Abstract
Indigenous people have been using local grasses for rearing their animals for centuries. The present study is the first record of traditional knowledge of grasses and livestock feeding system from the Thal desert in Pakistan. A snowball sampling method was used to identify key participants. Information was collected from the respondents from six districts of Thal Desert through semi-structural questionnaire and site visits. The data was analyzed through Smith’s salience index and Composite Salience using ANTHROPAC package in R software. On the whole 61 grasses were recorded from the study area: most of them belong to the Poaceae family (52 species). Based on palatability grasses were categorized into three major groups i.e. (A) High priority, (B) Medium priority and (C) Low priority. Species in Group A, abundantly present in the study area represent a source of highly palatable forage for all ruminants. 232 (141M +91W) local participants were interviewed. Participants were grouped into three major age categories: 20–35 (48 participants), 36–50 (116 participants) and 51–67 years old (68 participants). ANTHROPAC frequency analysis confirmed the Smith’s salience index and Composite Salience; Cynodon dactylon was the favorite species (6.46 SI, 0.6460 CS) followed by Cymbopogon jwarancusa (5.133 SI, 0.5133 CS) and Sorghum sp. was the third most salient species (5.121 SI, 0.5121 CS). Grasses were mostly available during the months of August and October and had also ethnoveterinary importance. This document about the traditional feeding of livestock in Thal Desert can underline the importance of conserving a traditional knowledge, which was poorly documented before.
Highlights
In rural areas of Pakistan, agro-pastoral activities play a crucial role in the development of the local economy, accounting for more than half of the total agricultural income and 10.6% of the national GDP [1]
The data analysis highlighted the possible motives behind the greater acceptability ratio of high priority fodder grasses: i.e. diversity in their palatability for major ruminant species, availability in the study area, and versatility of feeding methods
The information may play a major role in improving the livelihood of smallholder farmers
Summary
In rural areas of Pakistan, agro-pastoral activities play a crucial role in the development of the local economy, accounting for more than half of the total agricultural income and 10.6% of the national GDP [1]. According to data reported by Farooq et al [2], in Pakistan 8.1% of buffaloes, 13.5% of cattle, 15.3% of sheep and 14.4% of goats are raised in desert districts Husbandry in these areas is often an uncertain and low-paid activity; shortage of fodder as a result of severe climatic conditions, high rate of diseases, limited availability of veterinary services and poor access to animal vaccination are important constraints limiting the local livestock productivity [2]. The sustainable production of livestock under harsh climatic conditions needs efficient strategies for improving fodder utilization and management [3] From this perspective, traditional knowledge can be an important source of information on local wild forage resources and on their nutritive properties. Many studies throughout the world highlight the diverse and abundant use of grasses and sedges as fodder; grasses and sedges are generally reported to be palatable and highly productive resources and to have high forage potential especially in arid and semiarid areas [12, 13]
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