Livestock Production In Central Mali Research Articles

Livestock production in central Mali: Reproductive components in traditionally-managed sheep and goats

Results of a 6 1 2 - year study into the main reproductive parameters of traditionally-managed sheep and goats in agro-pastoral rainfed millet and irrigated rice systems in a semi-arid area are presented. Least-squares mean litter sizes for sheep were 1.04 young per birth with a parturition interval of 256 days and an annual reproductive rate of 1.60. For goats, the figures were 1.16, 296 and 1.55, respectively. The annual reproductive rate could be improved by attempting to increase litter size, either through selection or by crossing to more prolific tropical breeds, rather than by reducing the parturition interval.

Livestock production in central Mali: Environmental and pathological factors affecting morbidity and mortality of ruminants in the agro-pastoral system

Data were collected on environmental and pathological factors affecting the morbidity and mortality of cattle, sheep and goats in a traditional livestock production system in central Mali. Preweaning death rates were 10, 28 and 35% in the three species. Adult mortality was about 5% year −1 in cattle and 12–13% year −1 in sheep and goats. Management system, season and year were environmental variables which had important effects on the mortality rate. Malnutrition was a major cause of morbidity and mortality in all species and mange caused a high incidence of morbidity. Pulmonary diseases were more serious in goats than in sheep and were relatively unimportant in cattle. Liver fluke caused major economic loss in sheep in the irrigated system. Strategies for reducing morbidity and mortality are discussed.

Livestock production in central Mali: Reproductive performance and reproductive wastage in ruminants in the agro-pastoral system

Results of a 7-yr field study and a 3-yr slaughterhouse study into reproductive performance and reproductive wastage of ruminants in central Mali are reported. Cattle had delayed age at first puberty (40), long calving intervals (644) and produced few young (3.02) per lifetime. Goats and sheep first conceived at about 11 mo, had shorter parturition intervals (298 and 280 d) but also produced few young (2.64 and 1.92) per lifetime. Conceptions showed a strong seasonality in cattle and mainly occurred during and shortly after the short rainy season. Seasonality was less marked in small ruminants, but most females conceived before the rains. However, maximum litter sizes were associated with late-rain and post-rain conceptions. Early embryonic wastage did not appear to be a major problem but abortions, stillbirths and heavy preweaning mortality were sources of loss of reproductive potential. Additionally at a secondary (government controlled) abattoir, 15.0 % of cows, 31.7 % of goats and 20.0 % of sheep that were slaughtered were found to be pregnant.

Livestock production in central Mali: reproduction, growth and mortality of domestic fowl under traditional management.

In an 18-month study the domestic fowl in 42 households in three traditional management systems were recorded to determine reproduction, growth and mortality parameters. There were significant differences for all systems combined in the number of clutches started per month with the lowest number being laid in the cool dry season of January and February. Mean number of eggs per clutch was 8.8; the number of eggs increased significantly throughout the career of the hen but there were no significant systems differences. Egg weight was 34.4g there being no significant differences due to age of hen or system. Intervals between clutches were 92 days, annual egg output was 35 per hen (assuming that birds were present in the flock for a year) equivalent to about 118% of mean adult hen body weight: hens actually in the flocks during the study had produced 2.1 clutches on average. Hatchability of eggs was 69.1% there being significant seasonal and systems differences in this parameter, lowest hatchability being in the hot dry season (March to June) and in the rainfed millet system. Mortality rates to eight weeks were 56% of chicks hatched. Growth to 10 weeks averaged 4g/d. Mature cocks weighted 1.60 kg and mature hens 1.02 kg: hen weights were significantly affected by reproductive state, laying hens being heavier than both incubating hens and those rearing chicks, while those rearing chicks were heavier than those incubating. Suggestions for improving productivity are made.

Livestock production in central Mali: environmental factors affecting weight in traditionally managed goats and sheep

ABSTRACTA study of the factors affecting weight in traditionally managed goats and sheep in central Mali was undertaken during 1978–84. Sheep were heavier than goats at all ages. Birth weights of goats (2·2 kg) were significantly affected by year and season of birth, parity, type of birth, sex and system (rain-fed millet or irrigated rice). Lamb birth weights (2·9 kg) were affected by all these sources of variation except year. System did not exert a significant influence on kid weights at 30 (4·3 kg), 90 (7·5 kg) or 150 days (10·5 kg) but the random effects of flocks and dams and the fixed effects of season, year, parity, type of birth, sex and the interaction of season × year were all significant at all three ages except for year at 30 days. Lamb weights (5·7, 11·1 and 15·5 kg) were significantly affected at all three ages by all sources of variation except season × year effects at 90 and 150 days. Repeatabilities of lamb weights were higher than of kids, probably due to milk being taken for human consumption from goats. There were few significant effects at post weaning to 730 days except those related to sex. Post-partum weights of goats (26·0 kg) were not affected by system, by the type of parturition nor by the sex of the young but were affected by season and year of parturition and by parity. Ewe post-partum weights (30·6 kg) were affected only by system and parity. Changes in weight over the year, pooled for 7 years, in specific age and sex groups averaged proportionately about 005 above and below the annual mean. Weights of mature animals were about 0·05 lower in 1984 than in 1978. Seasonal and long-term effects on weight are much less marked in small ruminants than in cattle under the same management system in the central Mali environment and the allocation of future research effort should take into consideration the relative advantages of the two types of stock.

Livestock production in central Mali: factors influencing growth and liveweight in agro-pastoral cattle.

Data on weight and growth of indigenous African cattle under a traditional management system are reported. In semi-arid central Mali (14 degrees N, 6 degrees W) calf birth weight was 16.6 kg, growth rates to weaning at seven months averaged 185 grams per day. Cows did not reach mature weights (230 kg) until after five years of age and work oxen did not achieve a mature weight of 297 kg until after six years. Effects of season of birth were significant on growth throughout life but effects of year of birth only persisted for nine months. Parity of cow, season and year had significant influences on post-partum weight. Seasonal changes in weight were severe for both work oxen (87 to 107% of mean weight) and for cows (88 to 110%). Over a seven year study period the decline in mature weights of oxen was 4% per year equivalent to about 80 kg over the period. For cows the decline was proportionately less severe (2.7%) these animals averaging 40 kg less in 1984 than they did in 1978. The slow growth rates, low mature weights and reduction in adult size is considered to be due to chronic overstocking on already denuded feed resources and to a decline in rainfall over the period. Current research programmes aimed at finding solutions to these problems are outlined.

Livestock production in central Mali: Effects of climatic variables on the period of birth and on litter size in traditionally managed goats and sheep

In traditionally managed goats and sheep studied for 6 years, births occurred all the year round, although there were significant differences in the number of births per month for both species. Maximum litter size did not coincide with the maximum number of births. Most conceptions occurred in the hot dry season, but conceptions leading to the largest litters took place in the late rains and post-rains periods. There were significant positive correlations among the number of parturitions per 10-day period and all of maximum and minimum temperature and daylength at 10-day periods occurring 15–20 periods (i.e., 150–200 days) earlier for both species. Litter size was most significantly correlated with relative humidity at 17–20 periods earlier in goats and 15–20 periods earlier in sheep. Stepwise multiple regression of climatic variables on births and litter size accounted for relatively little of the variance observed. Nutritional state does not appear to be the proximate factor in conception rates of goats and sheep and the similarities in patterns of conception and litter size in the two species are puzzling. More formal controlled experiments are required in order to better elucidate the factors influencing reproduction in tropical goats and sheep.

Livestock production in central Mali: ownership, management and productivity of poultry in the traditional sector.

A survey of small-scale poultry production in an urban and two agropastoral systems covered 381 households. Less detailed information was also obtained from a small sample in a transhumant pastoral system. More households owned poultry in the rice (89.5%) than in the millet (81.1%) or urban (57.1%) systems. Domestic fowl were commonest in all systems followed by pigeons, Guinea fowl and then ducks, although the last were absent from the millet zone. Most families kept only one species but there was more diversification in the rice system. Flock sizes were largest in the rice system for fowls, Guinea fowl and pigeons while duck flocks averaged more birds in the urban area. Females predominated in all species except pigeons where sex ratios were about equal. Management practices in relation to housing, feeding, health care and consumption and marketing are described. Productivity figures relating to egg production, egg size, hatchability, growth and mortality are provided.

Livestock Production in Central Mali: Economic Characters and Productivity Indices for Traditionally Managed Goats and Sheep

Livestock Production in Central Mali: Economic Characters and Productivity Indices for Traditionally Managed Goats and Sheep

Livestock production in central Mali: Reproductive aspects of sedentary cows

The results of a 6-year study of cow reproductive traits in an agro-pastoral system in semi-arid central Mali are reported. Age at first calving was 1505 days (49.5 months). Calving intervals averaged 665 days with a standard deviation of 202 days, but these showed a bimodal distribution centred on 13–16 and 23–26 months. Least squares analysis indicated that parturition number had a significant effect on the calving interval. Some 56% of calves were born in the period April to June, there being a very highly significant correlation between these births and rainfall 9 and 10 months previously. The average number of calves produced per cow in the herd was 2.9. Nutritional stress appears to be the main cause of low reproductive rates and of the seasonal pattern of births and mitigation of this stress would lead to higher calving percentages.

Livestock production in central Mali: weight at first conception and ages at first and second parturitions in traditionally managed goats and sheep

SUMMARYResults relating to a 4-year study of early reproductive traits in traditionally managed flocks of indigenous goats and sheep under semi-arid conditions are reported. Mean weights (least-squares estimates) at first conception of 16·9 kg for goats and 23·4 kg for sheep were recorded, and animals raised under the better environmental conditions of the irrigated rice system had a 2·2 kg advantage at this stage over animals raised under the rainfed millet system. Animals from young and old dams were heavier at first conception than those born of middle-aged dams. Neither season of birth nor type of birth (single or multiple) had any effect on weight at first conception. Age at first parturition was 443 days and at second parturition was 709 days. Animals born of young and of old dams were later at both first and second parturitions than those born of middle-aged dams while age at first parturition was younger for those animals reared in the rice system. Age at first parturition was within the range normally found for these types of animals under these environmental and social conditions. An early first parturition, even with a high death rate of offspring, may contribute to a greater total lifetime production than a later parturition with a lower death rate.

Livestock Production in Central Mali: Attempts to Produce Raw Materials of Animal Origin for the French Textile Industry during the Colonial Period

(1981). Livestock Production in Central Mali: Attempts to Produce Raw Materials of Animal Origin for the French Textile Industry during the Colonial Period. Textile History: Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 104-117.

Livestock Production in Central Mali: Attempts to Produce Raw Materials of Animal Origin for the French Textile Industry during the Colonial Period

Livestock Production in Central Mali: Attempts to Produce Raw Materials of Animal Origin for the French Textile Industry during the Colonial Period

New Biology, No. 31. M. L. Johnson , Michael Abercrombie , G. E. Fogg

<i>New Biology, No. 31</i>. M. L. Johnson , Michael Abercrombie , G. E. Fogg