arid environment from which the Tuli stems. Docile Nature : A docile nature is something which has been bred into the Tuli for thousands of years. Not only were the cattle of the native herds-people of Africa herded on a daily basis by the young men and boys of the various tribes, but the cows were also milked to supply the requirements of their owners and the oxen used for draught power. This close daily contact led, naturally, to a tendency to select strongly for docile animals. The Tuli is an easy breed to work with and is particularly ideal for situations where manpower is limited or where handling is difficult. Where poor temperament is a problem a Tuli bull will be one of the fastest ways to make progress in this area. Unique Genotype : Having developed over 5,000 years, in almost total isolation from today’s widely used beef breeds, the Tuli offers a unique genotype, it is interesting to consider how easily the exceptional genetic qualities of the Tuli could have been overlooked in the early days of the colonisation of Africa, when most cattlemen considered indigenous stock of inferior quality and generally progressive farmers were importing genetics from Europe to upgrade the locally available stock. No doubt vast genetic resources have been lost forever in this way, not only in Africa, but right across the globe. Fortunately, the Tuli, once singled out from the masses of indigenous stock has gone from strength to strength with the unique genetics contained in the breed being enhanced rather than diluted. Because of their unique genotype the Tuli’s offer the maximum hybrid vigour in a cross breeding program. The more remote the relationship between two breeds, the greater the potential advantages from heterosis, and this is where a breed like the Tuli, so long developed in isolation, has the potential to improve productivity in a wide range of environments and management systems. Having developed in the tropics the Tuli cross animals, will be invaluable. The Tuli’s various features make it a useful contributor in developing new derivative breeds.  Mothering : The Tuli calf has an easy start in life as, being small, it is born without the trauma of a drawn out and difficult birthing process. Its mother has a well balanced, compact, neat udder and small, well spaced teats, easy for the calf to find and latch on to. Milk production is plentiful, but not so high as to give scours or management problems with cows that have to be milked out. The Tuli cow, who is normally a docile and placid animal, is protective of her calf, ensuring no harm can come its way and provides plenty of milk for a growing calf, although not so much that she milks herself into a poor state. Although small, Tuli calves are alert and vigorous right from the start. Early Maturing : Tuli heifers and bulls reach sexual maturity at a relatively early age. This is an important economic consideration as the early sexual maturity gives the Tuli advantages in the area of life-time production over later maturing breeds and helps to keep the cost of rearing replacements to a minimum. Conformation and Meat : In conformation, the Tuli is large-framed, rounded, and well-balanced, with emphasis on a strong back and well- fleshed hindquarter. The meat of the Tuli has relatively low levels of fat and is tender, juicy, palatable meat, with just sufficient fat to give a good marbling, with a minimum of bone in the cut. Tuli cattle have well developed muscle in the lion and hindquarters, from where the most expensive cuts of meat are obtained. It is generally a high yielding carcass and has, like all Sanga cattle, a high yield of high price cuts. High Fertility : The Tuli’s legendary fertility is the quality which first raised interest in the breed and continues to be, economically, its most important asset. High Fertility means more calves on the ground, whether the Tuli is bred straight or crossed. At the end of the day that is what really matters. Using a highly fertile breed, the number of animals which have to be fed and maintained through periods of stress, while producing no offspring is kept to a minimum. Heat Tolerance : The smooth coated, light coloured, but full pigment Tulis is well kitted out to survive and prosper in the hottest environment. The skin, which has brown pigmentation throughout, is lightly mottled, an unusual feature which indicates high blood circulation in the skin and is of exceptional importance in tropical animals. The light colours help to keep the animal cool, while full pigmentation means the cattle are protected from harmful ultra-violet rays. Colour : From the early days of the Tuli it was decided that progress in breeding would be slowed down if too many factors were selected for and it would be better to confine selection to a few economically important points. While the Tuli was bred for uniformity of conformation, uniformity of colours was felt to be desirable only if it could be achieved without loss of production. As a result, the modern Tuli is basically a red animal and as red is a recessive factor will always breed true, but in addition to the red factor, other factors are present in the Tuli that modify the red to yellow. The yellow may be further modified to become paler until eventually it is almost white, In a closed herd, the colour intensity will shift to the light side. Coats : Smooth coated animals like the Tuli have better developed sweat and subacious glands that furry coated animals and are free from the fine surly hair which forms a mat on the animals’ body preventing evaporation from the skin. This fact contributes to the Tuli’s ability to withstand heat without showing signs of stress. Instinctive Walkers : The Tuli has strong, clean, functional legs with hard, compact hooves. They are, of necessity, good walkers. Having developed in an environment plagued by periodic droughts, the Tuli developed the ability to search for food and water. Animals which were not good walkers would have had difficulty obtaining their maintained requirements and natural selection favored strong animals that moved easily. As a result, the modern Tuli is well adapted to semi arid conditions and can walk long distances for food and water. The specific characteristics/ attributes of both the Mashona and the Tuli:
The Tuli In Australia  A group of Tuli cross bulls It is anticipated that importing breeds would be used by the industry both as pure breeds and for crossing with the Brahman and Brahman based breeds. It is also likely that new synthetic breeds will be produced by some sections of the beef industry using the Borans and Tuli in combination with the existing Bos indicus and UK and European Bos Taurus breeds. Such crosses will find a role in the industry as straightbreds or rotational crossbreeding programs. |
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