From 5.2 to 8.6 litres: How NAGRC is unlocking the Ankole's milk potential

KIRUHURA, UGANDA LIVESTOCK PRODUCTIVITY At Nshaara Conservation Ranch in Kiruhura District, a carefully managed breeding programme is producing measurable improvements in the milk output of Uganda's indigenous Ankole Longhorn cattle, with average daily productivity rising by more than 65 per cent in just two years. The programme, implemented by the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRCDB), is demonstrating how genetic selection, performance monitoring and improved animal nutrition can collectively enhance the productivity of indigenous cattle. When the initiative began approximately three years ago, the objective was to identify Ankole cows with naturally superior milk-producing