URE rk bull & popular “A bull which costs one hundred and fifty thousand Naira, can be sold for two hundred and fifty thousand Naira, all within an eight week period.
Shanun Huda, because they are used for milk, farm and house work. Farm work includes things like harrowing and ploughing. “He adds that bulls are trained by first putting the wood support on their necks which is known as Galma. This is done for some weeks until the animal becomes used to the wood support. At this point the cart known as Amalanken Shanu, is placed alongside a little load for the bulls to move around with. Then it is trained to convey manure, sand, feed and farm produce.
Red Bororo
The red Bororo is vital to local agricultural practices and there are countless farms in the vicinity of the famous town. Red Bororo is also useful for harrowing,ploughing, conveying of manure, as well as a means of transport, and it has flourished and still remains a popular choice for many, in spite of modern systems of farming, transport and even the pressure of modern ways. One clear reason is the fact that using the bull on the farm is cheap, for renting the bull for ploughing or to convey manure, is cheaper than hiring a tractor, and so many of the locals readily turn to it. In some places, especially across the border in Niger republic, bulls are used to convey a brides property to the house of her husband. Dr. Abdulkadir tells me that red Bororo has stamina and can trek long distances, and that this explains its gifts as a work bull in many parts of northern Nigeria. He explains that it is noted for the production of meat, rather than milk, a fact which is contradicted by my contacts at Daura, who opine that through red Bororo, Daura produces the best milk in the whole of Katsina State.
Popular
But then, what explains the popularity of the bull? Sule explains “All the activities relating to the bull are traditions inherited from our forefathers. These traditions ease our farm activities,and we use them to reach our targets, for instance, in the rainy season by quickly harrowing the farms, without delays from the private owners.” He explains that when the work bulls have finished their work, they are sold in the market. Another set of bulls are then bought, and these will be traded off after a three year cycle. He adds that the use of bulls will still be common in the Daura area a hundred years from now. Daily Trust gathers that a brand new cart which can last twenty years, costs fifty thousand Naira, and most of them are manufactured in Daura.
He reasons “Some prefer to use the bulls because they believe in them both culturally and traditionally. Culturally, we have a lot of affinity for keeping animals, because we can use animals for many things. The residue that accumulates after harvest, such as the stalk and chaff, can be fed to the animals. Anytime you wish to sell them, you can easily do this in the market. Most of the farms are in the villages, and there are no access roads