| dc.description.abstract | In arid and semi-arid areas animal production has been the most
and, sometimes, the only productive use of the land. Most of northern
Kenya is destined to remain rangeland due to the low and unpredictable
rainfall. Camels (CameZ-us dromedax-i.ue ) , goats (CapY'a hi.rcue i , sheep
(Ovis aries) and cattle (Bos i.ndioue ) are grazed on these rangelands.
Studies were conducted to determine the abundance, quality,
botanical composition and digestibility of the diets of these-herbivores
in the central part of Rendille country in northern Kenya.
Abundance of forage was determined through measurement of cover,
frequency and biomass of species. Levels of crude protein were used
as a measure of the quality of the selected forage species. The
seasonal botanical composition was determined by the application of
the microhistological -technique on fecal sample composites for each
season. Rumen fistulated castrates were used for determination of the
dry matter and crude protein digestibility of major range forage
speci es.
The diets of camels contained the most browse. The diets of goats,
sheep and cattle contained decreasing amounts of browse. The opposite
was true for the grass and herb component of the diets. While most
trees and shrubs dropped their leaves during the dry season, these
leaves were still available to livestock species.
Diet selection of the four herbivores was influenced by forage
abundance during the wettest season of the study (October - December).
This influence was least significant for cattle. Forage crude protein
played a minimal or no role in diet selection. It appears that the
abundance of useable forage, rather than the total plant or crown
available, is the major factor influencing diet selection by these
herbivores.
Overall, for dry matter digestive power of major range plants,
the camel was inferior to the other animal species. However, for
trees, shrubs and dwarf shrubs, digestibility values were about equal
amona the herbivores. Grasses showed the greatest variations among
herbivore species.
Some significant differences in crude protein digestibility were
observed among animal species. However, these should be treated
with caution since, due to the contamination of the digested samples
with microbial protein, the observed differences may not be real.
Since cattle diet consists mostly of grass, the least of the
three vegetation components in both abundance and quality, and due
to their frequent water requirements in an environment where rainfall
is unpredictable and scarce, they are the least adapted, of the species
studied, to these rangelands.
Therefore, any future plans made for managing semi-arid and
arid rangelands should take into consideration the degree of
adaptability of the livestock species in terms of diet and water
requirements as well as their potential for food production for the
local people. | en |
