Africa-Press – Uganda. A total of 100 clerics in Teso Sub-region have received Boran bulls for the improvement of cattle breeds in their communities.
The animals were given to the religious leaders through their umbrella body Interreligious Council Uganda under government’s Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) programme in Soroti City last weekend.
Col Abel Ekellot, the OWC regional coordinator, said the consignment was a fulfillment of the presidential pledge to the clerics in the districts of Kumi, Soroti, Kaberamaido, Katakwi, and Amuria.
“Each of the five beneficiary districts will get 20 Boran bulls for the religious leaders to improve the quality of animals among cattle keepers in the region,” Mr Ekellot said.
Teso Sub-region is known for keeping the Zebu indigenous breeds of cattle, which are generally small in size and take long to mature.
The Soroti City information officer, Mr Abraham Ekwaru, explained that the Boran bulls are expected to cross-breed with the Zebu cows to produce high quality offspring.
He said the Boran breed of cattle grow faster and bigger than the Zebu cows, which enables them to attract better market because of their high quality beef.
He explained that a mature Zebu of about five years sells at between Shs700,000 and Shs1.5m, while a mature Boran of about two years can fetch the farmer about Shs2.5 million and above.
The Soroti Resident District Commissioner, Mr Patrick Okumu, commended the government for its efforts towards the improvement of the agricultural sector in the sub-region.
He cautioned the beneficiaries against mismanaging animals.
The chairperson of Soroti District Interfaith Committee, who represented the National Alliance of Pentecostal and Evangelistic Churches Uganda Bishop Justine Edweu, said he was grateful to the government and the Interreligious Council of Uganda for their effort to improve cattle breeds.
“We are so grateful and we appreciate the efforts of the government. This is a commitment to ensuring that we improve the quality of animals in our kraals,” Bishop Edweu said.
