Mpwapwa

Cattle

Mpwapwa is a composite breed out of local and indo-Pakistani zebu cattle in Tanzania developed since 1940. The breed was developed from the original concept of an Indo-African breed by Dr. H.G. Hutchison who first crossed the local Tanganyika Zebu cows with Red Sindhi and Sahiwal bulls imported from Kenya and called the cross `Indo-African'. Crossing started in 1940s whereas breeding programme in 1958. Later, some Bos taurus blood (Ayrshire and Jersey) was introduced and later still Boran cattle were incorporated so that by mid-1960s at Mpwapwa Livestock Breeding Station, the breed contained approximately 20% Tanganyika Zebu, 10% Boran, 5% Ankole, 55% Red Sindhi and Sahiwal and 10% Ayrshire (Getz et al. 1986). ref: agtr.ilri.org