Enhancing on-farm fodder availability and utilization for sustainable dairy production in the smallholder farming systems of western usambara highlands, Tanzania

A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Life Sciences of the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, TanzaniaDairy cattle farmers in Tanzania experience a huge decline in milk production due to insufficient feed supply to their animals particularly during the dry seasons. This poses a great challenge to sustainability of smallholder dairy farming systems (SHDFSs) in the country. The aim of this study was to evaluate fodder resources availability, utilization practices and seasonal variations; as well as to assess potentials for improving pasture production and utilization in the SHDFSs of Western Usambara Highlands (WUHs), Tanzania. Integrated approaches were used in this study including review of literature, household and farm surveys, planting and evaluating suitability of four Pennisetum purpureum Schumach varieties (local Napier, Bana, Ouma and Kakamega 2) in improving ruminant feed availability. In addition, an experiment was conducted during a dry season to assess the potential of graded levels of homemade supplementary ration (HSR) consisting of Calliandra calothyrsus leaf-meal, maize bran, molasses and mineral-vitamin premixes on dairy cattle milk productivity. Results indicated that fodder scarcity was the major challenge during the dry season (July-October). On-farm fodder resources contributed most of the cattle diet. Natural pasture and Napier grass were the most important feeds in wet season and maize stover in dry seasons. Processing and supplementation of poor roughages with protein-energy concentrates were unpopular. Milk yields were 5.57 and 3.01 litres/cow/day in the wet and dry seasons respectively. The findings also demonstrated that Ouma and Kakamega 2 can be promoted in the WUHs for forage use due to higher biomass production. HSR improved the dry season milk yields significantly (P<0.001). Nonetheless, simulated year-round daily milk yields indicated that 4 and 6 kg HSR/cow/day would double the milk yields. There was overall significant difference (P=0.02) in the income to cost ratios (ICR) across the HSR levels. However, the ICR for 4 and 6 kg HSR/cow/day did not differ significantly (P<0.05). In conclusion, the supplementation level of 4 kg HSR/cow/day to the fibrous basal diets is suitable for profitable milk yields in the WUHs. It is therefore, recommended to increase fodder production and adopt proper supplementation practices to meet sustainable dairy production in the WUHs and elsewhere with similar environment

Overview of feed resources condition and feeding practices among the smallholder dairy farmers in Tanzania

This research article was published by RUFORUM Working Document Series in 2016In Tanzania, most smallholder dairy farmers rely on on-farm resources for feeding their livestock. These on-farm feed resources include grasses, legumes, crop residues, cereals and oilseed byproducts. These feed resources, in particular pasture and crop residues, do often fluctuate seasonally both in terms of quantity and quality. For example, pasture tends to be plenty in wet seasons but becomes very scarce in dry seasons. This fluctuation results in a reduction of over 40% in milk yield during the dry season. Despite a number of research and development interventions for curbing the problems of dry season fodder scarcity, the culture of forage production and preservation in terms of hay or silage, leaf-meal or feed blocks as a dry season feeding strategy is still limited among the Tanzanian smallholder dairy farmers. This study aimed at getting an overview of feed resources and dairy cattle feeding resources in two districts of Tanzania. It is hoped that information generated would inform development of future innovative solutions for curbing the identified challenges. A reconnaissance survey was conducted in eight villages in Tanga region including six in Lushoto and two in Korogwe district. The survey revealed that feed resources are plenty in the wet season (December to July) but very scarce in dry season (August to November) in both two districts. The findings suggest that poor feeding strategies and inadequate knowledge on dairy nutrition exists among the smallholder dairy farmers. Therefore, promoting on-farm research and development interventions in the areas of feeding strategies, fodder production and conservation are of paramount importance if sustainable dairy production is to be achieved in the study sites

Seasonal variations in the availability of fodder resources and practices of dairy cattle feeding among the smallholder farmers in Western Usambara Highlands, Tanzania.

This research article published by Springer Nature Switzerland AG., 2018The aim of this study was to assess the seasonal effects on quantity and quality of fodder resources and associated utilization practices among smallholder dairy farmers in Western Usambara Highlands (WUHs) in Tanzania. The WUHs are among the major milk producing areas under smallholder dairy farming systems (SDFS) in Tanzania. Dry season fodder scarcity is a widespread problem affecting the East African SDFS and has been shown to contribute to over 40% reduction in milk yield. There is limited information with regard to seasonal fodder fluctuation and its effects on productivity of dairy cows in different landscape levels of Tanzania. Field and household surveys were conducted in 150 dairy cattle farming households from five villages in three wards located in WUHs. Survey data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 21. In addition, remote sensing techniques were employed on gap-filled and smoothed Landsat data to generate land cover maps and bimonthly normalized difference vegetation index-time series for the 2009-2016. SDFS landscape was highly heterogeneous typified by crops, bushes, and forests. On average, the household landholding was 1.3 ha, while herd size was three cattle. About 87% of household land was devoted to crop growing with limited pasture along the farm margins and contour strips. Fodder scarcity was the major challenge during the dry season (July to October) as indicated by 87% of the respondents. On-farm fodder resources contributed most of the cattle diet (73%) while rangeland, forest, and purchased feed provided small amount. Natural pasture and napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) were the most important feeds in wet season while maize stover was most significant during the dry season. Maize stover was profusely stored for dry season feeding and neither silage nor hay making was practiced. The nutritional values of the fibrous feeds declined during the dry season, whereby the metabolizable energy and crude protein contents were 6.0 MJ/kg and 10.1% dry matter, respectively, during wet season compared to 4.8 MJ/kg and 7.8% dry matter, respectively, during the dry season. Consequently, milk yield drops from 5.6 l per cow per day in the wet season to 3.0 l in the dry season. It is concluded that dry season fodder scarcity is a major problem in the WUHs and it hinders sustainable dairy production. It is therefore suggested that increase in fodder production as well as adoption of fodder conservation and feeding technologies are inevitable if sustainable dairy production is to be met in the Western Usambara Highlands and elsewhere with similar environments

Opportunities and constraints for overcoming dry season livestock feed shortages in communal semi-arid rangelands of Northern Tanzania: a case of Longido district

Assessment of opportunities and constraints for tackling the problem of dry seasons livestock feed shortage (DSLFS) was conducted in Longido district, Arusha, Tanzania in March 2014. The rationale for conducting this study was to contribute to a better understanding of the influential factors for persistence of DSLFS problem in Tanzania communal semi-arid rangelands. In addition, the study aimed to identify the potential opportunities for curbing DSLFS problem in Longido district and elsewhere. Data collection methods included structured questionnaires for household surveys, checklists for key informants interviewing and researcher's field observations. A total of 90 respondents were randomly selected and interviewed from four (4) pastoral villages namely Kiserian, Mairowa, Ngoswak and Tingatinga. Data were analyzed by using SPSS 20 computer program. Major drivers for pasture inadequacy were prolonged droughts (27%), increased crop cultivation in rangelands (21%) and high stocking rates (18.3%). The time cattle spent for grazing during dry and wet seasons differed significantly (P=0.03). The time range livestock spent for grazing was 7-8 hrs and 10-12 hrs, in the wet and dry seasons respectively. The distance the livestock walked to pasture differed significantly (P<0.01) between wet (1-4 Km) and dry (8-14 Km) seasons. The time livestock spent walking to and fro watering points differed significantly between wet and dry seasons (P<0.01), the time range being less than 0.5 hr and up to 11 hrs respectively. Identified opportunities for overcoming the DSLFS problem include plentiful communal grazing land (32.1%), abundant browse resources (21.1%) and existence of strong traditional leadership (17.3%). Major constraints for overcoming the DSLFS problem were low and erratic rainfalls (26.1%), fear of free riders due to communal grazing (23.17%) and low awareness on range management due to inadequate extension services (20.7%). It is concluded that livestock feed shortage is a big problem in Longido district especially from August to November in which animal productivity declines due to sparse pasture and water resources. It is recommended that conservation of indigenous fodder trees should be undertaken due to their importance in providing feed resources at critical drought times. Moreover, livestock policies should promote range management through education provision, securing land tenure of communal grazing areas for fostering rotational grazing, selective bush control and range reseeding

A prospective method for overcoming challenges of rehabilitating degraded semi-arid rangelands of Tanzania: a case of Gairo district

Most semi-arid rangelands of Tanzania are highly degraded due to high land use pressures including shifting cultivation and overgrazing. The presence of large patches of bare ground, pronounced soil erosion features such as rills and gullies and high encroachment of both invasive plant species and dense thorny bushes, as well as damaged surface water resources are amongst easily noticeable signs of rangeland degradation. For decades bush clearing, water spreading and reseeding using improved pasture seeds (grass and legumes) have been amongst the proposed rangeland improvement practices to reduce the scarcity of feed during the dry season in communal semi-arid grazing lands. However, these technologies have not been adopted by a wider part of agro-pastoralists in the country. The low adoption rate is attributed to a number of barriers including culture, land tenure, methods used to transfer proven technology and practices, contradictory agricultural policies and unavailability of pasture seeds. In other words, the problem may not be the absence of the relevant technologies for the rehabilitation of these degraded semi-arid rangelands, but rather processes that are used to foster adoption and wise use of these technologies by the wider part of the targeted communities. Home pasture nursery (HPN) is a new innovative approach that was developed and tested in the communal semi-arid rangelands of Gairo district that has indicated high potential for enhancing adoption of pasture production technologies under communal semi-arid grazing systems. Herein, a field experience on HPN is expounded.The Tanzania Norwegian Embassy under the Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Mitigation (CCIAM) Programme

Short-term effects of cow manure on above ground growth characteristics of Brachiaria ruziziensis in tropical sub-humid environment, Tanzania

Aims: The study assessed the effects of different levels of cow manure application on above ground growth characteristics and herbage production of Brachiaria ruziziensis (Congo signal grass) in tropical sub-humid environment on arable land. The rationale behind being contribute to better understanding of how the growth and yield components of B. ruziziensis respond to varied levels of cow manure application Study Design: Complete Randomized Block Design (CRBD). Place and Duration of Study: Field experiment was conducted at Magadu Dairy Farm, located in Morogoro, Tanzania, from February to June, 2014. Methodology: Three (3) blocks (replications), 4 treatments (0, 5, 10 and 15 t/ha cow manurelevels), 3 m inter-block distance, 12 plots and 0.5 m inter-plot distance. Pre-plant spread of manure into plots at varying levels followed by planting of B. ruziziensis stem cuttings. Repetitive measurement of several above ground growth parameters at 2 weeks interval post planting up to the 10th week. At the end, the pasture stand was harvested and the above ground dry matter (DM) yield was estimated. One way ANOVA under SAS computer program was used to test if there was significant difference among the treatments at P =.05. Results: Cow manure application had a significant effect on stem height, tiller and leaf number perplant (P < .0001), in which each subsequent increase in manure application was increasing growth of these parameters. Moreover, the DM yield differed significantly across all treatments (P < .001). However, there was no significant difference in DM yield between 10 and 15 t/ha manure application rates (P = .76). Conclusion: Cow manure was found to improve productivity of B. ruziziensis by increasing stem growth, tiller and leaf numbers, thus DM. Moreover, cow manure application rate of 10 t/ha was found to be ideal level for maximum DM yield (13.5 t/ha) under the conditions of this study

Socio-economic and ecological dimensions of climate variability and change for agropastoral communities in central Tanzania

A study was conducted in 2012 in Gairo district, central Tanzania with aim to assess the socio-economic and ecological factors influencing the agro-pastoral communities in responding to the prevailing climate variability and change. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through a combination of methods including structured interviews, focused group discussions and personal observations. Quantitative data were analyzed by means of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) IBM 20 computer program whilst qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. A multiple regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between socio-economic factors as independent variables and perceptions on variability and change of rainfall as a dependent variable. Climate variability and change was found to increase death of animals due to inadequate pasture and water especially during dry season. It was further unfolded that human conflicts due to grazing in unauthorized areas and decreased crop yield and failure incidences are increasing. Women were seen in many ways to be more vulnerable to climate variability and change than men due to their household roles and dominancy of male in decision making regarding household assets at times of famine. A number of adaption and coping strategies were spontaneously practiced across the study area to cope with water related stresses in crop and livestock production. The coping strategies include shifting cultivation, vegetable gardens, pasture trekking, digging boreholes in sand rivers, mixed cropping including earlier maturing crops (groundnuts) and drought resistant crops such as sorghum. Therefore, there is a need to undertake capacity building activities to agro-pastoral communities for increased awareness of the effects of climate changes, and improved capacity to understand and deal with climatic change impacts. Also, training in agro-ecological technologies and practices for the conservation of soil and water resources in order to improve their adaptation and mitigation capacity.CCIAM Programm

Forage seed stakeholder workshop 12th May 2021: Addressing obstacles for thriving a forage seed sector in Tanzania

Livestock production constitutes a significant contribution to the economy and nutrition of many households in Tanzania. Despite the profound attributes of livestock in the nation, livestock sector is yet to attain its maximum level of production and productivity due to a number of challenges including insufficient forage quantity and quality. This culminates to poor animal performance especially during the dry seasons whereby availability of natural forages is limited and yet of poor nutritive value. In addition to a paucity of high quality forages, there is scarcity of improved forage planting materials including seeds and vegetative materials to provide livestock producers with improved forage suited to various ecological and agriculture contexts. This report documents the discussions and outputs of a stakeholder workshop on forage seed production in Tanzania, that was organized by the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries in Tanzania (MoLF) together with their partners, who are jointly working on enhancing the availability of quality forage seeds for increased forage biomass production in Tanzania