dc.contributor.author | Otieno, Okello G | |
dc.contributor.author | Junga, Joseph O | |
dc.contributor.author | Badamana, Mohamed | |
dc.contributor.author | Amimo, J O | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2019-08-22T04:17:40Z | |
dc.date.available | 2019-08-22T04:17:40Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2015 | |
dc.identifier.citation | G.O.Otieno, J.O.Junga, M.S.Badamana, J.O.Amimo. "Indigenous knowledge in breeding and management of Capra hircus population in Kajiado and Makueni counties, Kenya.". 2015. | en_US |
dc.identifier.uri | https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/52e2/72f7e0469ba63814cecb9a6ab0c405f6141c.pdf?_ga=2.75919445.1554953457.1566447001-1875806995.1565858563 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/107044 | |
dc.description.abstract | The aim of this project was to study indigenous breeding practices used in management of Capra
hircus (Galla and Small East African goats) populations in Kajiado County in Rift valley province
and Makueni County in Eastern province. Data were obtained through a field survey using questionnaires (Appendix I) and personal observations between 1st September, 2013 and 2nd December, 2013. This study covered key characteristics of goats production and areas of goat breeding,
such as general farm details, number of goats, main activities of the farmers, farming types, breeds,
flock structure, feeding, housing, catastrophes, selection, mating systems, breeding systems, average age at parturition, breeding problems, and the importance of goats. Results showed that the
average number of goats in Kajiado was 100.65 ± std 49.88 while in Makueni it was 12.28 ± std
6.46. The main activity of the people interviewed was farming as 58 people (96.67%) in Kajiado
and 42 people (61.60%) chose farming as their main activity because this was their main source of
livelihood. Flocks were dominated by breeding females at a mean of 39.06 ± std 16.75 in Kajiado
and a mean of 5.62 ± std 3.50 in Makueni because females were kept to reproduce to increase the
size of the flock and the males were kept majorly for cash and only one or two were left to reproduce with the females. Drought was the major catastrophe as it killed an average number of goats
of 6.33 ± std 4.36. Pneumonia and diarrhoea were the major diseases according to 28 farmers
(46.66%) in Kajiado and 31 farmers (51.66%) in Makueni. Ticks and fleas were the major parasites according to 42 farmers (70%) in Kajiado and 4 farmers (63.34%) in Makueni. Treatment
was mostly done by the farmers individually as 54 farmers (90%) in Kajiado and 46 farmers
(76.67%) in Makueni treated the animals by themselves. This was so because it was either not
easy to get a veterinarian or expensive for them to hire veterinarian doctors. Some farmers used
traditional medicine like mavuavui; Steganotaenia araliacea was used to treat pneumonia. Farmers also devised feeding methods during drought as 48 farmers (80.00%) in Kajiado and 23
farmers (38.33%) in Makueni cut leaves from up trees to feed the goats. When doing selection of
breed, 58 farmers (96.67%) and 57 farmers (95%) considered large body size and drought resis-tance respectively in Kajiado. The farmers in Makueni considered age and drought resistance at
equal chances of 59 farmers (98.33%). The main mating system was naturally uncontrolled as 113
farmers (95.17%) of the overall 120 farmers interviewed in Kajiado and Makueni chose this as the
main mating method. The major breeding system was pure breeding at 85 farmers (70.83%). The
average age at parturition of the goats was 1.435 ± 0.125 years in Kajiado and 1.44 ± 0.121 years
in Makueni. Abortion was the major breeding problem because it was caused by environmental
stressors like drought and diseases as 54 farmers (93.92%) in Kajiado and 55 farmers (95.66%)
claimed that it was a problem. Goats were majorly kept for cash (100%) and meat (100%) in Kajiado and for cash (100%) and dowry (100%) in Makueni. In conclusion, the study showed that
crossbreeding was encouraged by mating that occurred at the markets, water points, free ranging
feeding method, pastoralism due to drought, selection methods and translocation of female goats
from Makueni County to be mated with the males in Kajiado County. Environmental problems like
drought and diseases caused several deaths and reduced the level of existing gene pool of the goats. | en_US |
dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
dc.publisher | University of Nairobi | en_US |
dc.rights | Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States | * |
dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ | * |
dc.subject | Indigenous Knowledge, Breeding, Management, Capra Hircus, Kajiado and Makueni Counties | en_US |
dc.title | Indigenous Knowledge Used in Breeding and Management of Capra hircus Populations in Kajiado and Makueni Counties, Kenya | en_US |
dc.type | Article | en_US |