Background
In 1990 ILRI decided to investigate the
degree of resistance exhibited by this breed and initiated a study at Diani
Estate of the Baobab Farms, 20 km south of Mombasa in the sub-humid coastal
region of Kenya.
To do so, a susceptible breed, the Dorper, originally from
South Africa, was chosen to provide a direct comparison with the Red Maasai. The
Dorper breed was developed in South Africa in the 1940s by interbreeding the
Dorset Horn and Black Head Persian breeds. The Dorper is particularly well
adapted to harsh, arid conditions and was imported into Kenya in the 1960s. This
breed is also larger than the Red Maasai, and this makes these sheep attractive to
farmers.
|
|
|