| dc.description.abstract | This thesis describes a study on the major factors associated with morbidity,
mortality and performance of camel calves, kids and lambs in Rendille and Samburu
pastoral herds in Marsabit district, Kenya. The main objective of the study was to identify
and assess the major factors in order to formulate guidelines for appropriate disease
control strategies for improved performance. The study was conducted in three phases
for a period of 27 months from March 2000 to May 2002.
The first phase was to assess pastoral perceptions on the livestock production
systems in the study area. A pastoralists' appraisal was conducted through rapid rural
appraisal (RRA) by community meetings in six sublocations namely Olturot, Ilaut, and
Ngurunit in the arid agroecological zone (AEZ) V and in Kargi, Korr and Loglogo in the
very arid AEZ VI from 20th March to May 2000. The meetings were held in six
settlements know by the same names. These were purposively selected, as they were the
only physical foci easily accessible and representing the six administrative sublocations.
In all the sublocations, the major livestock reared were indigenous camels, cattle,
sheep and goats. The camels reared were described as Rendille/Gabra; cattle as the
Zebus; goats as the East African breed and sheep as Blackhead. The pastoralists reported
that some exotic breeds of camels, cattle and goats had been introduced in the area and
that a few households had also accepted chicken and bees. Donkeys and dogs were also
important domestic animals among the pastoralists.
Twenty-six household and six commercial needs were listed as fulfilled by the
animals kept. Milk for household use from camels, cattle, goats and sheep was ranked as
the most important utilization of livestock.... | en_US |
