Have you ever investigated your family tree to see just how far back
in history you can go? It is a very fascinating adventure, and
very satisfying when you discover you can go back 200 years or
so to identify ancestors. What if you could trace your roots
back to about 4,000 years ago? The Tuli breed of cattle can do
In order to simplify things, we can say
that there are two types of cattle in Africa. Humped and no
hump. About 5.000 years before Christ the no hump cattle were
known to have been bred in Egypt. About 2,000 B.C. the humped
breed was imported from Asia into East Africa. Apparently
this strange breed adapted very well to this new harsh environment.
The ancestors of these cattle were eventually moved by the
Bantu tribe into Zimbabwe. This hardy breed of bovines were
driven down by migrant nomadic tribes as they sought new pastures
for their herds. These were long horned cattle for the most
part and were the dominant breed in Zimbabwe before the beginning
of the 20th century.
There occurred during these years a herd
culling process that would get rid of animals with undesirable
traits, such as poor breeding habits and undesirable aggression.
This also was a time when these cattle began to develop a
natural immunity to parasitic diseases and to become tolerant
to heat in order to survive the tough surroundings they were
In 1 942, due to the good eye and persistence
of a cattleman, the development of the Tuli breed was given
a quantum leap forward. Mr Len Harvey had noticed what appeared
to be a distinct type of Sanga cattle among the mixed breeds
of stock. Their adaptability to local conditions seemed to
always be superior to the rest of the cattle. Mr. Harvey brought
this to the attention of the department of Native Agriculture
and persuaded them to begin a study to see if these cattle
could be improved upon, and also to see if they would breed
true to their type.
The efforts of Mr. Harvey led to a special
area being set aside near Gwanda for the establishment of
a breeding station in 1945. This would be the beginning of
what would result in being the Tuli breed. Len Harvey was
appointed the Officer in Charge of the breeding station in
In 1961 the breed society was formed named
the Tuli Cattle Society.
Mr. Harvey was recognized for his significant
contributions, and in 1962 was appointed a member of the Most
Excellent Order of the British Empire as a direct result of
his work with the Tuli breed.
The natural traits of this breed (high fertility,
hardiness, resistance to ticks, adaptability, docility and
excellent carcass scoring) have made the Tuli a natural choice
for many of the top breeders, not in Zimbabwe, but also in
other parts of the world.
In the late 1960's South African breeders
were making inquires about introducing Tuli's into their country.
There was a reluctance on the part of Zimbabwe to do so, reasoning
that it would simply be giving a good thing to a rival in
the beef industry. However, in 1977, Dr. T.S. Kellerman and
Mr. J.J. Bornmann acquired 30 heifers and 3 bulls from the
Tuli Breeding Station located in Gwanda, thus launching the
Tuli into South Africa.
The breed was promoted in South Africa by
publishing articles, holding field days, giving judging courses,
and exhibiting at shows. They have now become a familiar sight
at most shows in the country. The first time they were exhibited
at the Warmbaths' Show in 1981 by Mr. Bornmann, his bull,
Sigidi, was judged Champion Beef Bull of the show. Not a bad
beginning for a breed new to the country!
It is interesting to note that in 1985 Mr.
Bornmann received the Farmer's Weekly prize from the Minister
of Agriculture at the Pretoria Show. The winning cow was C
922. She was recognized for outstanding achievement in Phase "A" of
the National Beef performance Testing Scheme. She has a calving
interval of 306 days after 8 successive calves and a weaning
index of 106. She was one of only 20 Tuli cows in the national
The demand for Tuli genetics was still exceeding
the supply in South Africa by as late as the 1920's.
Several Australian cattlemen in conjunction
with the Belmont Research Station, formed a group with the
intention of importing Tuli into their country in 1987. This
was accomplished in 1989 when Tuli embryos were imported and
implanted into recipients at the Australian quarantine facility.
Once the progeny were released, they were sent to research
facilities for further study. These studies conclude, among
other things, that the Tuli is a breed that:
- is early maturing, a medium sized pure
African Sanga with excellent beef confirmation and particularly
well developed rear quarters.
- exhibits environmental adaptability equal
to the Zebu breeds, equally well adapted to arid and tropical
areas. This was measured by heat and humidity tolerance,
tick and parasite resistance, and ability to locate forage
and water under harsh conditions.
- females with high fertility, excellent
teat and udder conformation, good milk production and are
easy calvers. Males have early sexual maturity and high
- exhibits a quiet, docile temperament,
easy to handle and manage.
- has a high quality and yield carcass.
It is little wonder that the Tuli breed is creating such
an interest in North and South America. In 1991 Tuli semen
was imported into the United States for research by a number
of universities and branches of the United States Department
of Agriculture. The result of nearly four years of testing
in the states has created the current surge of interest
among beef producers The possibilities of the impact this
unique breed can have on cross breeds in the Americas is
becoming more and more evident. A true Bos Taurus breed with the
better qualities of the Bos Indicus already present. Imagine what
the future may hold for the descendants of this family tree!