Oromia is believed to have one of the largest livestock herd in the world, and is the largest in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated cattle population of more than 30 million. The Oromo culture of sustainable animal husbandry is credited for this large livestock herd. Out of the many varieties of cattle breeds present in Oromia, the Sanga (scientific name: Bos taurus africanus) is the best known around the world. The word Sanga has also become the Oromo lexicon used to describe the cattle breed in many languages around the world.
The Sanga, with its distinctive horn and hump, has become “the base stock of many of the indigenous African breeds.” According to UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Sanga breeds of the Oromo spread to southern and western Africa from East Africa (the Horn of Africa) – the time is believed to be around 1600 B.C. The are numerous studies including UN-FAO publication that actually takes Oromia in the Horn of Africa as the the hub, where many of the cattle breeds in Africa originated from.
The Edinburgh Gazetter (Geographical Dictionary), a publication based then in London, says in its 1822 edition:
“The Oromo subsist chiefly upon their cattle, some of which are distinguished by horns of extraordinary magnitude, extending even to four feet in length..."
Even today, the Sanga in particular, and cattle in general, are revered in the Oromo country from Borana in the south to Raya in the north.
The reason Why The Noble Oromo highly revere and admire Cows and cattle husbendary is summarised in the following saying and song which is taught to all children:
" The cows give us milk, from which we get butter, skimmed milk, cheese,whey, hide to sleep on ( ITILEE), and besides the bulls help us by ploughing the farm lands."
THE COW CAME THROUGH THE GATE,
HER CALF CAME AFTER, A LITTLE LATE,
NO LONGER TO BE LED.
THE CALF WENT ON AHEAD,
FRIENDLY COW RED OR WHITE,
I LOVE WITH ALL MY HEART,
SHE GIVES US THE MILK,
WHICH OROMOS LIKE TO DRINK.
