Unless you have plenty of land with good grazing and adequate water, some good outbuildings, some experience with cattle, lots of time on your hands and serious commitment, it is not recommended that you keep cattle on a smallholding.
If you are determined to get a cow, you might consider looking for a southern African breed such as the Tuli.
Tuli cattle come from Zimbabwe, so they are naturally hardy and adaptable to local conditions. Because of natural selection over centuries, they show good resistance to both internal and external parasites.
They have a medium frame and the average weight for mature bulls ranges between 750 to 850kg, while that of mature cows ranges between 400 to 500kg. The colour is solid, ranging from white through shades of red, brown, mustard and yellow.
Tuli cows exhibit high fertility, good milk production and easy calving. The focus in the breeding of the bulls it has been growth, feed conversion and carcass quality.
Because the Tuli developed in relative isolation, they have a unique genetic make-up, which makes them particularly successful in cross breeding programs.
Southern Africa has four indigenous cattle breeds ~ the Afrikaner, Boran, Nguni and Tuli. Like the other indigenous breeds, the Tuli is eminently suited to extensive ranching systems. You can rely on its great ability to utilise even the worst quality grazing and still produce top quality meat.
The breed can be found flourishing in sandy, semi-desert areas of the Northern Cape; in hot heartwater bushveld areas as well as in the high rainfall, sour veld, high altitude of Mpumalanga; in KwaZulu-Natal where red water and gall sickness is rife; in the Drakensberg Mountains where snow falls regularly; on the extensive savannah grassland of the Free State; in the arid Karoo; and wide areas of the Eastern Cape.
The South African Tuli Cattle Breeders Society was formed in 1995.
