Comparative Growth Performance of West African Dwarf Goat Supplemented with \u3ci\u3eCalliandra calothyrsus\u3c/i\u3e, \u3ci\u3eLeucaena leucocephala\u3c/i\u3e, or Cotton Seed Cake in West Cameroon

A comparative growth performance study of African Dwarf Goats supplemented with Calliandra calothyrsus, Leucaena leucocephala or cotton seed cake was carried out on farm around Dschang and in the University Experimental Farm. Goats between 12 and 16 months of age were divided into 4 groups of 11 goats each with one group kept as a control. The supplemented animals received respectively 390 g of L. leucocephala, 380 g of C. calothyrsus (fresh matter) and 88.8 g of cotton seed cake each, corresponding to 6 g of nitrogen per animal per day. The animals were weighed every 21 days during 84 days. The adjusted average daily weight gains of animal supplemented with cotton seed cake (22.73g/j) was significantly higher (P\u3c 0.05) from that of the animals supplemented with L. leucocephala (13,00g/j) or C. calothyrsus (12,26 g/j). The animals of the control group had an adjusted average daily weight gain (11,54 g/j) not significantly lower than that of the animals supplemented with C. calothyrsus

Herders and Wetland Degradation in Northern Cameroon

Livestock rearing in Northern Cameroon is carried out under two majors systems: the nomadic and the transhumance production systems (Pamo & Pamo, 1991). Nomadism is the practice of wandering from place to place, while transhumance involves seasonal displacement of flocks from one area to another by herders. These production systems involved large grazing areas, which may encompass different ecosystems. The Yaére, the only wetland of the northern Cameroon, is the major dry season grazing lands for livestock and wildlife. The main characteristic of this wetland is that the whole area is excluded from grazing during the growing season as a result of large scale flooding. Thus the major forage species (i.e. Echinochloa pyramidalis, Oryza longistaminata, Hyparrhenia rufa, Echinochloa stagnina) can set seed thereby ensuring their continued dispersal, establishment, and survival during the subsequent rainy season. In 1979, an upstream dam of 28 km with an additional 20 km embankment along the Logone river was build to store water for a rice irrigation project. This suppressed flooding over some 60 000 ha, and seriously affected the hydrological regime over another 200 000 ha. Major perennial forage species were gradually replaced by less palatable annual species such as Sorghum arundinaceum. This paper investigates how herders coped with the induced degradation of this dry season grazing land

Herders and Wetland Degradation in Northern Cameroon

Livestock rearing in Northern Cameroon is carried out under two majors systems: the nomadic and the transhumance production systems (Pamo & Pamo, 1991). Nomadism is the practice of wandering from place to place, while transhumance involves seasonal displacement of flocks from one area to another by herders. These production systems involved large grazing areas, which may encompass different ecosystems. The Yaére, the only wetland of the northern Cameroon, is the major dry season grazing lands for livestock and wildlife. The main characteristic of this wetland is that the whole area is excluded from grazing during the growing season as a result of large scale flooding. Thus the major forage species (i.e. Echinochloa pyramidalis, Oryza longistaminata, Hyparrhenia rufa, Echinochloa stagnina) can set seed thereby ensuring their continued dispersal, establishment, and survival during the subsequent rainy season. In 1979, an upstream dam of 28 km with an additional 20 km embankment along the Logone river was build to store water for a rice irrigation project. This suppressed flooding over some 60 000 ha, and seriously affected the hydrological regime over another 200 000 ha. Major perennial forage species were gradually replaced by less palatable annual species such as Sorghum arundinaceum. This paper investigates how herders coped with the induced degradation of this dry season grazing land

West African Dwarf Goat Response to Supplementary Feeding in Cameroon

The production of the West African Dwarf goat (WADG) in Cameroon is very low, because of lack of proper nutrition. Nitrogen content is generally very low and fibre content is high, both in the grass and the crop residues which form the basis of their diet particularly during the dry season. Supplementation of these roughages is a promising way of alleviating nutrient deficiencies. Different types of supplementary feeding have been advocated to boost goat production (Leng, 2003), of which supplementary feeding with leguminous tree leaves is of high merit. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of supplementary feeding of Calliandra calothyrsus and Leucaena leucocephala leaves on growth and reproduction of WADG

Effet comparé de l’enfouissement de deux légumineuses fertilisées au molybdène sur la croissance et le rendement de Brachiaria ruziziensis à différentes périodes de fauche dans l’Ouest Cameroun

Un essai sur l’effet comparé de l’enfouissement d’Arachis glabrata et de Desmodium intortum fertilisés au molybdène sur la croissance et le rendement de Brachiaria ruziziensis a été conduit à la Ferme d’Application et de Recherche de l’Université de Dschang. Un dispositif factoriel 4x2 (4 niveaux de fertilisation au molybdène, 0; 0,75; 1,5 2,25 kg/ha et 2 légumineuses) en 2 répétitions/blocs et disposé en 3 blocs de16 parcelles élémentaires chacun a été utilisé sur des parcelles de 6 m². Neuf mois après la mise en place des légumineuses, elles ont été fauchées et enfouies entièrement. Des éclats de souche de Brachiaria ruziziensis ont été ensuite cultivés à une densité de 11 plants /m2 sur toutes les parcelles. Tous les 45 jours, la biomasse et la taille des plantes étaient évaluées sur une surface utile de 2 m2 par niveau de fertilisation. Les résultats ont montré que : l’enfouissement des légumineuses a influencé de manière variable la taille du fourrage. La taille la plus élevée (83,4 cm) a été obtenue avec le précédent Desmodium intortum fertilisé aux doses de 0 et de 0,75 kg de Mo/ha, à la première fréquence de fauche. La biomasse sèche de Brachiaria ruziziensis a été peu influencée par l’enfouissement des légumineuses. La biomasse la plus élevée (25 t MS/ha) a été obtenue avec le précédent Desmodium intortum fertilisé à 0,75 kg de Mo/ha. En somme, l’enfouissement de Desmodium intortum fertilisé avec la dose de 0,75 kg de Mo/ha, a permis d’obtenir la taille et la biomasse sèche les plus élevées à la première période de fauche, sans qu’aucune différence significative (p>0,05) n’ait été observé entre les traitements.Mots clés: Arachis glabrata, biomasse, Desmodium intortum, taill