Caribbean Farm Animal Breeds

Farm Animal Breeds in the Caribbean

• Several animal classes and breeds are common in the Caribbean.
• Cattle breeds include dairy breeds like Jersey, Jamaica Hope, and Holstein, and beef breeds like Jamaica Black, Charolais, Zebu, and Buffalypso.
• Pig breeds include Landrace, Large White, Duroc, and Hampshire.
• Goat breeds include British Alpine, Anglo Nubian, Saanen, and Toggenburg.
• Sheep breeds include Barbados Black Belly and Blackhead Persian.
• Rabbit breeds include Flemish Giant, New Zealand White, and New Zealand Red.
• Poultry breeds include White Leghorn, Rhode Island Red, and Bevan Brown.

Breed Development

• Many breeds are brought from other parts of the world.
• Selection criteria prioritize meat quality, product yield, climate tolerance, and disease resistance.
• Cross-breeding is used to develop new breeds suitable for Caribbean conditions.
• The Jamaica Hope cattle breed is an example of cross-breeding, combining Zebu and Jersey cattle. These are resistant to some diseases and are good milk producers.
• Similarly, Jamaica Red and Jamaica Black cattle breeds were developed for meat production using Aberdeen Angus cattle.
• Buffalypso is another example from Trinidad and Tobago, developed from various river buffaloes for high quality meat.
• Barbados Black Belly sheep are adapted for the Caribbean climate and produce meat from coarse hair.

Farm Animal Uses

• Farm animals provide food (milk, meat, eggs).
• They supply power for various tasks, like ploughing (using bullocks, buffaloes, mules).
• They furnish raw materials like dung for fertilizer, skins for leather and pelts, wool for carpets/cloth.
• Farm animals contribute to employment, farm income, recreation, and agricultural research.

Common Species of Fish and Bees

• Aquaculture in the Caribbean involves the cultivation of aquatic plants and animals in special areas (freshwater, brackish, seawater).
• Common species include Tilapia, shrimp, cascadura, black conches, ornamental fish, prawns, oysters, tilapia, shrimp, lobsters, and turtles.
• Bees are farmed for honey, wax, and crop pollination.
• The Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is the most common farmed bee species.
• Other bees like Carpenter bees (Xylocopa mordax) are beneficial pollinators for various crops.
• Africanized honey bees (AHBs), though defensive, may produce more honey compared to other honeybee varieties.