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

Nutrient Accumulation in Leaves and Soft Twigs of \u3ci\u3eMoringa oleifera\u3c/i\u3e Lam. at Different Growth Stages in Western Highland of Cameroon

Moringa oleifera belongs to the Moringaceae family and is considered to have its origin in the south of the Himalayan mountains. The species is being introduced into the highland zone of Cameroon. It is a tree which has many valuable properties and it is of great nutritional and scientific interest. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate nutrient composition in leaves and soft twigs of M. oleifera at different growth heights when grown in the Western Highland of Cameroon