| dc.description.abstract | A study to quantify
and to
production and
nutritional parameters, determine factors
influencing productivity of cattle in a Maasai pastoral
production system was conducted between June 1981 and
October 1983. It comprised of 719 calves with their
dams and ten oesophagally fistulated cows in three
group ranches.
In a grazing day the cattle spent 1, 8, 14,
15 and 62% of their time drinking, ruminating, resting,
walking and grazing respectively. The mean length of a
grazing day of Maasai cattle, was 10.8 ± 0.6 and 10.4 ±
0.6 hr for adult cattle and calves respectively. The
mean grazing orbit was 15.5 and 10.8 km for adult
cattle and calves respectively. The most grazed grass
species were Chloris roxburghiana. Penniseturo mezianum
and Digitaria macroblephara.
Season, area and the interaction of area x
season were significant (P < 0.05) sources of
variation for the forage nutritive values. The least
squares means of the forage nutritional values were:
8.1, 69, 49, 0.26, 0.5 and 0.22%, 1703, 6.2 and 67 ppm
for CP, NDF, IVDMD, p, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu and Mn
respectively. Faecal values varied with area. The
least squares means for the faecal components were:
1.3,62.3,41.1,12.7,0.86, 0.10, 1.44, 1.04 and
0.55%, 4256, 23.8 203 and 127 ppm for N, NDF, ADF,
lignin, P, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn
respectively. Significant correlation between the diet
and the faeces were established for N, NDF, ADF, Mg,
Fe and Mn, while for lignin, Ca, Cu, and Zn no
significant correlations existed.
The least squares means of calf weights at
birth and the ages of 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 18 months were
19.2, 28.4, 35.2, 41.4, 41.5, 64.4 and 132.2 kg
respectively. Ranch and breed were consistent
sources of variation.
The overall mean milk offtake for human
consumption was 940g per day and it varied with ranch,
producer scale, season, lactation number, lactation
month, watering frequency, parturition number x season
and lactation month x season. Milk composition was
5.9%, 8.8% and 14.1% fat, SNF and TS respectively. The
lactation length mean and CV were 214 days and 39%
respectively. The calving interval least squares mean
was 548 days and it varied with season.
The mortality rates for calves and cows were
8 and 5% respectively and the probability for calf
survival was influenced by ranch and parturition
number.
This study has shown the. Maasai production
system is more productive than other pastoral systems
in Ethiopia, Botswana and Mali. Its success is
attributed to good husbandry, which results in higher
calf growth and calving rates and lower mortality
rates. Low feed intake characterised by low values of
crude protein and dry matter digestiblity and high
values of neutral detergent fibre, is cited as the
major constraint towards increased productivity of
Maasai cattle.
The remaining phases of the livestock system
research are recommended to be embarked upon soon, with
emphasis on the most limiting constraint in this case
feed intake. Although low feed intake is a result of | en |
