Improving the management of dairy production systems in Cameroon

This work was carried out with the objective of improving dairy farms in Cameroon using an integrated method. Research done in the area on milk production in the country was reviewed. A participatory rural appraisal was conducted in dairy farms of the North West Region of Cameroon. An economic opportunity survey was carried out on 61 dairy farms in the same region. Interventions aimed at solving main constraints were planned. An on-farm study on the effect of feed supplementation before calving on milk production, ovarian activity and calf growth of Holstein, indigenous Red Fulani cows and their crosses was conducted. Corresponding blood samples were analyzed using ELISA Progesterone kits. Animal health studies involved screening for Brucella abortus antibodies in 21 villages by ELISA. Partial budgeting was used to evaluate the financial impact of interventions. Results show that five small scale dairy production systems are found in the region: transhumance, improved extensive, semi intensive, zero grazing and peri-urban. Main constraints to dairy production include in order of importance: poor marketing opportunities and long distances to market, limited grazing land and poor supplementation of cattle, limited health control, inadequate knowledge in processing, conservation and storage of milk, poor 19 reproductive management and prolonged calving interval, lack of water in the dry season, poor housing, poor organization of group, limited number of dairy cows and poor record keeping. Milk production per cow on-one-day and average calf production interval account for the greater part of economic opportunity. A human progesterone ELISA kit was validated for use in cattle. Brucella screening showed a general seroprevalence of 8.4%. It is recommended that infected cattle should be slaughtered. A specific control programme should be organized and an effort should be made to determine the causes of the spread of brucellosis. A regular Brucella testing should be instituted. Farmers adopting interventions had returns of 193 and 232% without and with opportunity costs proving the positive impact of interventions using the integrated method. These interventions need to be spread to more farms in the country. The integrated method was proven to be effective in ensuring improvement of dairy systems in Cameroon. This method needs to be adopted for further dairy production improvement by the creation of multidisciplinary intervention teams and the training of integrated intervention specialists in the dairy sector. Copyright 2009, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Bayemi Pougue, HD 2009, Improving the management of dairy production systems in Cameroon, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd D629/agThesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009.Animal and Wildlife Sciencesunrestricte

Effect of pre-partum feed supplementation on post-partum ovarian activity, milk production and calf growth of small holder dairy cattle in Cameroon

Seventy-two cows were selected for an on-farm study on the effect of feed supplementation before calving on milk production, ovarian activity and calf growth of Holstein, indigenous Red Fulani cows and their crosses. Prepartum feed supplementation was done using cotton seed cake (80 %), maize (18 %), bone meal (1 %) and kitchen salt (1 % NaCl). Supplementation levels consisted of a low supplementation fed at 1 kg per animal per day and high supplementation fed at 2 kg per animal per day. In addition, Red Fulani cows received the supplements in two different ways namely a prepartum supplementation consisting of 1 kg per cow per day and pre- and post-partum supplementation consisting of 1 kg per cow per day before calving and 1 kg per cow per day postpartum up to 30 days after calving. Blood samples were analysed using ELISA Progesterone kits to determine the length of post-partum anoestrus. Results show that prepartum levels of feeding did not have any effect (P>0.05) on body condition score (BCS) at 12 weeks after calving, calf birth weight, average daily weight gain of calves, milk production and post-partum anoestrus. High BCS at calving was shown to influence BCS at 12 weeks of lactation. Holstein cows had bigger calves (P<0.01) at birth (45 kg) compared to traditional cows (36 kg) and crosses (34 kg). There was little benefit of pre-partum supplementation on the parameters investigated in this study. Consequently, low income farmers are advised to concentrate their efforts of supplementation early in lactation.The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the African Development Bank.http://link.springer.com/journal/112502015-10-30hj201

Prevalence of Brucella abortus antibodies in serum of Holstein cattle in Cameroon

Holstein cattle of small scale dairy production systems were screened for Brucella abortus antibodies in 21 villages in Cameroon by ELISA. Results show a general seroprevalence of 8.4% in Holstein cattle. Of the 192 cows tested, 14 were infected giving a within-sex seroprevalence of 7.3% while 6/74 bulls were infected with a seroprevalence of 8%. There was no evidence (P=0.11) of differences in seroprevalence between age groups although animals above one year and below three years accounted for nearly half of the infected animals. 64% of infected animals were found in three locations (P=0.015): Kutaba (32%), Bamendankwe (16%) and Finge (16%). A specific control programme should be organized at these locations. Measures should be taken to ensure the eradication of the disease within the population and sound control measures adopted to avoid a further spread of the disease to larger cattle populations. Infected animals should be slaughtered systematically. All farmers should be advised to boil milk before consumption. Vaccination against Brucella abortus should be instituted and use of artificial insemination propagated. In order to ensure a productive and healthy population of Holstein cows within the dairy production scheme, regular Brucella testing should be instituted