This research work aims to study the perceptions of pastoralists and agropastoralists on climate change impacts on mobile herding and the effectiveness of herders' adaptive strategies within Kompienga Province, south-eastern region of Burkina Faso. In order to achieve this aim, survey data were retrieved from 271 respondents and analysed. From respondents' perceptions, climate change is real and is negatively affecting forage availability (in quality and quantity); livestock production and reproduction performances; herders' practices, their livelihoods and the cohabitation of herding and crop farming. To overcome the increasing constraints the pastoral herding is facing, sound and urgent actions need to be undertaken by Burkina Faso government. These actions include: 1) providing the grazing reserves with necessary facilities such as perennial reservoirs; 2) conducting research to improve breeds that would adapt to current climatic conditions; 3) encouraging and supporting gradual shift of herders from mobile herding to the sedentary breeding; 4) supporting and organizing forage production by farmers. At short term an effective cross-border framework could be created to seek for sound solutions to secure the mobility of herds within ECOWAS territory.
The study was conducted in three villages of North Bank Region of the Gambia in 2013 and 2014. We examined wet and dry season effects on select soil nutrient contents of upland farms in North Bank Region of the Gambia. The objective was to evaluate changes in soil nutrient contents in both wet and dry seasons. Soil samples were collected from three RCBD upland fields with three replications at a depth of 0-15 cm and analyzed for pH, Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), and soil moisture content. The gravimetric method of moisture estimation was used. The results showed that soil moisture content, soil TN, and soil pH are significantly different (P < 0.05) during the two seasons. There was no significant difference in SOC between the two seasons in the study area. The study concluded that soil nutrients were more readily available during the wet season than during the dry season probably because there is more soil moisture available in the wet season that facilitates soil nutrient release. The study concludes that soil moisture has to be available in order for some select soil nutrients to be released for plant uptake.
This study was conducted to determine the growth performance and correlation matrix ofSavanna Brown goats fed enzyme treated sawdust diets managed intensively. A total of thirty(30) goats weighting between 5.2 and 5.3 kg were arranged in a completely randomizeddesign. The animals were divided into five dietary Treatments (T) groups with threereplications. Treatment one (1) comprises of animals fed 0 % enzyme treated sawdust whileTreatment 2 (T2), Treatment 3 (T3), Treatment 4 (T4) and Treatment 5 (T5) comprises ofanimals fed 10, 20, 30 and 40 % enzyme treated sawdust diets, respectively. Data on growthperformance parameters, body linear measurement (height at wither, body length, chestgirth, hind leg length, fore leg length, facial length) were measured. Growth performancedata were analyzed using one way analysis of variance. The results of growth performancereveled that animals fed 20 % and 40 % had significantly highest value, these trend wasobserved in total weight gain (T3 = 4900g and T5 = 4833g), average weight gain (T3 = 50gand T5 = 49.32g), total fed intake (T3 = 2956.20 and T5 = 2709.30g) and average feed intake(T3 = 211.16g and T5 = 193.52g). However, in feed conversion ration no significantdifference was observed across all the treatment groups as the value range between 3.87 inanimals fed 40 % to 7.12 in those fed 10 % enzyme treated sawdust diet. A positive andsignificant correlation was observed between body weight and chest girth with highestcorrelations in animals fed 20 % enzyme treated sawdust (0.97). It was therefore concludedthat enzyme treated sawdust can be used in the diets of Savanna Brown goats up to 40 %replacement for maize offal for optimum performance
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