Performance and challenges in the management of improved cattle in agro-pastoral systems of Central Tanzania

D M Komwihangilo, J I Mkonyi, D F Masao, E Moto, A M O Mahiza and V Mnzava

National Livestock Research Institute Mpwapwa, P.O. Box 202, Mpwapwa, Tanzania
dkomwihangilo2001@yahoo.com

Abstract

A study was conducted in Chipogoro and Mtumba villages in order to evaluate the performance of Mpwapwa cattle introduced in respective villages in 1999/2000.  Farmers were interviewed in groups or individually using a checklist and a structured questionnaire. Participant observations and review of performance records were also used.

Results indicated that crossbred cows of Mpwapwa and Tanzania Shorthorn zebu (TSZ) (MPWxTSZ) produced up to four litres of milk per day under free grazing conditions in Chipogoro village as compared to one litre of milk per day of the pure TSZ cows. Similarly, the Mpwapwa cows kept under zero grazing conditions in Mtumba village produced up to six litres of milk per cow per day. Calf birth-weights of crossbred (MPWxTSZ) varied from 15 to 20kg compared to birth-weights of 10 to 15kg of the traditional TSZ. The average price of milk per litre per day was TSh. 300 (about US $ 0.3). The price of live TSZ cattle varied from TSh. 75,000 (about US $ 75) to 150,000 (about US $ 150) per head under good marketing season though that of MPWxTSZ varied from Tsh. 250,000 (about US $ 250) to 300,000 (about US $ 300). However, agro-pastoralists were not only challenged by inadequacies in quantities and qualities of pasture and incidences of tick borne and other diseases such as ECF and CBPP but also with inadequate extension services.

Key words: market price, Mpwapwa cattle, pasture, TSZ

Introduction

The multiple roles of Tanzania Shorthorn Zebu (TSZ) and other indigenous livestock breeds is significantly acknowledged in different farming systems of East Africa including the agro-pastoral systems of semi-arid Central Tanzania. Their contribution to household food security and income as well as their social roles is well known. However, improvement of their productivity through crossbreeding, improved health and nutritional management are also concerns of many livestock development plans through national and international programmes (Bwire et al 2005).

The National Livestock research Institute (NLRI) Mpwapwa initiated a project of improving performance of TSZ in Chipogoro and Mtumba villages through the open nucleus breeding system in the year 1999/2000. The villages were selected following Participatory Rural Appraisal sessions held in several villages to identify priority areas of intervention and farmers willingness on improved livestock management. The general objective of the project was to improve beef and milk production, thereby improve income and food security among agro-pastoral households. In order to achieve this objective, Mpwapwa bulls (a synthetic breed) were introduced to the villages. Training on proper husbandry practices that include proper feeding and disease management were given to participating farmers. This paper highlights on the performance of the introduced animals and farmers’ attitude on the improved cattle husbandry following an assessment made six years after the initiation of the project.

Materials and methods

The study on assessment of performance and socio-economic impact of Mpwapwa cattle introduced in Chipogoro and Mtumba villages was carried out between November and December, 2006. Discussions were held with individual farmers and in groups with the aid of structured questionnaires and checklists respectively. A total of 75 farmers were involved both in household and focus group discussions whereby 36 and 14 farmers were individually reached in household interviews in Chipogoro and Mtumba villages respectively. Discussions that centred on farmers views on on-farm performance of Mpwapwa cattle and their crosses including benefits accrued from keeping these animals as compared to the traditional TSZ cattle. Quantitative data such as those collected through formal interviews were entered into computers using appropriate software (SPSS Computer Package and Microsoft Excel) and appropriate approaches of analyses undertaken. Most of the analyses were limited to descriptive statistics whereby means, frequencies and percentages dominate the results. Most of the qualitative data collected during focus group sessions were instantly analyzed using the respective tools of collection (e.g. scoring and observation). However, these are presented following some editing and reorganization.

Results 

Socio-economic characteristics of farmers in the surveyed villages are presented in Table 1.

All the respondents had been living in the respective villages for the past six years. Eighty percent of the respondents (N= 50) had primary school education, 8% had attained secondary education and 12% had no formal education. Except for the seminars that had been conducted in the villages by researchers after the introduction of the animals in the areas, only 14% of the respondents (n = 7) had undergone any other training on livestock husbandry. However, 20% of the respondent had an opportunity to attend field days organized outside their areas including attending the Annual National Agricultural Shows conducted at different administrative levels in August (Nane nane). This has serious implications in facing the challenges in agriculture including managing Mpwapwa cattle and other livestock species.

Production and reproduction characteristics of cattle

Crossbred cattle (Mpwapwa x TSZ) were found to have higher genetic potential than the indigenous Tanzania Shorthorn Zebu (TSZ) as shown in Table 2.

Despite being reared under some stressful environments with hardly supplementary energy and protein feeds (Table 5), the crosses (Mpwawa x TSZ) produced up to four litres of milk per day which was about four times compared to the traditional TSZ. However, milk production for the zero grazed cattle at Mtumba village was up to six times as compared to the TSZ. Generally, the introduction of Mpwapwa cattle in the villages showed an increase in lactation yield, a considerable increase in lactation length and shortening of calving interval including a reduced age at first calving. These findings are comparable with previous observation on TSZ and Mpwapwa crosses TSZ in Berege village in Central Tanzania (Rushalaza and Kasonta, 1993). 

Although local TSZ cattle are still dominant in the area (Table 3), there was a gradual increase in the number of Mpwapwa X TSZ crosses due to presence of Mpwapwa cattle in the villages.

However, there was a low number of improved steers used for draught purposes as compared to TSZ steers used (Table 3). This was probably due to farmers’ interest in keeping improved cattle for direct production purposes (milk) and for sales of live animals, such that few farmers were ready to castrate the bulls for draught purposes.

Challenges in cattle production

Challenges in nutrition

The quantities and qualities of pasture in the target villages was a big challenge. This is mainly due to the semi arid characteristics of the area that lead to critical shortage of feeds especially during the dry season. However, livestock keepers with big herds of cattle coped with pasture deficit mainly by transferring their animals to areas outside the villages where there is plenty of grazing land and possibly more pastures. This practice was indicated by 20% of the respondents in the survey (Table 4).

Other farmers graze their animals in the village particularly in crop fields when all the grains have been harvested. However, an increase in cattle and human population in the villages is continuously leading to shrinkage in grazing areas every day. T the need for more pastures, on the other hand, and demands for more areas for cropping, on the other, were causes of frequent conflicts between livestock keepers and arable farmers in the surveyed villages as has been observed elsewhere in Tanzania and in eastern Africa at large (ECAPAPA, 2005; Mwilawa et al 2008).

Some farmers coped with pasture deficit by conserving standing hay and some crop residues such as maize and millet stovers and groundnut haulms. In many cases, the quantities of feeds stored at home were, however, not enough for the whole herd but only for calves and some sick animals. Only 14% of the respondent ventured to buy extra crop residues to their cattle (Table 4). Unfortunately, the conserved crop residues were were not properly stacked or covered but were left under the sun as long as they lasted. Bwire and Wiktorsson (2002) observed that this practice was not ideal in the conservation of the maize stover, for example, since the materials tend to lose their nutritional quality when left under the sun for a long period.

In most cases, farmers in surveyed villages do not provide energy and protein supplements to adult cattle except a few cows, some sick animals and some lactating cows. As a result there were few (20%, N=50) farmers who provide mineral supplements. The maize bran, sunflower and additional hay were only provided daily by 7%, 2% and 9% respectively of all the respondents (Table 5).

However, 80% of all the respondents neither provided protein supplements such as sunflower cake nor minerals. The fact that very few farmers had some training on improved management of livestock could probably be a reason for little knowledge and emphasis in improved livestock management practices including nutritional management. This calls for more emphasis on farmers’ education on the importance of supplementing cattle for proper growth and production especially using the locally available crop by-products such as cereal brans, cakes and water melons.

Challenges in animal health

The major livestock diseases that affect cattle kept in the targets villages include the tick-borne diseases such as East Cost Fever (ECF) and other contagious diseases such as Contagious Bovine Pleuronemonia (CBPP) (Table 6).

Other diseases of economic importance in Chipogoro and Mtumba villages include foot rot and foot and mouth disease, lumpy skin disease, mastitis and menge. The challenges in health and nutritional management faced by individual farmers are causes of further variations in animal productivity including reproductive characteristics observed in surveyed households (Table 2 and Table 7).   

However, the Government efforts in the control of many of these diseases were acknowledged by the farmers but many respondents (53%) had experienced the effect of the disease. Many respondents recalled an outbreak of CPPP in the area. The major problem to the villagers was absence of the veterinary practitioner who could give proper advice when the diseases broke out. Similarly, there were no functional dips in these villages but villages use spray pups. An improper use of the spray pumps (for those who have or use it) and the unlikeliness of using the device for those cattle keepers with big herds of cattle were likely to lead to frequent outbreaks of the tick borne diseases. Moreover, the high prices of veterinary drugs hampered regular treatments.

Marketing of cattle and their products

Market access for cattle and their products was not a problem in the two villages. There is a monthly cattle auction at Chipogoro formerly supervised by the Tanzania Livestock Marketing Project (TLMP). The TLMP had rehabilitated the weighing bridge there though at the time of survey the bridge not working (functional). Meanwhile, live adult TSZ catlle fetched between Tanzania Shillings (TSh.) 75,000 (about US $ 75) and 150,000 (about US $ 150)  per head while prices for Mpwapwa x TSZ crossed varied from Tsh. 250,000 (about US $ 250)  to 350,000 (about US $ 350).  The average price of milk was Tsh. 300 (about US $ 0.3) per litre. Nevertheless, lack of reliable market information was noted as a problem to many livestock keepers. For example, some farmers were not aware of the presence of a modern abattoir in Dodoma municipality where those who use the facility fetch higher and reliable prices for their cattle. Therefore, any effort in strengthening farmers’ organizations through formation of savings and credit cooperative societies (SACCOS) could help the rural farmers and livestock keepers not only in obtaining market information but also in obtaining veterinary and other input more reliably and at relatively affordable prices.

Conclusion 

Although local TSZ are readily found in almost all farming systems of Tanzania, improved Mpwapwa cattle and their crosses perform better than these local cattle. Therefore, much more effort is needed in their multiplication and distribution because these animals are acceptable by the local livestock keepers. However, better extension services are required so that livestock keepers could improve their livestock husbandry practices. This must go hand in hand with improvement of pastures and other feed resources though concerted effort of research and extension. Proper animal disease management and market information is also essential for farmers to realize the good livestock returns.

Acknowledgements 

The authors acknowledge the Government of Tanzania for financial support through Ministry of Livestock Development and Fisheries.

References 

Bwire J M and Wiktorsson H 2002 Optimising the quality and biomass production of maize stover tops for stall-fed dual purpose dairy cows in semiarid central Tanzania. Livestock Production Science 77: 207-215

Bwire  J M N, Mkonyi J I and Masao D 2005 Development and multiplication of Mpwapwa breed cattle for meat and milk production in Tanzania. In: Proceedings of Hundred Years of Livestock Services in Tanzania 1905 – 2005 held LPRI Mpwapwa. Ministry of Water and Livestock Development. pp 96 - 105.

ECAPAPA (Eastern and Central Africa Programme for Agricultural Policy Analysis)  2005 Managing Conflicts Over Pasture and Water Resources in Semi-Arid Areas: Beyond Misleading Myths and Ethnic Stereotypes Policy Brief No. 8 May 2005 http://www.w1.co.ug/asareca/htdocs/ecapapa/publications/1150451533Policy%20Brief%20No.%208.pdf Page visited 10/09/2007.

Mwilawa A J, Komwihangilo D M and Kusekwa M  L 2008 Conservation of forage resource for increasing livestock production in traditional forage reserves in Tanzania. African Journal of Ecology 46 (Supplement. 1): 85 – 89

Rushalaza V G and J S Kasonta 1993 Dual purpose cattle in Central Tanzania. In: Future of Livestock Industries in East and Southern Africa. Proceedings of the Workshop held at Kadoma Ranch Hotel, Zimbabwe 20 – 23 July 1992 (Edited by J A Kategile and S Mubi) http://www.ilri.org/InfoServ/Webpub/Fulldocs/X5485e/x5485e0e.htm Page visited 09/08/2007.

Received 19 March 2009; Accepted 17 April 2009; Published 1 May 2009

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