Sustainable animal agriculture and crisis mitigation in livestock-dependent systems in southern Africa

These proceedings contain papers, abstracts and posters of the Regional Conference on Sustainable Animal Agriculture and Crisis Mitigation in Livestock-dependent Systems in Southern Africa that took place at Malawi Institute of Management (MIM) in Lilongwe, Malawi, from 30th October to 1st November 2000. A keynote paper opens each theme and is followed by scientific contributions, short communications, and abstracts. Posters are published as short communications and/or abstracts. These proceedings are organised as follows: Session 1 Livestock Management and Improvement (16 papers) Session 2 Policy Analysis, Socio-economics and Sustainable Integrated Animal Health (4 papers) Session 3 Crisis Mitigation in Livestock-dependent Systems - Held as a mini workshop within the conference (2 papers) Session 4 Product Enhancement and Human Resources Development (4 papers) Session 5 Short Communications (4 papers) Session 6 Abstracts (10 abstracts

A Comparison of the Growth and Milk Conversion Rates of Lambs and Goat Kids in Malawi

Growth rate of local (LL), Dorper (DD) and crossbred (DL) lambs and of local (LL) Boer (BB) and crossbread (BL) goat kids were studies over two seasons of kidding/lambing until 24 weeks of age. The kids and lambs suckled their dams indoors for one month. Thereafter, both the dams and the young grazed natural pastures, but were also provided with a concentrate. The mean birth weight, weaning weight at 17 weeks of age and preweaning daily liveweight gains for lambs were 3.19 plus/minus 0.05 kg, 18.5 kg, 18.5 plus/minus 0.32 kg and 128.9 plus/minus 2.5 g. Postweaning weights and weight gains were 24.5 plus/minu 0.38 kg and 80.9 plus/minus 4.5 g, respectively. Season of lambing and genotype exerted significant influences on all traits. The mean birth weight weaning weight at 17 weeks of age and preweaning daily live weight gains for goat kids were 2.77 plus/minus 0.08 kg, 13.0 plus/minus 0.41 kg and 87.0 plus/minus 3.5g. Postweaning weights and weight gains were 20.0 plus/minus 0.57 kg and 55.1 plus/minus 3.8g, respectively. Season of kidding had a significant effect on all the traits, but genotype affected only kid birth weight. Milk conversion was 0.084 kg/kg milk (

The productivity of Small East African sheep and goats in Malawi

The total and additional biological productivity of local (LL) and Boer (BB) goats and their crosses (BL) and of the local (LL) and Dorper (DD) sheep and their crosses (DL) were estimated over two kidding seasons at the Lifidzi Goat Breeding Centre, Salima, Central Malawi.The average 12-weeks milk production was 79.0 ( ± 2.0 kg) in goats and 54.5 ( ± 1.3 kg) in sheep. The difference was significant (P<0.001). The yields of LL (73.7 ± 2.5 kg) and BB (78.3 ± 3.8 kg) were similar, but lower (P<0.001) than those of BL does (85.1 ± 2.3 kg). LL, DL and DD ewes produced 41.4 ± 1.8, 53.5 ± 1.6 and 68.7 ± 2.1 kg milk respectively and the differences among these genotypes were significant (P<0.001).The average daily gain (ADO) from birth to 17 weeks of age was 87.0 ( ± 3.5 g) for kids and 128.9 ( ± 2.8 g) for lambs. Milk conversion was 15.6 and 11.9 kg milk/kg liveweight gain in kids and lambs, respectively. The average mortality was 18.9 and 5.3% in kids and lambs respectively.The total apparent biological productivity indices represented by indices I, II and III were, respectively, 16.6, 0.47 and 1.15 kg for goats. For sheep, the corresponding values were 24.9, 0.80 and 1.89 kg. Additional apparent biological productivity represented by indices IV, V and VI were 7.08, 0.204 and 0.495 kg respectively for goats and 6.13, 0.197 and 0.464 kg for sheep. These results suggest that although the two species differ in milk production, the difference in production is not substantial

Genotypic and seasonal influences on milk yield and milk composition of sheep and goats in Malawi

Milchleistung, Milchzusammensetzung von 42 Ziegen (Lokalrasse, Boer (Buren) und deren Kreuzungen) und 50 Schafen (Lokalrasse, Dorper und deren Kreuzungen) sowie Geburtsgewicht, Wachstum und Ueberlebensrate ihrer Laemmer wurden bestimmt. Die Gesamtmilchleistung der Ziege (79 kg) war sign. hoeher als die der Mutterschafe (55 kg) Saison, Melkmethode und Genotyp hatten hoch sign. Einfluesse auf die Milchzusammensetzung. Geburtsgewicht und Wachstum der Schaflaemmer uebertrafen die der Ziegenlaemmer. Die Mutterziegen (96%) hatten eine hoehere Ueberlebensrate als die Mutterschafe (86%)SIGLEAvailable from: D-6300 Giessen Univ. (Germany). Univ. Bibliothek, Otto-Behagel-Str. 8 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Lactation Pattern and Milk Composition of Sheep and Goats in Malawi

The pattern of lactation and the composition of milk of local goats (LL) Boer goats (BB) and their crossbreds (BL) and of local sheep (LL), Dorper sheep (DD) and their crossbreds (DL) were studied over two seasons of kidding/lambing for the first 12 weeks of lactation. Stage of lactation significantly (

Dairy goat breeding in Malawi: gestation length, birth weights and growth of the indigenous Malawi goats and their Saanen crosses

Some Malawi local goats were mated to Saanen bucks and others to local bucks under the same management at the Bunda College farm. Gestation length, birthweights, weaning weight, weight gain per day and weights at one year were observed and compared.The average gestation length of local dams sired by Saanen bucks (146.90±2.68 days) was not significantly different from that of dams sired by local bucks (147.76±3.44 days). Sex of kids and litter sizes did not affect gestation length and although younger dams and dams kidding in the hot wet season had shorter gestation lengths than older dams and those kidding in the cool dry and hot dry seasons, respectively, the differences were not statistically significantWith the exception of twin-born males, birthweights of Saanen crosses were significantly higher than local kids. Likewise, weaning weights and weights at one year were higher in the Saanen crosses than in the local kids. Weight gains per day were higher before weaning than after and were higher in Saanen crosses than in the local kids. Mortality was 22% in Saanen crosses and 21% in the local kids

The performance of the Small East African goats and their Saanen crosses in Malawi

The performance of randomly selected Malawian local goats and their Saanen crosses was compared. The average litter size at kidding was 1.35 and 1.52, respectively. Birth weights, 12-week weights and weaning weights at 17 weeks were respectively 2.2 kg (SE = 0.12 kg), 8.2 kg (SE=0.41 kg) and 10.7 kg (SE = 0.62 kg) for the local goats and 2.31 kg (SE=0.40 kg), 11.4 kg (SE = 1.59 kg) and 19.2 kg (SE = 2.39 kg) for the Saanen crosses (P<0.001). The growth rate up to weaning was 71 g (SE = 4.8 g/day) and 139 g (SE=18.5 g/day) for the local goats and their Saanen crosses respectively (P<0.01). Saanen crosses produced more milk (83 kg, SE 4 kg) during a 12-week period (P<0.001) than the local does (37 kg, SE 5 kg).The results indicate that crossing Small East African goats with Saanens would improve not only milk production, but also the growth rate of their kids, contributing to improved meat production

Composition and yield of milk from non-dairy goats and sheep in Malawi

Milk yield, milk composition and growth rates of offspring from goats (local-LL, Boer-BB and their crosses-Be) and of sheep (local-LL, Dorper-DD and their crosses-De) were estimated over two kidding/lambing seasons for 12 weeks of lactation using three techniques of milk-yield estimation, namely kid/lamb suckling, hand-milking and oxytocin + hand-milking.Mean total milk production in the dry end wet seasons was 84.6±3.1, and 66.8 ± 2.6kg, respectively, for goats; 50.2 ± 1.7 and 49.3 ± 1.9 kg, respectively, for sheep. Only the seasonal difference in goats was significant (P<0.001). Estimates of milk yield by stickling and oxytocin techniques were similar. Handmilking produced 26.8% and 40.5% less milk than the other two techniques in goats and sheep, respectively. The yields of LL (70.6 ±2.5 kg) and BB (75.0 ±3.8 kg) were similar, but significantly lower (P < 0.001) than those of BL does (81.6 ±2.3 kg). Local, DL and DD ewes produced, respectively, 37.8±1.8, 48.9±1.6 and 62.7±2.1 kg milk end the differences among these genotypes were significant (P<0.001). Dorper ewes did not perform as well in the rainy season as they did in the dry season.The overall mean levels of total solids, fat, SNF,, ash, protein, lactose and energy for goats were 17.4%, 6.8%, 10.6%, 0.88%, 4.5%, 4.7%, and 4.44 MJ/kg, respectively. The respective values for sheep were 18.3%, 6.0%, 12.3%, 0.94%, 5.2%, 4.9% and 4.39 MJ/kg. Within each species, significant differences in compositional values between seasons, among techniques of milk-yield estimation and among genotypes were observed and are discussed.Overall birth, weaning weight at 17 weeks and pre-weaning daily liveweight gains for kids were 2.77±0.08 kg, 13.0± 0.41 kg and 87.0±3.5 g, respectively. The values of sheep were, respectively, -3.19± 0.05 kg, 18.5±0.32 kg and 128.9 ±2.5 g. In goats, season of kidding had significant effect on all these traits, but genotype had effect only on kid birthweight. In sheep, season and genotype exerted significant influences in all the lamb traits. Correlations between milk yield and growth rate of the young were significantly high and positive Regressions of growth rate on milk production for kids were poorer than those for lambs

Milk yield, milk composition and kid growth in Boer and East African Goats in Malawi

Milk yield and milk composition of local (LL) and Boer (BB) goats, and their crosses (BL) were estimated over 2 kidding seasons for 12 weeks of lactation using 3 techniques, i.e. kid-suckling, hand-milking and oxytocin + hand-milking. The average daily gain (ADG) and milk conversion of kids were also determined. The total milk yield was 75.7±2.0 kg. Milk yield in the dry and wet seasons was 84.6±3.1and 66.8 ± 2.6 kg, respectively (P<0.001). Estimates of milk yield by suckling and oxytocin techniques were similar. Hand milking produced 29.9% less milk than the other two techniques (P<0.001). The LL produced 70.6±2.5, BL 81.6±2.3 and BB 75.0±3.8 kg milk (P<0.001). Milk yield increased by 14kg/additional kid suckled, and by 17.6 and 7.4 kg between the first and the second and between the second and the third lactations, respectively. Mean concentrations of total solids (TS), fat and protein were 17.4, 6.8 and 4.5%, respectively. Season, technique of milk yield estimation and genotype affected milk composition. TS (%) decreased by 0.56/kid; increased by 0.60 and 0.12 between the first and the second, and between the second and the third lactations, respectively. Fat (%) decreased by 0.76/kid and increased by 0.36/lactation. The ADG from birth to 12 weeks of age was 87.9±3.2 g. Season of kidding had a significant effect on this trait. ADG decreased by 8.9g/kid and increased by 19.9g/lactation. Milk conversion was 15.6 kg milk/kg live-weight gain, and was affected by season, milking technique and genotype