There are several dairy breeds in the world, Uganda inclusive. However, the leading milk producer is the Friesian. The Friesian comes in two colours. It is either white and black or white and brown. There are many Friesian cows in Uganda.
However, before you make a selection you need to look at the parentage of the particular cow you are buying. For example, if the mother used to produce more than 10 litres per day, then that is good.
By Ugandan standards, its average milk production rotates around 3,825 litres per lactation period (350 days). However, in countries like the Netherlands, milk production per cow is about 10,000 litres for the same lactation period. But then, compared to other dairy breeds, the Friesian requires maximum care to give you the milk.
The second highest milk producer is the Ayrshire. This mainly comes in deep cherry brown colour. It is a good grazer.
Average production in Uganda is around 3,375 litres per lactation period, which is lower than the Friesian by nearly 500 litres. However, these are not so common in Uganda.
The third best milk producer is the Guernsey. It is brown, with white markings and produces on average 3,150 litres per lactation period. It is reputed for producing milk that is more concentrated than that of the top two. The fourth is the Jersey.
This is mainly brown and produces about 2,970 litres of milk per lactation period. Compared to the other breeds, the Jersey is tougher and adapts to hot climate faster. It eats less than the other breeds and produces the most concentrated milk.
In fact, Jersey milk is highly recommended for making cheese, ghee or yoghurt. However, as indicated earlier, it is important to find out the entire history of the cow before taking it to your farm.
