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ABSTRACT: Compared to the total water use in livestock production systems, water for livestock drinking is small in amount but is an important requirement for health and productivity of animals. This study was carried out to assess constraints and challenges of meeting drinking water requirements of livestock in rural mixed smallholder crop-livestock farming districts in the Ethiopian Rift Valley area. Data was collected by individual interviews with randomly selected respondents and farmer group discussions. Farmers ranked feed and water scarcity as the two most important constraints for livestock husbandry, although the ranking order differed between districts and villages. Poor quality water was a concern for the communities in proximity to urban settlements or industrial establishments. Water provision for livestock was challenging during the dry season, since alternative water sources dried up or were polluted. Though rainwater harvesting by dugout constructions was practiced to cope with water scarcity, farmers indicated that mismanagement of the harvested water was posing health risks on both livestock and people. A sustainable water provision for livestock in the area, thus, depends on use of different water sources (intermittent or perennial) that should be properly managed. Industrial establishments should adopt an environment-friendly production to minimize pollution of water resources used for livestock consumption. Technical support to farmers is required in proper design and use of existing rainwater harvesting systems. Further investigations are recommended on effect of poor quality water (perceived by farmers) on performance of livestock.
Tropical Animal Health and Production 03/2013; · 1.12 Impact Factor
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Archiv fur Tierzucht 01/2012; 55(4):402-414. · 0.42 Impact Factor
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Archiv fur Tierzucht 01/2012; 55(6):590-602. · 0.42 Impact Factor
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Archiv fur Tierzucht 01/2012; 55(5):519-531. · 0.42 Impact Factor
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The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 01/2011; 17(1):85-98.
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ABSTRACT: This study evaluates the household income contribution and the profitability of traditional small ruminant enterprises in two mixed-farming systems of southern Ethiopia (viz. Adilo and Kofele). Small ruminant production is an integral part of mixed systems in the Ethiopian highlands. The assessment of the current economic performance of small ruminants indicates production-related opportunities and constraints and provides baseline data against which the success of future interventions can be measured. Detailed information on economic parameters was gathered through a 1-year period of flock and household monitoring (155 households) between September 2005 and August 2006. Structured surveys were conducted with the participating households to elicit information on income-expense details of small ruminant and other agricultural enterprises. Small ruminants contributed considerably to cash income and to a limited extent to human nutrition especially when other sources were in short supply. The annual profit per animal ranged from 20 to 37 Ethiopian Birr. The return to capital was 17% in Kofele and 29% in Adilo, with both values vastly exceeding the national interest rate. The sale of small ruminants contributed to 39% and 23% of total farm cash income among small ruminant keepers in Adilo and Kofele, respectively. Sale prices are highest before holidays. Researches should target at how to use available feed resources in a timely and cost-effective fashion to make use of the seasonal market opportunities.
Tropical Animal Health and Production 10/2010; 42(7):1531-9. · 1.12 Impact Factor
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Livestock Science 01/2010; 129:63-72. · 1.51 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Introduction Due to unfavourable agricultural production conditions and land scarcity in the uplands area of Northern Vietnam, livestock husbandry in general and pig husbandry in particular appear as an important opportunity to sustain livelihoods for smallholder farmers. Widely varying management practices of small-scale pig producers are leading to different levels of pig performances. With increasing utilization of improved local as well as exotic breeds accompanied by improved husbandry management practices, smallholders increasingly rely on external inputs (Rodriguez and Preston, 1997). Due to the uncertainty of future resource availability and competing demand for cereals between humans and livestock, the use of local fodder resources and management practices adapted to the specific small-scale farm production conditions are necessary to optimize resource utilization. The aim of the present study was to determine the seasonal availability, utilization and constraints of local fodder resources in the pig feeding management in different production systems from the smallholders' point of view. Material and methods The seasonal availability of fodder resources and their utilisation were evaluated applying a seasonal calendar (e.g. see Groeneweg et al., 2006). Data were collected by group discussions in nine villages belonging to three production systems of different production intensity, remoteness and ethnicity, i.e. a demand-driven system, a system in transition and a resource-driven system. In a first step farmer groups determined the seasons of one farming year. Secondly, all fodder resources used in feed rations for pigs were listed and subsequently scored according to their seasonal importance on a scale from one (not used) to four (high importance). The importance of fodder components per system and season was compared on basis of an index (e.g. see Takyi, 2008). Indices for single fodder components per village and season were calculated by dividing the assigned scores by the sum of scores (multiplied by 100 per village and season).
11/2009;
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Livestock Science 01/2009; 123:241-248. · 1.51 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Livestock form key components of the livelihood strategies of many of the world's poorest people. However, despite the potential to alleviate poverty and improve food security through livestock development interventions, the lack of smallholders' participation in the planning and design of breeding programs has often been a major cause of the failure of such programs. Particularly in developing countries where livestock production is still mostly subsistence-oriented and livestock fulfil manifold functions a considerable number of livestock breeding programs have failed. The development of adequate tools to characterise these functions, bearing in mind that these are expressed only rarely in properly functioning markets, is therefore important. This paper seeks to advance the application of such methodologies to the smallholder pig sector in Vietnam. A choice experiment was applied across 140 households involved in pig breeding in order to assess farmers' preferences and the trade-offs for a list of adaptive and productive traits. These included growth, reproduction, disease resistance, feed requirements and appearance. The findings indicate that smallholders highly value both adaptive and performance traits, particularly in resource-driven (i.e. subsistence) production systems. Performance traits were more highly valued in the demand-driven (i.e. market-oriented) systems. These findings have implications for breeding program breed choice and breeding objectives.
Ecological Economics 02/2008; 66(1):184-192. · 2.71 Impact Factor
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CAB Reviews Perspectives in Agriculture Veterinary Science Nutrition and Natural Resources 01/2008;
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01/2005; Grauer Verlag, Stuttgart, Beuren, Germany.
