Abstract
Animal husbandry in the Sud-Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is gradually moving towards stall feeding, due to demographic pressure (Battistin et al. 2009) and scarcity of collectable forages (DSRP-RDC 2005). Therefore, lack of available feed is considered one of the main constraints faced by livestock production, especially in the dry season (Katunga et al. 2011; Maass et al. 2012). Unaffordable, fluctuating prices and scarcity of feed concentrates and the lack of improved forages adapted to marginal conditions, making them non-competitive with food crops, further exacerbate the livestock feeding situation. This study aimed to assess specific constraints and opportunities in the current feeding systems, as well as feed availability in this area.
Highlights
Animal husbandry in the Sud-Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is gradually moving towards stall feeding, due to demographic pressure (Battistin et al 2009) and scarcity of collectable forages (DSRP-RDC 2005)
Unaffordable, fluctuating prices and scarcity of feed concentrates and the lack of improved forages adapted to marginal conditions, making them non-competitive with food crops, further exacerbate the livestock feeding situation
At all 4 sites, feed availability was strongly linked to rainfall pattern, with a great shortage during the dry season from May to September (Figure 1)
Summary
Animal husbandry in the Sud-Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is gradually moving towards stall feeding, due to demographic pressure (Battistin et al 2009) and scarcity of collectable forages (DSRP-RDC 2005). Lack of available feed is considered one of the main constraints faced by livestock production, especially in the dry season (Katunga et al 2011; Maass et al 2012). Unaffordable, fluctuating prices and scarcity of feed concentrates and the lack of improved forages adapted to marginal conditions, making them non-competitive with food crops, further exacerbate the livestock feeding situation. This study aimed to assess specific constraints and opportunities in the current feeding systems, as well as feed availability in this area
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