Draught Animal Power Research Articles

The generation interval and season of birth do not affect age at first calving, birth weight and calving interval of Mozambican Angoni cattle.

The Angoni cattle breed's contribution to the country's economy is crucial, as it significantly contributes to animal draught power and meat supply, despite not being primarily used for milk production. Despite its importance, there is a lack of comprehensive research conducted to characterize this breed. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the generation interval (GI) and season of birth (SB) on key reproductive parameters, including age at first calving (AFC), birth weight (BW), and calving interval (CI) in angoni cattle. Data sourced from the Angónia Research Station (ARS) included records for 425 heifers' AFC, 1684 calves' BW, and 1272 cows' CI. The study calculated overall averages and explored the relationships between generation intervals, the season of birth, and the aforementioned reproductive traits. The mean values for AFC, BW, and CI were determined as 1475.40 days, 18.49kg, and 634.62 days, respectively. The analysis revealed that both generation interval and season of birth exhibited weak relationships, and their influence did not yield significant effects on the reproductive traits under investigation (P > 0.05). The observed variability ranged from 0.37 to 0.46% for AFC, 0.10-0.01% for BW, and 0.11-0.26% for CI. In conclusion, this study determined that neither generation interval nor birth season significantly affected the age at first calving, birth weight, or calving interval in Angoni cattle.

Draught animal power for climate-smart farming in semi-arid and arid Nigeria: Challenges and oppourtunities

Draught animal power for climate-smart farming in semi-arid and arid Nigeria: Challenges and oppourtunities

Bioenergetic Performance of Bali Cows Employed in Ploughing Agricultural Land under Different Work Intensities

The study was undertaken to investigate the use of cow as draught power in soil cultivation of the different type of farming field namely paddy farming field and dry farming field. Ten cows (5 working pairs) were randomly selected from each location so that the total number of obsevation cows was 20 (10 pairs). From each location, 45 breeders were randomly selected as respondents, so that a total of 90 respondents was observed intensively. The results showed, that the main motives recorded from this study are all respondents (100%), both paddy field farmers and dry field farmers, raising cattle for a source of labor and for savings. Most of the farmers raise cattle also for the purpose of being a source of fertilizer (88% of respondents). Cows in dry field farming worked with heigher intensity then those worked on paddy field farming areas. Cows were employed in average 48 days/season and only 4 hours/day, each under 49,60 kg droaugt load, 45 HP draught power, and 45,57 kg draught force, which indicate that the use of cows as a draught animal power in soil cultivation at the transmigration site in the West Nusa Tenggara area is within sub maximal exercise.

Smallholder farmers' willingness to pay for two‐wheel tractor‐based mechanisation services in Zambia and Zimbabwe

AbstractMechanisation is back among top development policy priorities for transforming African smallholder agriculture. Yet previous and ongoing efforts ubiquitously suffer from lack of scientific information on end‐user effective demand for different types of mechanical innovations to inform public investment or business development programmes. We assess smallholder farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for two‐wheel tractor (2WT)‐based ripping, direct seeding and transportation using a random sample of 2800 smallholder households in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Applying the Becker–DeGroot–Marschak Mechanism (BDM) experimental auctions, we find that at least 50% of sample households in Zambia and Zimbabwe were willing to pay more than the prevailing market prices for ripping. In nominal terms, sample households in Zimbabwe were willing to pay more than those in Zambia for the different services. Empirical results suggest that wealth is the strongest driver of WTP for tillage and seeding 2WT services while labour availability and using animal draft power reduce it. These findings imply a need to (i) raise awareness and create demand for 2WT‐based services in an inclusive business manner that does not create perverse incentives and (ii) better target mechanisation to operations with comparative advantage, using approaches that bundle 2WT‐based and other mechanisation services with asset‐agnostic credit schemes or other interventions meant to overcome asset‐mediated barriers.

A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO MECHANIZATION TO COMMERCIALIZE CASSAVA VALUE CHAIN IN KENYA

Cassava is produced in Kenya mainly as subsistence and is the second most important food crop after maize in the Country’s Western and Coastal regions. Its production and use as human food, animal feed and industrial starch is low due to poor agronomic practices postharvest handling and processing, bulkiness and low application of mechanised operations to scale production to commercial levels. An average yield of 15.3 MT/ha on 0.2 to 1 ha household units was realised against a potential of 90 MT/ha in 2014 producing 935,089 MT of cassava valued at $ 168 million. Kenya is a low mechanized country with a mechanical power usage indicated at 30%, hand power at 50%, and animal draught power at 20%. Mechanisation models that apply a systems approach by taking into account the value chain cycle is muted as feasible a pathway for ascertaining the technical and economic sustainability of the cassava enterprise in the country. Commercialization of the cassava value chain requires household production at scales beyond 4 ha. Such scales require mechanised production and primary processing for technical feasibility. A system that will provide mechanised tillage, planting, weeding, harvesting and processing through organised delivery and technical back up support is projected as the best entry to address this limitation. This would unleash the commercial viability of the cassava value chain and grow the livelihood system of producers and processors beyond subsistence thresholds.

Effect of Labor Saving and Production Enhancement Technologies on Cotton Production in Omiya Anyima Sub County-Kitgum District

The study made an assessment of the effect of labor saving and production enhancement technologies on cotton production in Omiya Anyima sub County-Kitgum District. The specific objectives were to: identify the types of labour saving and productivity enhancement technologies being employed by farmers in cotton production, compare cotton production by farmers using labour saving and productivity enhancement technologies and those not using the technologies, identify areas of research that could enhance cotton productivity and lessen drudgery and excessive labour use, and the challenges associated with the use of labor saving and productivity enhancement technologies in cotton production and recommend some innovative solutions. The study was cross-sectional in nature employing qualitative and quantitative approaches for data collection and analysis. A questionnaire was used to capture information from 376 respondents. The study identified different labour saving and productivity enhancement technologies used in the area such as; animal draft power, tractors, sprayers, herbicides, fertilizers and pesticides. An average production difference between adopters and non-adopters of labour saving and productivity enhancement technologies were 519.8 kilograms per acre in a season. The identified areas of research to enhance cotton productivity and lessen drudgery included; automated irrigation systems, automated weed control systems, auto-guided agricultural systems, automatic motorized sprayers while and robotic planters. Adoption and use of labour saving and productivity enhancement technologies was influenced by factors like economic status, land tenure system, lack of credit to services, and high costs of procurement and operations. The study concluded that Labor Saving and Production Enhancement Technologies have a positive effect on Cotton Production but the users were still affected by challenges like poverty, low knowledge on use, lack of accessibility, costs of hire, capital and land tenure system. The study therefore recommended more education for farmers on the technologies, revisiting land tenure policies to allow farmers have access to bigger land to apply the technologies, supporting farmers through credit services and more capacity building and external support.

Animals, environment and sustainability: Global warming reducing and inducing attributes of the farm animals

Animals, environment and sustainability are related with each other. The intricate soil-plant-animal relationship is vital for the very ecological integrity of the biosphere. Animal diversity, both inter- and intra-species, has multiple socio-economic attributes. In an agroecosystem with uncultivated land, cultivated land, livestock and households as the integral components, livestock play crucial role in transferring nutrients from ecologically more sustainable ecosystem (forest/ rangeland/ grassland) to ecologically vulnerable one (cultivated land), and in the recycling of nutrients in the cultivated lands. Draught animal power (DAP) is a key source for realizing sustainability in traditional agricultural systems which is ensured by their role in enhancing ecological processes—cropping diversification, agro-biodiversity maintenance, and soil fertility management. Farm animals also play negative role leading to environmental degradation through overgrazing and carbon emissions. Grazing animals significantly affect an ecosystem in triple ways, viz. herbivory, physical effects, and deposition. Overgrazing alters community structure as well as ecosystem functioning, including primary productivity and it has triggering effects on an ecosystem. Farm animals are key agents as well as sufferers of the on-going climate change. Their role in land degradation, water pollution, biodiversity erosion and release of GHGs contributes to exacerbate global warming.

Adoption of ox-drawn minimum tillage ripping by smallholder farmers in Zambia

ABSTRACT Applying a triple hurdle model to nationally representative farm household data from Zambia, this study examines determinants associated with three sequential crop production decisions: animal draught power adoption, minimum tillage ripping adoption, and the extent of hectares ripped. The correlated random effects estimator is also used to explore two dimensions of minimum tillage ripping adoption: changes in adoption within a household over time (within-household effect) and differences in adoption between households at a given time (between-household effect). Results reveal that age and gender of the household head, the head's level of education, household labour, hectares cultivated, ripper ownership, loan access, receiving conservation farming advice and distance to agricultural service providers are some of the key determinants associated with the three stages investigated using the triple hurdle model. The correlated random effects results demonstrate that while certain factors enhance or inhibit the expected value of hectares ripped within a given household, it is not always the case that these factors have a similar effect when the analysis is between households. This article highlights policy options to enhance ownership of rippers, support smallholder farmer access to loans, facilitate development of agro-dealer networks, and innovative approaches for disseminating conservation farming information to farmers.

Livelihood, Sustainability and Change among Changpas of Changthang: Ladakh India

Pastoral societies use animals as providers of food, fuel, fiber, draught power and transportation. However, nomadic, semi- nomadic and transhumant pastoralist societies have lifestyles that revolve mainly around their livestock. The transhumant pastoral societies inhabiting the high Himalayan areas exploit the seasonal abundance of grazing areas. As social and ecological conditions change, pastoralists adjust accordingly. Contrary to their reputation, pastoralists have traditional practices for conserving vegetation by rotational grazing. Pastoralists make a significant contribution to India’s economy in terms of food security (milk), provision of draft animal power, as well as foreign exchange earnings (meat, fiber for example, pashmina wool). Since pastoralists do not own land, their produce is generated by dependence on communally and state owned grazing land. Currently, the trend towards globalization of the market, with pastoral lands increasingly being commercialised and/or turned in to national parks, has created problems for the pastoralists. Since Independence of India, the pastoralists of the Himalayas have faced a series of significant changes from external, political and economic changes. These structural alterations have brought adjustments in many aspects of the traditional pastoral system, including migratory cycle, local economy and social organisation. Many of them left their traditional transhumant way of life and settled along valleys. Some have settled in urban areas, others stick to the pastoral activities by changing the composition of livestock by increasing number of goats and decreasing number of yaks. All pastoral groups in Himalaya face the similar constraints and stimuli. Natural exigencies, extreme weather conditions, drought, epidemics and predators, result in reduction of animals. Likewise, social crisis, such as phases in domestic developmental cycle and work force shortage in herding groups cause concern in the community. An attempt has been made to study the change and problems faced by the area- Changthang and people- Changpas due to the development programs of the government agencies of the state.

DRAUGHT ANIMAL POWER UTILIZATION ON SMALLHOLDER FARMS IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

Asurvey on draught animal power (DAP) use on small holder farms in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State was conducted during the 1988/89 farming season. A purposive sampling technique was utilized where all the 25 household heads who owned and used draught animals were sample. Structured questionnaire schedule was developed and used for data collection. The findings revealed that majority (88%) of the respondents were between the 20 and 29 years of age. While majority (92%) of the respondents started with a pair of work animals, only 4% started with two pairs. White Fulani (Bunaji) cattle was the popular breed among the respondents. The animal were used for achieving three different agricultural tasks. The constraints associated with animal power utilization include unavailability and high cost of implements, scarcity of feed during the dry season and animal disease.

Quantification of farm mechanization status in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, India

Investigation on farm mechanization status of Kanker district Chhattisgarh was carried out for sustainable crop production. District falls in Chhattisgarh plains and Bastar plateau of agro climatic zones of Chhattisgarh having average rainfall varies from 1400 mm to 1500 mm where 90 % rainfall during the June to October. The total net sown area of the district is 2.37 lakh ha with cropping intensity around 122 %. To known the status of farm mechanization, level of mechanization was found out by considering available farm power sources namely human, animal and mechanical. A stratified multistage sampling design was applied considering block as a first stage, village as a second stage and cultivators are the final stage of the sampling. From Kanker district of Chhattisgarh. The 30 villages were selected from each seven block of Kanker district using Probability Proportional to Size (of Village). Then from each village, 10 cultivators were selected using random sampling. Primary data were collected from 300 cultivators from 30 villages. After selection of variables, a standard questionnaire was prepared to collect primary data. Average value of power availability, farm power consumption and present mechanization level is significantly highest in high productive blocks namely Charama, Kanker, Koilibeda in comparison to other four low productive blocks i.e. Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Durgkondal and Narharpur block, respectively. Draft animal power available in study area was 0.41 bullock-pair per ha. The command area available per unit of power source for the marginal, small, medium and large farmers was 0.70, 2.01, 3.50 and 11.33 ha/bullock pair with over all availability of 2.42 ha per bullock-pair. However, tractor and power tiller manage the overall command area of 40.43 ha per tractor and 165.38 ha per power tiller. The mechanization level of Kanker district was found 1.37 kW ha-1.

Dryland Grain Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Yield and Yield Component Responses to Tillage and Mulch Practices Under Subtropical African Conditions

In the African subtropical zones, the choice of tillage practice is critical to sustainable rainfed crop production. Two season (2015 and 2016) field trials were conducted at Matopos Research Institute (20°24′S; 28°29′E, 1340 m above sea level) in southern Zimbabwe in order to determine dryland grain sorghum yield and 1000 kernel weight responses to tillage and mulch practices under African subtropical conditions. Sorghum grain yield was highest in planting basin tillage plots under 4 T ha−1 sorghum stover mulch application (3140.9 kg ha−1 for year 2015 and 3415.7 kg ha−1 for year 2016). The 1000 kernel weights in both years were least in ripper tillage and greatest in planting basin tillage field trial plots. The mass of 1000 sorghum kernels on planting basin tillage subplots under 2 T ha−1 sorghum stover mulching was 8.6 g (25.1%) and 8.4 g (24.2%) in excess of that recorded on mulched ripper subplots for 2015 season. For the season 2016, mass of 1000 sorghum kernels on planting basin tillage subplots under 4 T ha−1 sorghum stover mulching was 9.1 g (22.9%) and 8.4 g (21.1%) in excess of that recorded on mulched ripper subplots. The adoption of the planting basin tillage under sorghum stover mulching, a technology designed for smallholder farmers with limited access to animal draft power, can improve considerably the dryland sorghum grain yield and weight of 1000 kernels.

The Forgotten Agriculture-Nutrition Link: Estimating the Energy Requirements of Different Farming Technologies in Rural Zambia With Time-Use Data

In the quest to reduce global under- and malnutrition, which is particularly high among smallholder farmers, agriculture-nutrition linkages have received a lot of attention in recent years. Researchers have analysed the link between the quantity of food that farmers produce and nutritional outcomes and the link between farm diversity and consumption diversity. A third agriculture-nutrition link has been largely neglected in recent years: the impact of how food is produced on human energy requirements, and, consequently, nutritional outcomes. This neglect persists despite the fact that the majority of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa rely on hand tools for farming, which implies heavy physical work and, thus, high energy requirements. To address this research gap, the present study compares the energy requirements of farm households in rural Zambia that are characterized by three different levels of mechanization: hand tools, animal draught power and tractors. Detailed time-use as well as food and nutrition data was collected from male and female adults and from children during different seasons: land preparation, weeding and harvesting/processing. Subjects recorded time-use themselves using an innovative picture-based smartphone app called “Timetracker”. The time-use data served to calculate daily energy requirements using “Ainsworth’s Compendium of Physical Activities”. To analyse the link between mechanization and energy use as well as nutritional outcomes, linear mixed models and multiple linear regressions were used. The results show that during land preparation, individuals in non-mechanized households are, on the average, not able to meet their dietary energy requirements. In subsequent farming periods, results are more mixed. Gender differences are noteworthy throughout, with men mostly having higher physical activity levels and energy requirements compared to women The findings suggest that farm technologies affect nutritional outcomes substantially and that this neglected agriculture-nutrition linkage deserves more scientific and political attention in order to reduce the prevalence of both under- and malnutrition among smallholder farmers, while safeguarding against emerging double burden of nutrition.

Energy audit of livestock production system in a mid-altitude Himalayan agro-ecosystem

The present study analyses energy flows through livestock production system and works out energy audit in selected mid-altitude villages in the Pithoragarh district of the Kumaun Division of Uttarakhand lying in the Central Himalayan region. The livestock population (converted into livestock units) consumed 144638094.9 kJ/day or 52792904649 kJ in a year and, in turn, produced 8490715137.07 kJ in a year through dung, 2056277724 kJ though milk, 60704289.30 kJ through calf crop and 6416.35 kJ by means of draught power supply to various agricultural operations. The gross energy produced by livestock was 10607703567 kJ/year. Proportion of the output energy from dung (80%) was much more than from milk (19%). Contribution of calf crop and draught animal power (DAP) was minimal compared to the overall energy. The gross energetic efficiency of livestock production was 20.09%. Energy for maintenance and growth available for livestock was 25.15%. The study reveals that a substantial proportion of energy in a mountain agro-ecosystem flows through livestock.

Draught Animal Power: Opportunities and Challenges in Mountain Agriculture

Draught Animal Power: Opportunities and Challenges in Mountain Agriculture

Minimum population size and potential impact of feral and semi-feral donkeys and horses in an arid rangeland

Farmers in the northern, communally managed parts of the Succulent Karoo, an arid rangeland system in South Africa, historically used donkeys and horses for transport and ploughing. With increasing mechanisation, draught animal power has largely been replaced by machines. Yet, donkeys and horses have been maintained in the agricultural landscape in small feral and semi-feral herds. Research has shown that they compete directly with productive livestock (mostly sheep and goats) for forage resources, contributing little to the local economy. Local farmers identify the presence of feral donkeys and horses as one of the primary challenges in maintaining sustainable grazing regimes on their land. However, records of the number of animals roaming the rangelands are scarce and anecdotal. We therefore conducted a combination of aerial, ground, and social surveys to estimate the minimum population size and potential grazing impact of the donkey and horse population in two communally farmed sites in the Succulent Karoo. We show that, in the representative sites surveyed, there are at least 376 equines (274 donkeys and 102 horses), representing approximately the equivalent of 2 228 sheep and goats, and consuming ∼8% of the potential grazing available for productive livestock in these areas. This could represent a significant lost opportunity cost for local farmers in the region.

English

The interaction of agricultural land cover area between land use systems and level of household income was identified. The annual cropland area was significantly higher than the natural pastureland and perennial cropland. The difference in household income earned was not significant between the annual crop and livestock. Such a difference however is not surprising because smallholder land system is a dual asset, and farm components are interrelated to and interdependent upon each other. In one season directly and simultaneously, the diversified forms of agricultural land provide food and feed that reduce the direct allocation of land for grazing. Nonetheless, decisions made in the household on the land use allocation for farm enterprise is neither random nor optional but are through behavioural adaptation of the system in changing condition, emerging opportunity and its ability to maximize choice and utility in the household. The study set up was initiated from the characterization of smallholder mixed crop-livestock systems divided into different agro-ecological zones for land use in South-western Ethiopia. Agricultural productivity in a smallholder system is chiefly an aggregate effect of interaction between elements and component, specialization and diversity in a farming system mainly found in food production biomass base. Several challenges, however, limit various positive significant balance reflected in the food and non-food production biomass base, as well as non-farm activities. Key words: Agricultural productivity performance, agro-ecology, crop-livestock, draught animal power, soil distribution, system interaction. &nbsp

Performance evaluation of Badri cattle

The present study was carried out to assess the performance of the recently certified Badri cattle, which is adapted to the topography and climate of Uttarakhand. Performance of the cattle was measured using various traits, viz. milk yield/day (litres), lactation length (months), dry period (days), productive life (years), age at puberty (years), age at first calving (years), breeding capacity (number of calves born/cow), inter calving period (months), conception rate (number of services/conception), service period (months) and draught animal power. The study was conducted in 12 villages from 4 blocks of Almora and Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand by personally interviewing 120 Badri cattle owners through semi structured interview schedule. There is no significant difference between the 2 districts with respect to various performance traits. The average milk yield/day/cow, lactation length, dry period and productive life were found to be 1.6±0.7 litre/day, 11.8±2.1 months, 1.9±0.7 months and 11.9±1.6 years, respectively. The average age at puberty, age at first calving, breeding capacity, inter calving period, conception rate and service period were observed to be 3.2±0.7 years, 4.3±0.7 years, 8.8±1.4 calves/cow in lifetime, 13.7±1.9 months, 1.4±0.6 service/conception and 4.7±1.9 months respectively. Average working days/year, average working hours/day and average area ploughed/day were 32.9±7.6 days/year, 3.9±0.9 h/day, 0.4±0.05 acres/day respectively. Keeping in view the lower performance of the Badri cattle there is need of improvement by starting various plan and strategies to spread the importance of nutrition and better management practices by the government, which will further encourage the people of hills to conserve the cattle along with increasing the viability and profitability of Badri cattle rearing among the marginal and landless farmers.

A Region-Wise Analysis of Impact of Farm Mechanisation on Draught Animal Power Availability in Maharashtra

During the last four decades, the bovine economy of Maharashtra witnessed many changes. Contrary to studies which showed a decline in work animal population in some regions of the country, the draught animal population of Maharashtra has not declined much. The issue of economic viability along with socio-economic acceptability of species and breeds will become more pertinent under the changed situation in the state. Although the estimates reveal an increase in the intensity of mechanization, this did not seem to have contributed to any significant displacement of work animals per hectare of net sown area. Growth in mechanical power served largely as a supplementary source of animal power. The impact of tractorisation in respect of displacement of work animals was also very slow. Since the rate of mechanization of irrigation was faster than of tillage, its overall effect in terms of displacement of work animals has been slow. It can further be inferred that since the use of draught animals shows no significant growth, farmers should resort to modern techniques of tilling as a substitute to animal power. Finally, the increasing use of mechanical equipment for cultivation will increase the rural demand for energy, i.e., electricity, diesel, etc. Therefore, there must be adequate investment in power sector to meet the additional demand.

IN VITRO EFFICACY OF EXTRACTS FROM PLANTS USED BY SMALL-HOLDER FARMERS IN THE TREATMENT OF DERMATOPHILOSIS IN CATTLE.

Background:Bovine dermatophilosis, an important skin disease of cattle caused by Dermatophilus congolensis, negatively impacts the livelihoods of small-holder farmers in Zimbabwe. This impact is through, morbidity, loss of draught animal power, costs incurred to manage the disease, losses associated with devalued damaged hides and the resultant culling of some of the affected cattle. Due to the inaccessibility of conventional drugs to manage bovine dermatophilosis, farmers have been reported to use local medicinal plants to manage the disease. The aim of the study was to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activities of three plants that small-holder farmers in Zimbabwe used to manage bovine dermatophilosis.Methods:Dried plant materials were ground into powder and extracted individually using, water, 80 % acetone and 80 % methanol. The antimicrobial properties of the plants were evaluated against two Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and one Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) reference bacterial strains. They were further evaluated against a field isolate of Dermatophilus congolensis. The assays used were the disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC).Results:Acetone and methanol extracts had superior inhibitory activities than did those of water. Pterocarpus angolensis DC extracts had better inhibitory properties with absolute MIC values of 0.156 – 5 mg/ml, Cissus Quadrangularis L had MIC values in the range 0.156 – 5 mg/ml while that of Catunaregam spinosa Thunb, Terveng was 0.156 – 10 mg/ml. Dermatophilus congolensis was more sensitive to Pterocarpus angolensis DC average MIC = 0.63 mg/ml than to Cissus quadrangularis L average MIC = 1.25 mg/ml and Catunaregam. spinosa Thunb, Terveng average MIC = 2.08 mg/ml.Conclusion:These results suggest the potential antibacterial activities of extracts of the three plants and hence farmers are, in a way, justified in using the plants. Better results (lower MIC) could be obtained by extracting and evaluating pure active compounds of the plants.