It is, therefore, essential to the WoDaaBe’s
production strategy that functional behavioural
patterns are maintained within the herd.
Consequently, their breeding system focuses on
fostering social organization and interaction within
the herd. It encourages sharing of animals’ feeding
competence across the breeding network, and tries
to guarantee the genetic and “cultural” continuity of
successful cattle lineages within the network. These lineages have proved capable of prospering under the
WoDaaBe’s herd management system, and over a long
enough period to have included episodes of severe
stress. The breeding strategy focuses on ensuring the
reliability of the herd’s reproductive performance,
more than on maximizing individual performance in
specific traits.