The effect of forage legume supplementation on digestibility and body weight gain by sheep fed a basal diet of maize stover

Growth and digestibility experiments were conducted with Ethiopian highland sheep offered a maize stover basal diet and supplemented with one of the three legume hays (Desmodium intortum, Macrotyloma axillare and Stylosanthes guianensis), legume hay plus cottonseed cake, and cottonseed cake alone, to investigate feed intake, digestibility and body weight change, sheep in the M. axillare supplemented group recorded higher dry matter and nitrogen intake, and showed a higher gain in body weight. When legumes were given in combination with cottonseed cake, intortum and M. axillare supplemented group recorded higher dry matter and nitrogen intake, and showed a higher gain in body weight. When legumes were given in combination with cottonseed cake, intortum and M. axillare supplemented sheep recorded similar body weight gains. S. guianensis supplemented sheep lost weight during the first phase and showed relatively low body weight gains during the second phase. Legumes fed together with cottonseed cake as a supplement to maize stover increased digestibility of most dietary soluble and cell-wall constituents compared with legumes supplements alone

Reducing GHG Emissions from Traditional Livestock Systems to Mitigate Changing Climate and Biodiversity

Climate change (CC) directly impacts the economy, ecosystems, water resources, weather events, health issues, desertification, sea level rise, and even political and social stability. The effects of CC affect different groups of societies differently. In Tanzania, the effects of CC have even acquired a gender dimension, whereby women are viewed as more vulnerable than men because of socioeconomic and historic barriers. CC is largely caused by anthropogenic activities, including those that increase the concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. Recent findings indicate that the livestock sector is responsible for 18 % of GHG emissions measured in the CO2 equivalent. Moreover, some gases emitted by livestock have higher potential to warm the atmosphere than CO2 and have a very long atmospheric lifetime. Methane (CH4) has 23 times the global warming potential (GWP) of CO2, whereas nitrous oxide (N2O) has 296 times the GWP of CO2. It is now estimated that the atmospheric concentrations of CH4 and N2O are increasing at a rate of approximately 0.6 % and 0.25 % per year, respectively. Cattle may emit CH4 from enteric fermentation equivalent to 2–12 % of the ingested energy, whereas produced manure can emit N2O up to 1.25 % of its weight. The estimated total CH4 and N2O emissions from Tanzanian ruminants stand at 26.17 Gg and 0.57 Gg, respectively. In this paper, we first very briefly review emissions of GHGs from different livestock production systems in Tanzania with the view of identifying the main hot spots. Then, we concentrate on the available adaptation options and the limitations on the adoption of such adaptation options in Tanzania. Emission of these GHGs per unit product varies with the level of intensification, the types of livestock kept, and manure management. Intensification of livestock production reduces the size of the land required to sustain a livestock unit and frees up the land necessary for carbon sequestration. In Tanzania, such intensification could take the form of the early harvesting and storing forage for dry-season feeding. The advantage of this intervention is twofold: young harvests have higher digestibility and emit less CH4 when fed to ruminants than mature lignified forage; use of stored roughage in the dry season will reduce the desertification of rangeland and deforestation that occur when livestock search for pastureland. Dry-season supplementation of ruminants with energy and protein-rich diets will reduce CH4 emission. The chemical treatment of crops byproducts will increase the crops’ digestibility and reduce CH4 emission from ruminants. Crossbreds of indigenous and exotic breeds are more efficient converters of feed into products like meat and milk, with less GHG emitted per unit product. The use of manure for biogas production will reduce the emission of both CH4 and N2O into the atmosphere. Shifting from liquid to solid manure management has the potential to reduce CH4 emissions. Most of these interventions, however, are not cost neutral – enhancing awareness alone will not lead to their widespread adoption. In the absence of subsidies, the adoption of these interventions will depend on the relative cost of other options. Although some traditional livestock systems in Tanzania are already coping with the impact of CC, such efforts are handicapped by inadequate resources, poor coordination, and implementation of competing measures

Reducing GHG Emissions from Traditional Livestock Systems to Mitigate Changing Climate and Biodiversity

Climate change (CC) directly impacts the economy, ecosystems, water resources, weather events, health issues, desertification, sea level rise, and even political and social stability. The effects of CC affect different groups of societies differently. In Tanzania, the effects of CC have even acquired a gender dimension, whereby women are viewed as more vulnerable than men because of socioeconomic and historic barriers. CC is largely caused by anthropogenic activities, including those that increase the concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. Recent findings indicate that the livestock sector is responsible for 18 % of GHG emissions measured in the CO2 equivalent. Moreover, some gases emitted by livestock have higher potential to warm the atmosphere than CO2 and have a very long atmospheric lifetime. Methane (CH4) has 23 times the global warming potential (GWP) of CO2, whereas nitrous oxide (N2O) has 296 times the GWP of CO2. It is now estimated that the atmospheric concentrations of CH4 and N2O are increasing at a rate of approximately 0.6 % and 0.25 % per year, respectively. Cattle may emit CH4 from enteric fermentation equivalent to 2–12 % of the ingested energy, whereas produced manure can emit N2O up to 1.25 % of its weight. The estimated total CH4 and N2O emissions from Tanzanian ruminants stand at 26.17 Gg and 0.57 Gg, respectively. In this paper, we first very briefly review emissions of GHGs from different livestock production systems in Tanzania with the view of identifying the main hot spots. Then, we concentrate on the available adaptation options and the limitations on the adoption of such adaptation options in Tanzania. Emission of these GHGs per unit product varies with the level of intensification, the types of livestock kept, and manure management. Intensification of livestock production reduces the size of the land required to sustain a livestock unit and frees up the land necessary for carbon sequestration. In Tanzania, such intensification could take the form of the early harvesting and storing forage for dry-season feeding. The advantage of this intervention is twofold: young harvests have higher digestibility and emit less CH4 when fed to ruminants than mature lignified forage; use of stored roughage in the dry season will reduce the desertification of rangeland and deforestation that occur when livestock search for pastureland. Dry-season supplementation of ruminants with energy and protein-rich diets will reduce CH4 emission. The chemical treatment of crops byproducts will increase the crops’ digestibility and reduce CH4 emission from ruminants. Crossbreds of indigenous and exotic breeds are more efficient converters of feed into products like meat and milk, with less GHG emitted per unit product. The use of manure for biogas production will reduce the emission of both CH4 and N2O into the atmosphere. Shifting from liquid to solid manure management has the potential to reduce CH4 emissions. Most of these interventions, however, are not cost neutral – enhancing awareness alone will not lead to their widespread adoption. In the absence of subsidies, the adoption of these interventions will depend on the relative cost of other options. Although some traditional livestock systems in Tanzania are already coping with the impact of CC, such efforts are handicapped by inadequate resources, poor coordination, and implementation of competing measures

Potential and limitations of dryland communities in adapting to climate change in Mwanga district

In order to document the potential and limitations in adapting dryland communities to climate change in Mwanga district a study was carried out in late March 2012. Because the project focused on crops production and livestock production and natural resources management (beekeeping in particular), potential and constraints of these three sectors were identified. The data were collected from households situated in four proposed project villages of Kiruru Ibwejewa, Kirya, Kwakoa and Kileo and a structured questionnaire was used in this regard. The questionnaire was administered to 64 respondents, 16 for each study village. Along with the survey, other methods used were observation transect walks, key-informant interview and literature review. The main identified constraints in crops production were unreliable rainfall, high costs of inputs, unavailability of the improved seeds and prevalence of pests and diseases. Marketing constraints for crops included low price, lack of buyer within the village, and market inaccessibility. Regarding livestock production, the main constraints were bush encroachment, poor vegetative cover and shortage of water. On the other side, beekeeping had large but unexploited potential because of lack of improved beekeeping and honey processing knowledge, and ineffective organization. Also, theft of honey and beehives was among the reported constraints. It is recommended that the understanding of contextual realities is important before implementing any climate change adaptation interventions because such understanding will provide a pointer on the appropriate and feasible interventions based on the field realities. From such understanding it will be possible to plan appropriate use of scarce financial, social and human resources in a profitable way.Research ReportClimate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation (CCIAM) Programme in Tanzani