Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics (JARTS)
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Effect of substituting concentrate mix with Cajanus cajan leaf on growth performance traits and carcass components of yearling rams and its potential in mitigating methane production
Full text linkThe main challenges in ruminant production are to reduce feeding costs and to improve product quality while minimising environmental impact. The use of unconventional feedstuffs may contribute to decrease feeding costs and environmental impact. A study was conducted to investigate the supplementation effect of Cajanus cajan leaves (CCL) on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of yearling rams and its association with methane (CH4) reduction in vitro. Thirty yearling rams with an initial body weight of 15.1±0.68 kg were randomly allocated to five treatment diets with six rams each. A basal diet was prepared to contain 300 g/head/d concentrate mix (CM) for the control group (T1) and treatment (T) diets were formulated by replacing the CM with CCL at 5% (T2), 10% (T3), 15% (T4) and 20% (T5). Data were collected on feed intake, body weight, carcass components, and CH4 production from 24h in vitro gas production (GP). The digestible organic matter (dOM) and metabolizable energy (ME) were estimated from 24h GP. The CCL content of ash was 126 g kg-1 DM of ether extract 43 g kg-1 DM, and crude protein 240 g kg-1 DM. The feed intake, body weight gain, feed efficiency and carcass components were not affected by treatment diets. The 24 h GP (ml g-1 DM) was significantly higher for T1 and T2 diets than that of T4 and T5. The lowest CH4 was obtained from T5 and differed significantly with that of T1 and T2. The ME and dOM values in T1 and T2 diets were higher than those of T4 and T5. The supplementation of CCL considerably reduced the CH4 production across treatment diets without affecting the voluntary feed intake, weight gain and carcass components suggesting its potential as alternative supplement to poor quality forages while keeping CH4 production at a minimum level
Having inadequate roughages in cold areas in Tanzania? Consider forage oat and barley
Full text linkProper livestock feeding is key to improving the livestock sector in sub-Saharan Africa. Limited availability of well-performing forage technologies matched with production environment and context is often a constraint to increase forage quality and quantity for livestock productivity. To contribute towards forage technologies for cold areas, we selected four promising small grain varieties and evaluated them in 2020-21. They included two (Conway, Glamis) oat varieties and two (Rihane, Kounouz) barley varieties. In two village sites in Mufindi District in the southern highlands of Tanzania, we established trials in a randomised complete block design replicated three times. While the cultivars produced similar dry matter yields (t/ha), they returned significantly different crude protein (CP%), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF%) and in vitro organic matter digestibility. Digestibility was in the order Glamis Conway Kounouz Rihane, while crude protein yield (t/ha) was in the order Glamis Kounouz Rihane Conway. Based on dry matter and crude protein yields and digestibility, Glamis oat would be the most preferable in the study area and other similar ecologies
Diversity in agricultural practices among smallholder plantain-based farms across the Guineo-Gongolean zone of Benin Republic
Full text linkUnderstanding diversity in agricultural practices of plantain (\textit{Musa} AAB) cultivation is crucial for recommendations to increase yield and food security. Whereas in Benin, the diversity of agricultural practices among smallholder plantain-based farms in banana production areas is tittle characterised and information on the subject is less available and little disseminated. The purpose of this study was to identify existing diversity in plantain cultivation among smallholder farms. The study was carried out in five municipalities (Adja-Ouèrè, Athiémé, Tori-Bossito, Ouinhi and Zè) in the Benin Republic. Data were collected from 432 farmers through interviews targeting characteristics that evidenced differences in agricultural practices. The majority of farmers (96 %) grew native varieties while the remaining used imported ones. Suckers were supplied from their own plantations (36 %) or from neighbours for free (60 %) or purchase from fellow farmers (4 %). Intercropping was practiced by 66 % of the farmers with plantain-taro being the dominant practice (26 %). De-leafing, de-suckering and staking practices were respectively applied by 7 %, 6 % and 62 % of the respondents. Watering during dry weather was not a common practice in the study areas, while manure and/or mineral fertiliser was applied by 19 % of the farmers. Almost half of the respondents (45.8 %) were aware of the physical changes and damages on plantain tree, but did not relate those changes to the symptoms of pests and diseases. Strategies for controlling those pests and diseases were applied by only 4 % of the respondents, and entailed application of synthetic pesticides or following local practices such as spreading ash. The poor rate of good agricultural practices by the surveyed farmers is an indicator that justifies the low productivity in plantain based systems in Benin. This also makes it possible to design strategies including production of healthy planting materials and the scaling of agroforestry based on fast growing species in order to proper address pest constraints in plantain production
Characterisation of the lactation curve of Gyr and Sardo Negro cattle
Full text linkThe objectives were to characterize the lactation curves (LC) of tropical Gyr and Sardo Negro (SN) cattle from Mexico for the design of breeding and management programs for these breeds. A total of 3561 records of 504 lactations and 3927 records of 449 lactations were used for Gyr and SN, respectively. Three lactation lengths (LL) were evaluated, namely 240 (240d), 270 (270d), and 300 (300d) days, with five non-linear models (NLM): Wood, Wiltmink, Cobby, Brody, and Sikka. Milk production was obtained at the beginning (PI; kg), daily average (PMD; kg), maximum at peak (PMX; kg), days to reach maximum production (DP), and accumulated total (PT; kg). The selection of models was made based in the Akaike and Bayesian information criteria. The NLM explained at least 88% of the variability in the data. Brody model provided the best fit for 240d and 270d, and Sikka for 300d in SN; for Gyr, Wood model showed the best fit for 240d and 270d, while Wiltmink had the best fit for 300d. The means for PMD were 5.3 kg in SN and 10.2 kg in Gyr; for PMX the averages were 6.9 kg and 12.7 kg, respectively. The average of PT, within LL (240d, 270d, and 300d), was 1297 kg, 1418 kg, and 1552 kg for SN, and 2653 kg, 2930 kg, and 3202 kg for Gyr, respectively. The first third of the LC presented the highest contribution (%), with average values of 37.4 in Gyr and 39.5 in SN; the second and third periods, contributed (%) 33.5 and 29.1 in Gyr, and 33.0 and 27.5 in SN, respectively. The 240d LL, are the proposals for the design of management, feeding, and genetic improvement programs, they presented the best statistical adjustment in both breeds
Identification of fungal pathogens causing postharvest rot of bulb onions (Allium cepa L.) in selected major growing regions of Kenya
Full text linkRot is a major cause of bulb onion losses in Kenya, accounting for about 14 % of total postharvest losses. In Kenya, the fungi associated with bulb onion postharvest rot of onion postharvest rots are not well known. Therefore, this study aimed at identifying the fungal pathogens contributing to bulb onion postharvest rot in major growing regions of Kenya. Bulb onion samples were collected from seven major markets and isolates were obtained by cutting 3 mm tissue segments from the edges of rotten lesions. These were cultured in water agar followed by incubation for seven days at room temperature (23 ± 3℃). After seven days, mycelia plugs from the growing edge of each colony were sub-cultured in potato dextrose agar and incubated for ten days. A total of fifty fungal isolates were obtained from the isolations and in vitro pathogenicity test was done on bulb onions. Eighteen fungal isolates that turned out to be pathogenic were inoculated in bulb onions to assess their level of virulence by measuring lesion size after 21 days of incubation at room temperature (23 ± 3℃). The fungal isolates caused statistically (P0.001) different sized lesions, ranging from 0.4±0.1 cm to 2.6±0.5 cm. Based on morphological characteristics the eighteen fungal pathogenic isolates were identified as Fusarium spp. and were grouped into three clusters. Molecular technique confirmed the three Fusarium spp. clusters as Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cepae (55%), F .acutatum (17%) and F. solani (28%). F. oxysporum f.sp. cepae was predominantly isolated from bulb onions collected in Bungoma County, while F. solani was mainly obtained from samples in Kajiado County and F. acutatum on bulb onions from Meru County. This study indicates that these three Fusarium species are the main fungal species causing postharvest rot in the major bulb onion growing regions of Kenya. Application of appropriate postharvest technology such as curing before storage would minimize postharvest rot in bulb onion
Determination of consumer milk price in the informal dairy market in Bangladesh: A district level analysis of vertical system linkage
Full text linkThe objective of this study was to identify the determinants of consumer milk prices and test the hypothesis that input prices, e.g., rice straw and wheat bran, as well as the farmgate milk price exert an influence on the consumer milk price. A unique panel dataset from July 2018 to June 2021 was obtained from the Integrated Dairy Research Network (IDRN) Bangladesh Monthly Dairy Sector database and was analysed using the Generalized Methods of Moments (GMM) methodology. The data collection and validation were done with a national panel of experts jointly with the data collection and processing team. The study found: a) vertical linkage with input and output price is highly affecting the consumers milk price which was due to the substantial variation across the regions and time; b) The dynamic panel analysis of GMM revealed mixed relationship between input prices (rice straw and wheat bran), farm gate milk prices, and the consumer milk price; c) The farmgate milk price determines the increase in consumer milk prices, and it is possible to predict the consumer milk price based on the time-price-system interaction variability of the farmgate milk price; d) Using COVID-19 as a proxy for real time impact, the study found a stark impact of COVID-19 on the input price and output prices and triggering a decrease in consumer milk prices by 3.96 BDT kg-1 milk (0.05 USD kg-1). The findings of this study are expected to be beneficial to the decisions making process of dairy farmers, milk processors, feed industry, consumers, and policy makers
Exploring inclusiveness of vulnerable and marginalized people in the cassava value chain in the Lake Region, Kenya
Full text linkVulnerable and marginalised groups (VMGs) who comprise widows, orphans, people living with disability and HIV, have not been given sufficient attention in agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) by policy makers, development partners, research, and extension, yet they comprise nearly one-quarter of all smallholder farmers. This study explored inclusion of VMGs in cassava value chain in the Lake Region of Kenya. Formal survey, focus group discussions (FGD), and key informant interviews (KIIs) were used to collect data from VMGs, common interest groups (CIGs) and stakeholders in the cassava value chain. The results showed that the majority of VMG farmers were women, mainly widows, orphans, people living with HIV, and difficulty in mobility. Compared to CIGs, there were significant differences (P 0.05) in access to value chain support services. Key barriers reinforcing marginalization were policy, socio economic and technological in nature. It is argued that affirmative action that aims to reach the marginalised farmers and actors in cassava value chain should entail national and institutional policy frameworks to enhance visibility and involvement of VMGs in technology development and innovation as well as in the design and implementation of projects geared towards improving livelihoods of smallholder farmers. The findings of this study suggest the need for mapping and assessing VMGs for targeted value chain institutional support to access inputs, training, financing and market linkages in order to close gaps in cassava production and marketing. It is concluded that the cassava value chain in the Lake Region is less inclusive for VMGs. Thus, the study recommends affirmative action and establishment of a platform for VMG farmers to increase their voice in decision making
Small-scale farmers’ coping strategies to extreme weather events in Upper Guinea
Full text linkExtreme weather events pose a serious threat to subsistence farming and food security in Upper Guinea, where most farmers rely heavily on rain-fed agriculture. Following crop failures, farmers use what is available to them to try to maintain household food security. This paper investigated the coping strategies chosen by farmers in Upper Guinea and the motivating factors behind them. A multistage sampling method was used to select a purposive random sample of 1,500 farm households within nine selected livelihood zones (Bassando, Dion-Niandan Inter-River, Fié basin, Foutanian Piémont, Kolokalan High Valley, Middle Plateau, Solima's High Plateau, Soudanese Plateau and Woulada plateau) of Upper Guinea affected by extreme weather events. Approaches including household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and field observations were used to collect data. The multivariate probit regression (MVP) model was used to identify factors influencing small-scale farmers’ choice of coping strategies during periods of extreme weather events. Results from the MVP model showed that differences in the perception of risk factors and socioeconomic characteristics of farm households determined these choices. The main factors motivating farmers’ choice of coping strategies were awareness of extreme weather events, gender, the experience of crop failures, and ownership of assets. Other factors such as age, farming experience, household size, and educational level, were also determinants of farmers’ choice of coping strategies. Local institutional support to farmers that could drive widespread adoption of climate-smart agriculture could improve livelihood production and community resilience in this region
Cooperatives as instruments of smallholder development: Evidence from banana, cocoa, coffee, and palm oil producers in Peru
Full text linkCollective action in the agricultural sector of Peru started in the form of agrarian production cooperatives around 1969. Following the collapse of the collectivisation program in the 1980s, external stakeholders helped to form marketing cooperatives in select sectors to discourage coca leaf production. Nowadays, cooperatives are only active in four sectors: banana, cocoa, coffee, and palm oil. Case study evidence of the performance of cooperatives in Peru is mixed, which raises the need for applied research to inform if cooperatives have been successful as instruments of smallholder development. We address the situation with empirical analysis of comprehensive survey data collected for the 2016-2019 period. Using multiple empirical techniques, we estimate the farm-level treatment effect of selling output to cooperatives. Generally, we find a positive effect of cooperatives on the price received and the quantity sold of their patrons. Palm oil cooperatives, which appear to have started in the recent past, form an exception. Implications of our findings are discussed
Exploring the non-genetic factors that affect reproduction traits of Saanen Goats in Indonesia
Full text linkAdjustment of trait records for different non-genetic factors increases the accuracy of genetic parameters and enables more accurate selection. This study aimed to investigate the non-genetic factors affecting reproductive traits in Saanen goats at the Baturraden breeding centre, Indonesia. The data of 71 Saanen does from the years 2014 to 2021 consisted of reproductive traits, namely, total birth weight (TBW), age at first kidding (AFK), kidding interval (KI), litter size (LS), multiple birth rate (MBR) and kidding failure rate (KFR). Non-genetic factors explored included parity, season of kidding (SK), and year of kidding (YK). The data was analysed using STATISTICA statistical package version 8.0. First, the descriptive statistics of reproductive traits were analysed; second, the effect of non-genetic factors on reproductive traits was analysed using one-way ANOVA. The mean ± SE values for the descriptive analysis were LS (1.28±0.41), TBW (6.35±0.24 kg), KI (9.46±0.28 months), AFK (15.63±0.64 months), MBR (29%) and KFR (17%). The one-way ANOVA results indicated significant effects of parity (p0.05) on TBW and LS, while SK had a significant effect on AFK (p0.0001), and YK had significant effects on TBW, AFK (p0.0001), and LS (p0.001). The TBW, LS and MBR increased as parity advanced, while KI declined with parity. The AFK was higher in dry season (19.3±3.58 months) than in wet season (13.3±3.05 months). Therefore, the study concluded that non-genetic factors have a significant effect on reproductive traits. Adjusting reproductive traits for significant non-genetic factors increases the accuracy of estimated genetic parameters and selection programs for these traits in Saanen goats