_________________

A new report released by the Government on Thursday says there was a 26.9% increase in Uganda's cattle production in 2021.

The East African nation's cattle population is estimated at 14.5 million, an increase from 11.4 million reported in 2008.

The National Livestock Census 2021 report was launched by animal husbandry state minister Dr Bright Rwamirama and it indicated that indigenous cattle in Uganda constituted 77% while exotic/cross breed represented 23%.

The regional distribution of the total cattle population as per the findings show that the eastern and western regions had the highest number of cattle — estimated at 3.3 million cattle (23%).

(L-R) Chris Mukiza Executive Director UBOS, Albert Byamugisha Board Chairman UBOS and Bright Rwamirama State Minister for Animal Industry launching the National Livestock Census report. (Photo by Nancy Nanyonga)

The central region followed with three million cattle (20.8%) and the least number of cattle was recorded in the northern region.

But the report went further to offer a sub-regional analysis, which indicated that Karamoja sub-region had the highest number of cattle with 2.4 million (16.7%).

This was followed by Ankole with 1.8 million (12.4%) and Buganda North with 1.6 million (11.0%).

The least number of cattle were reported in Kigezi with 305,0000 cattle (2.1%) and Bukedi with 469,000 cattle (3.2%).

In terms of breed, the Ankole sub-region had the highest population of exotic-cross breed cattle population in Uganda with 1.1 million, contributing 32.6% of the total exotic/cross-breed Carter population in Uganda in 2021.

"This was followed by Buganda North with 741,000 (22.3%) and Buganda South with 633,000 (19%)," said the report. 

The sub-regions with the least population of exotic/cross-breed cattle were Bukedi, Acholi, Karamoja, Lango, and West Nile, with each contributing less than 0.5% of the total exotic/cross-breed cattle in 2021.

At district level, Kotido had 718,000 cattle, followed by Amudat with 677,000 cattle, Kaabong with 490,000 and Kiruhura with 402,000.

Milk production

According to the latest report, the total milk production in 2021 was estimated at 71.7 million litres per week, translating to an annual production of 3.7 billion litres compared to 667.5 million litres recorded in 2008.

"This was a five-fold increase in the milk production in the country, " said the report.

The highest percentage of milk production was in the western region (contributing 40%), followed by the central (34.3%) while the northern region had the least with 3.7% of the total milk production.

"Ankole produced the highest amount of milk estimated at 1.2 billion litres in 2021, followed by Buganda South with 668.3 million litres of milk and Buganda North with 610.5 million litres," said the report.

The least annual milk production was reported in the Acholi sub-region with 45.3 million litres.