Tethering of grazing goats in tanzania: effect of tethering for 4 or 8 hours daily on intake and milk yield of norwegian cross local goats grazing brachiaria in the wet season

Abstract

The experiment formed part of a development programme to improve tethering practice and increase liquid milk production from grazed goats on smallholder farms. A local survey in upland (Mgeta) and lowland (Mlali) districts near Morogoro (Sendalo, Mtenga, Ngapongora, Minde, Owen, Romney and Gill, 1994) indicated that goats were tethered at sites of grazing for 4 to 8 hours (h) daily (d), with the animals being housed, generally without additional feeding, at other times. The survey also indicated that tethering was a particularly common method of controlling grazing during the wet, crop-planting/crop growing period.The experiment therefore compared the milk production of lactating goats tethered to graze during the wet season for 4 or 8 h per day. An attempt was made to measure intake during grazing. The experiment tested the hypothesis that goats tethered to graze for 4 h/d would be unable to consume as much grass as those grazed for 8 h/d and consequently, would produce less milk.