Abstract
Abstract This study estimated heifer losses and associated determinants in peri-urban camel herds characterized by market orientation and domination of lactating camels grazing closer to urban market outlets for milk. In this evolving peri-urban camel production system in semi-arid Kenya, the proportion of heifers born that survives to breeding age is important in sustaining the herds and the extent to which households obtain tangible and intangible benefits from camel keeping. Data was obtained through progeny history recall on 2,000 heifer loss cases out of 4,398 heifers born between 1991 and 2009. The estimated heifer loss was 0.455 and was 11.8% higher (P < 0.0001) in peri-urban herds (0.505 ± 0.040) than in pastoral herds (0.387 ± 0.047). The extent of heifer loss was significantly associated with veterinary service access (P < 0.05), labour hire (P < 0.01) and state of security (P < 0.01). Results provide lessons for policy intervention to support evolution of peri-urban camel milk production. Improving infrastructure and the security situation is necessary to enhance delivery of veterinary service and feed supply interventions to peri-urban camel herds for production of milk and breeding stock.
Highlights
Camels (Camelus dromedarius) are primary livelihood assets in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) of northern Kenya
Camels have been managed in nomadic systems characterized by subsistence production objectives and mobile herds in search of pastures, water and mineral licks in the vast rangelands of the ASALs
The estimated heifer loss was 11.8% higher in peri-urban herds (0.505 ± 0.040) than in the pastoral herds (0.387 ± 0.047), and herd effect was significant
Summary
Camels (Camelus dromedarius) are primary livelihood assets in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) of northern Kenya. Camels have been managed in nomadic systems characterized by subsistence production objectives and mobile herds in search of pastures, water and mineral licks in the vast rangelands of the ASALs. Nomadic pastoral production of camels is highly vulnerable to recurring droughts and subsequent ethnic conflicts over water and pastures (Guliye et al 2007; Thornton et al 2007). When post-weaning mortalities are added, the loss of potential replacement heifers in pastoral herds would be substantial, limiting the supply of breeding stock to peri-urban herds. Because management strategies in peri-urban herds differ from those of pastoral herds, the effect on heifer production may differ and so are losses to first breeding age. The study compared the extent of camel heifer loss to first calving age and identified associated determinants of the differences between pastoral and peri-urban camel herds in semi-arid northern Kenya. In both peri-urban and rangeland grazing areas, the dominant vegetation are shrubs of Acacia reficiens, Acacia tortillis, Cammiphora spp. and Duospherma eremophilum and grasses of Aristida spp., Leptothrium senegalese, Sporobolus spp. and Lintonia nutans (Herlocker et al 1993)
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