I see mentions online of bride price among Masai or Dinka that amount to tens of cattle, which sounds surprisingly expensive. Is the type of cattle they have over there in East Africa significantly cheaper than the one we have in the West? What are comparative advantages and disadvantages of their cattle vs ours?
how does East African cattle compare with Western? what should be inferred from cattle bride prices?
One source I read said that a typical Masai herd is about 50 head, so 10 is indeed a lot. Think of paying 20% of your net worth for a mate.
As to whether East African cattle are cheaper than Western cattle, both are worth what the market will bear. A healthy, sound animal is worth more than an old or ailing animal.
Masai cattle are raised for both milk and meat, which means they’re versatile and suited to the arid conditions in which they typically live.
Western cattle tend to be raised for milk or meat, but rarely both. Specialization means higher “yield” per animal, but also higher expense than East African cattle in terms of feed, care, etc.
based on what freckafree said, could somebody please explain what does it mean for cattle to be suited (or not suited) for arid conditions? E.g. suppose the land is arid, but we supply the animals sufficient water from a well or similar - would that allow Western cattle to function normally? Or are there factors other than the availability of drinking water that determine whether a particular breed can handle the particular degree of aridity in the area?
Heat through:
Coat. You don’t see many Scottish Highland cattle in the tropics
Colour. Similarly you don’t see many Angus (black)
Bos indicus breeds have a hump and droopy ears that confer some genetic advantage over the Bos taurus breeds.
Resistance and/or tolerance of insects, mosquitos and parasites.
Tropical diseases that endigenous animals may have resistance to
General thrift. In the Masai the animals that breed are the animals that survive. In the West the animals that breed are selected on confirmation.
The B. taurus breeds do adapt over time. Hybrids probably dominate beef production in the tropics.
I’d argue that the typical Maasai herdsman’s animals are a lot more valuable than the typical North American, in terms of the actual animals, as opposed to breeds.
Most North American cattle are sick.
Yes, bride prices are serious “money.”
In Cameroon, I think cows were commonly worth about $400.
There were significant populations, especially among the Fulbe nomadic herders, who had huge herds- sometimes numbering into the thousands. Not everyone in Africa is poor. Nor does everyone with resources choose to spend it in the ways that we do. In Fulbe culture, nothing makes someone richer than having a lot of cows.
In modern times, these cultural differences can cause problems. Because the Fulbe herders operate on the cattle market using huge sums of money and generally do not have bank accounts (or permanent homes, for that matter) they have become especially vulnerable to crime. Road banditry on cattle markets days and kidnapping have become common- and the ransoms are not child’s play…usually they are around $10,000 USD, which more often than not these nomads can cough up.
I think the best way to regard livestock in Africa is like real estate. While it may seem like herders are sitting on a pile of money, these assets are not something you are really going to just sell so you can live it up. Your herd is your guarantee for your future and your family’s future.
It may reflect the high price of cattle. It may also reflect on the low “price” or status accorded the brides.
Water plays almost no role at all. Although the indicus breeds can survive for longer on limited water, no breed will thrive unless it has unlimited water.
The tropical breeds have an advantage in the tropics for several reasons. They are more resistant to tropical parasites such as buffalo fly and cattle tick. They travel far further in a day, meaning that they can graze far from water, which tends to be sparse in the tropics. They are much more prone to browsing woody vegetation, which in thos parts of the tropics used for cattle grazing is usually the only source of protein for 8 months of the year. Their gut is better able to cope with low quality, dry forage.
Colour plays approximtely no role at all.
One of the most common breeds of beef cattle in the tropics is the Brangus, a Brahmin x Angus hybrid. And yes, most are just as black as the Angus. They thrive. Black is also a common cot colour for the indigenous Indian herds. And of course water buffalo and cape buffalo both have black coats and are the epitome of tropical bovines.
The hump is restricted to the mature bulls. It’s a block of muscle used to support the neck when fighting. It’s not fat like a camel’s hump and doesn’t aid at all in surviving in the tropics.
Not anywhere that I’ve ever heard of. Cattle are bred for beef production. While show cattle are judged to some degree on appearance, that appearance is itself based in large art on the meat production. The single biggest factor has always been meat production.