Data on the use of traditional husbandry systems in nine Borgou herds in northeast Benin are provided in this article. Five transhumant and four non-transhumant herds were studied over a period of five years.
This study describes the results obtained from the analysis of the inventory, structure and productivity of the herds. It appeared that the calving rate was 65.4 percent, the average age at first calving was 43 months ± 16 days and the average calving interval was 16 months ± 3 days. The total mortality rate was 7.5 percent, with the mortality rate of adult animals being 3.1 percent. Calves, on the other hand, had a high mortality rate of 23.1 percent. The offtake was about 11.8 percent, while the increase in herd size was 3.9 percent. Comparison of the two livestock production systems, transhumant and non-transhumant, revealed significant differences in mortality and offtake rates.
Borgou cattle are well adapted to their environment and their performance is similar to that of other trypanotolerant breeds living under the same traditional conditions. The productivity index was calculated as being 27.4 kg.
