The Sentimental Value of Cows

The Sentimental Value of Cows to the Bahima

Loss of cattle to a Munyankore is not just an economical loss; cattle have great sentimental value to the Banyankore -Bahima people. Being one, I realised this while growing up.

Let me first talk about the economic loss. Say, a leopard killed a calf, and this happened many times at our farm. The lost value depends on size and sex, but one calf, although they're rarely sold calves, can range from Ugx 50,000- 250,000 (USD 30-100). This is in a country where average income is Ugx 540,000 (USD 300) per year, so the loss is quite significant. The price of cattle also depends on size and sex, but it is on higher side. One cow can range from Ugx 270,000 – 500,000 (USD 150 - 280). This is the price for the endemic Ankole cattle. Other breeds such as Sahiwal (dual milk-meat breed) or Boran (beef) is much more expensive, where one bull costs up to Ugx 1500,000 (USD 800) and most cattle farmers buy the Sahiwal and Boran from the Eats African region (adding transport cost). Cattle is an asset in this community.

How about the sentimental value of cattle? It is hard for any one anywhere to fully understand the banyankore sentiment towards their cattle. Maybe comparing cattle to another commodity might allow you to understand better. The closest thing I can compare a bull to is a luxury automobile, something like Ferrari. Banyankore men are very proud of their prized bulls. When one buys a bull, especially a long horned big Ankole bull, Sahiwal or Boran for modern ones, he can even stop you on the road and asks you to come take a look at his new bull. He will walk around his bull and explain to you that his bull has got a nice horn shape, good configuration, how heavy it is, where and how much he spent purchasing this bull. He meticulously dips or sprays his prized bull, deworms it, at all cost.
The man may not willingly give food allowance to his family (unless too much to wives’ complaints), but he would not have second thoughts when he buys drugs for his bull. In the morning, a man might spend time staring at his bull before it goes out to herding, appreciating every aspect of his amazing bull. Simply staring at his prized bull brings joy in the man’s heart. He feels like showing off his bull to the entire community, even to a muzungu (white) vet.
When his prized bull gets killed by wild carnivore or some disease, a feeling of devastation and anger is equivalent to that of having your new Ferrari smashed when you night parked it in the city... story under construction