A Boran bull dubbed QT 12-3 TARZAN with a combination of Zambian and Kenyan genetics has set a new record after being bid for a whopping record of 12 million Kenyan shillings at the national Boran sale. The price is one of a kind of its breed making a new record in South Africa surpassing previous records.
First lady Margaret Kenyatta, at a Nairobi International trade fair, acquired a champion bull from Kenya Seed Company aged 2years for Ksh 670,000 weighing 650kgs where president Uhuru Kenyatta also acquired a born bull weighing 560kgs for ksh380,000. Others bulls that had previously been acquired had prices of Ksh 280,000, ksh 600,000 weighing 1050kg, Ksh 750,000 and another that Kenyatta captured headlines in 2015 when he acquired a Boran bull for ksh1.1 million in a bid. He had also beaten former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero in the bid where he (Kidero) also acquired himself one priced at Ksh 950,000 for second place. The president though went ahead to donate the bull to the Nairobi area police which was named ‘The Champion’.
Its is seen like professional breeders make a huge amount of money where even semen from highly ranked Boran bulls go up to Ksh 1,500.
Boran bulls are massive in size and can weigh from 600-800 kg but the usual size is weighed at 400kg. They have a long life span and have the ability to withstand long periods of water shortages and feeds, walk for long distance in search of pasture and water and can also diest low quality feeds.
Also, a company in Eldoret has introduced a new breed called Danshot from the Netherlands with sexed semen and can sire a heifer with which can yield up to 57 litres of milk at the second period of lactation. It also has a high growth rate being ready to serve at 15 to 16 months.
