Climate change responses among the Maasai Community in Kenya

© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media B.V. The impacts of climate change to the dryland areas of East Africa are especially strong, especially if it is considered that these areas have weak institutions and governance systems. Climate change has also affected many rural communities in a severe way, reducing crop yields and sometimes causing crop failure. In Kenya and Tanzania, where drylands cover over around 80 and 50% of their respective land areas, rural populations have been especially affected. Among them is the tribal group of the Maasai, legendary nomad warriors, who have been suffering from persistent droughts and the negative impacts on their cattle herds. This paper describes how climate change affects the Maasai communities in Kenya and the changes seen in their habits and diet, in order to adapt to a changing climate

Seasonal energy extraction patterns by agropastoral herds in semiarid south-eastern Kenya

Primary energy extraction patterns by livestock under agropastoralism and ranching were investigated by the bite count method in semiarid south-eastern Kenya. Sward biomass for optimal energy intake by cattle was derived using intake-digestibility constraint curves and  realised livestock productivity from the systems compared. Cattle and sheep, and goats primarily consumed herbaceous and woody plants,  respectively. Enteropogon macrostachyus and Panicum maximum, E. macrostachyus and Blepharis integrifolia and Combretum exalatum and Duosperma kilimandscharica accounted for 33.5% and 9.9%, 16.6% and 10.3%, and 11.7% and 10.7% of cattle, sheep and goats’ total energy intake, respectively. Cattle optimised energy intake at  370–610gm–2 of sward biomass and 55.5–64.3% organic matter digestibility. Panicum maximum yielded the highest optimal sward  biomass. The energy expenditure of the animals was generally lower under agropastoralism across seasons. During the dry season, more animals (33–50%) lost weight under ranching. Agropastoralism was an efficient system as animals were moved across quality grazing  microenvironments that minimised feeding costs and enhanced energy intake. Therefore, mobile grazing strategies, plant diversity and  complementary trophic interactions stabilise energy extraction  patterns and enhance livestock productivity under agropastoralism.  However, human activities that affect plant diversity and mobility will undermine sustainable livestock production in such environments.African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2009, 26(2): 81–9

Effect of poultry waste and grain sorghum supplements on utilisation of range hay by Small East African Goats

No Abstract Available E. Afr. Agric. For. J Vol.68(2) 2002: 65-7

The nutritional value of Zizyphus spina-christi for goat production among the pastoralists of Kalu district, South Wello, Ethiopia

Fifteen yearling goats of similar weight were used to evaluate the potential of Zizyphus spina-christi leaves as a supplement to goats fed on Cynodon dactylon grass. Animals were randomly assigned to five feeding regimes and individually stall-fed for a preliminary period of 14 days, followed by 14 days of feeding to determine dry matter intake and digestibility and a 3-month feeding period to determine body weight changes. The treatments were formulated based on leaf:grass ratios of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Z. spina-christi leaves had higher crude protein and lower fibre content than C. dactylon grass (P < 0.05). Dry matter intake, digestibility and body weight changes increased significantly (P < 0.05) as the level of supplementation increased. Thus, Z. spina-christi foliage is a potential feed supplement in the dry season, as the dry season grasses are deficient in the required nutrients and cannot meet goat requirements.African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2003, 20(3): 265–27