Watching Fulani herdsmen toil day in day out in the fields, You wonder what there is in cattle rearing that some people spend 80% of their lifetime in the bush.  They thrive night and day to see that calves are raised to cows. The answer to this curiosity is found in the butcher places, and most of all in the foods we eat. Man as a meat eating creature has sought to satisfy this need in so many ways. One of them is through cattle rearing.

As the world’s population keeps growing, many more are being born with the sense of eating meat, maximizing the need for meat. It doesn’t stop at this. Human body does not need meat alone to develop, it also needs milk. Therefore 80% of the milk we consume comes from cows. Now you can see that these needs are worth the efforts that the Fulani’s exert.

In Nigeria, cattle rearing is considered a career for the Fulanis, and it is. This is because it is their hereditary means of livelihood, and their joy lies in making it last, going from one village to the other looking for pastures for their herds.

They have had settlements in places where the savannah is really green. The objective is to raise healthy giant cows to sell. However, not only adult cows are sold, calves are also sold to individuals who are interested in cattle rearing. The calves are relatively cheap, and most of the people who buy don’t raise them themselves.

The task of rearing cattle on your own is imaginably overwhelming, considering the protocols. Barns take maximum space, feeding and care takes time and a lot of money. Although cows grow faster and fatter when fed grains, there are other minerals, protein and vitamins they need, and can only get from green pasture. Therefore buy the calves and work the rearing out with the rearers. All things considered, you are expected to pay a certain amount of money occasionally to your rearer for the upkeep. 

 You as a rearer 

Your job doesn’t end on paying your dues to your rearer, you are a rearer too. Nobody will take care of your belonging more than yourself. Therefore you have a responsibility to make sure that your herd is fine. Check time after time, see to the problems that may arise. Remember that how much you make depends on how  good your cattle looks.

It takes two to three years for a calf to grow to  adulthood, it all depends on how well it was fed and cared for.  During this period a waiting attitude is required of everyone involved. You should wait to see how the first herd goes before you think of buying more.

Adult cows are sold from N100,000 to 400,000 depending on their size, and that’s when you reap the fruit of your labour. Put all expenses of rearing together to see how much you’ve made, that will give you the answer to the question of “should  I continue?.” I believe the answer you will find is yes.