Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T06:37:03.708Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Resource use efficiency in urban and peri-urban sheep, goat and cattle enterprises

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2010

R. V. C. Diogo ,
A. Buerkert  and
E. Schlecht
R. V. C. Diogo
Affiliation:
Animal Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Kassel and Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Steinstrasse 19, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany
A. Buerkert
Affiliation:
Organic Plant Production and Agroecosystems Research in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Kassel, Steinstrasse 19, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany
E. Schlecht*
Affiliation:
Animal Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Kassel and Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Steinstrasse 19, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany
*
†E-mail: tropanimals@uni-kassel.de
Get access

Abstract

Urban livestock husbandry receives growing attention given the increasing urban demand for livestock products. At the same time, little is known about the resource use efficiency in urban livestock enterprises and eventual negative externalities. In livestock production, feeds are an important resource whose nutrients are transformed into products (meat and milk) to generate financial return to the producer. The lack of knowledge on nutrient supply through feed might lead to oversupply with severe environmental impacts. In Niamey, a typical West African city and capital of the Republic of Niger, urban livestock production is constrained by feed scarcity, especially during the dry season. Here, the issue of resource use efficiency was studied in 13 representative and differently managed sheep/goat and cattle enterprises characterized by high and low feed inputs, respectively, during a period of 28 months. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) inflows into each farm through livestock feeds and outflows through manure were determined using a semi-structured questionnaire; interviews were accompanied by regular weighing of feed supplied and dung produced. Live weight gain (LWG) and efficiency of conversion of total feed dry matter offered (kg TDMO/kg LWG) were computed along with nutrient balances (NBs) per metabolic body mass (kg0.75). NBs (per kg0.75/day) in the high-input (HI) sheep/goat enterprises were +1762.4 mg N, +127.2 mg P and +1363.5 mg K and were significantly greater (P < 0.05) than those in low-input (LI) units (+69.1 mg N, −98.3 mg P and +16.5 mg K). In HI cattle enterprises, daily balances averaged +454.1 mg N, +40.1 mg P and +341.8 mg K compared to +34.4 mg N, −9.0 mg P and +68.3 mg K (P > 0.05) in LI cattle systems. All systems were characterized by poor conversion efficiencies of offered feed, which ranged from 13.5 to 46.1 kg TDMO/kg LWG in cattle and from 15.7 to 43.4 kg TDMO/kg LWG in sheep/goats. LWG in HI sheep/goats was 53 g/day in the rainy season, 86 g/day in the hot dry season and 104 g/day in the cool dry season, while HI cattle lost 79 g/day in the hot dry season and gained 121 g/day and 92 g/day in the cool dry and rainy seasons, respectively. The data indicate that there is nutrient wasting and scope for improvement of feeding strategies in Niamey’s livestock enterprises, which might also decrease nutrient losses to the urban environment.

Keywords

live weight changesconversion efficiency of offered feedsmall ruminantsurban agricultureZebu cattle
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 4 , Issue 10 , October 2010 , pp. 1725 - 1738
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ajayi, DA, Adeneye, JA, Ajayi, FT 2005. Intake and nutrient utilization of West African dwarf goats fed mango (Mangifera indica), Ficus (Ficus thionningii), Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) foliages and concentrates as supplements to basal diet of Guinea grass (Panicum maximum). World Journal of Agricultural Sciences 1, 184–189.Google Scholar
Araya, H, Ayalew, A, Werqu, A, HaileMariam, N 2007. Innovative livestock-keeping in Ethiopian cities. In Stimulating innovation in urban agriculture (ed. R van Veenhuizen), Urban Agriculture Magazine no. 19, pp. 57–58. RUAF Foundation, Leusden, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Arriaga, H, Pinto, M, Calsamiglia, S, Merino, P 2009. Nutritional and management strategies on nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency of lactating dairy cattle on commercial farms: an environmental perspective. Journal of Dairy Science 92, 204–215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ayantunde, AA, Delfose, P, Fernández-Rivera, S, Gerard, B, Dan-Gomma, A 2007. Supplementation with groundnut haulms for sheep fattening in the West African Sahel. Tropical Animal Health and Production 39, 207–216.Google Scholar
Ayantunde, AA, Fernández-Rivera, S, Hiernaux, PHY, van Keulen, H, Udo, HMJ, Chanono, M 2001. Effect of timing and duration of grazing of growing cattle in the West African Sahel on diet selection, faecal output, eating time, forage intake and live-weight changes. Animal Science 72, 117–128.Google Scholar
Belli, P, Turini, J, Harouna, A, Garba, IA, Pistocchini, E, Zecchini, M 2008. Critères de sélection des bovins laitiers par les éleveurs autour de Niamey au Niger. Revue d’Élevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux 61, 51–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berry, DP, Macdonald, KA, Penno, JW, Roche, JR 2006. Association between body condition score and liveweight in pasture-based Holstein–Friesian dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Research 73, 487–491.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bourzat, D, Bonkoungou, E, Richard, D, Sanfo, R 1987. Essais d’intensification de la production animale en zone Sahélo-Soudanienne: alimentation intensive de jeunes ovins dans le Nord du Burkina. Revue d’Élevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux 40, 151–156.Google Scholar
Budisatria, IGS, Udo, HMJ, van der Zijpp, AJ, Murti, TW, Baliarti, E 2007. Air and water qualities around small ruminants houses in Central Java – Indonesia. Small Ruminant Research 67, 55–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Close, W, Menke, KH 1986. Selected topics in animal nutrition. Deutsche Stiftung für Internationale Entwicklung (DSE), Feldafing, Germany.Google Scholar
Delve, RJ, Cadisch, G, Tanner, JC, Thorpe, W, Thorne, PJ, Giller, KE 2001. Implications of livestock feeding management on soil fertility in the smallholder farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 84, 227–243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dicko, MS, Lamboune, J, de Leeuw, PN, de Haan, C 1983. Nutrition animale. II. Les bovins. In Recherches sur les systèmes des zones arides du Mali: résultats préliminaires (ed. RT Wilson, PN de Leeuw and C de Haan), Rapport de recherches no. 5, pp. 96–105. International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Google Scholar
Diogo, RVC, Buerkert, A, Schlecht, E 2008. Nutrient fluxes in intensive urban sheep production in Niamey, Niger. In Competition for resources in a changing world new drive for rural development (ed. E Tielkes), Tropentag 2008, p. 309. Cuvillier Verlag Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.Google Scholar
Fernández-Rivera, S, Hiernaux, P, Williams, TO, Turner, MD, Schlecht, E, Salla, A, Ayantunde, AA, Sangaré, M 2005. Nutritional constraints to grazing ruminants in the millet-cowpea-livestock farming system of the Sahel. In Coping with feed scarcity in smallholder livestock systems in developing countries (ed. AA Ayantunde, S Fernández-Rivera and G McCrabb), pp. 157–182. Animal Sciences Group, UR, Wageningen, The Netherlands, University of Reading, Reading, UK, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland and International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.Google Scholar
Gericke, H, Kurmies, B 1952. Die kolorimetrische Phosphorsäurebestimmung mit Ammonium – Vanadat – Molybdat und ihre Anwendung in der Pflanzenanalyse. Zeitschrift für Pflanzenernährung, Düngung und Bodenkunde 59, 235–247.Google Scholar
Graefe, S, Schlecht, E, Buerkert, A 2008. Opportunities and challenges of urban and peri-urban agriculture in Niamey, Niger. Outlook on Agriculture 37, 47–56.Google Scholar
Guendel, S 2002. Livestock and urban waste in East Africa. In Wastewater use for urban agriculture (ed. S Buechler, W Hertog and R van Veenhuizen), Urban Agriculture Magazine no. 8, p. 42. RUAF Foundation, Leusden, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Heredia-Navan, D, Espinoza-Ortega, A, González-Esquivel, CE, Arriaga-Jordán, CM 2007. Feeding strategies for small – scale dairy systems based on perennial (Lolium perenne) or annual (Lolium multiflorum) ryegrass in the central highlands of Mexico. Tropical Animal Health and Production 39, 179–188.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jaurena, G, Moorby, JM, Fisher, WJ, Cantet, R 2005. Association of body weight, loin Longissimus dorsi and backfat with body condition score in dry and lactating Holstein dairy cows. Animal Science 80, 219–223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jonker, JS, Kohn, RA, High, J 2002. Dairy herd management practices that impact nitrogen utilization efficiency. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 1218–1226.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jung, J, Yngvesson, J, Jensen, P 2002. Effects of reduced time on pasture caused by prolonged walking on behaviour and production of Mpwapwa Zebu cattle. Grass and Forage Science 57, 105–112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kyllingsbæk, A, Hansen, JF 2007. Development in nutrient balances in Danish agriculture 1980–2004. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 79, 267–280.Google Scholar
L’Hôte, T, Mahé, G, Somé, B, Triboulet, JP 2002. Analysis of a Sahelian annual rainfall index from 1896 to 2000; the drought continues. Hydrological Sciences Journal 47, 563–572.Google Scholar
Linn, J, Raeth-Knight, M, Fredin, S, Bach, A 2007. Feed efficiency in lactating cows. CSU Department of Animal Sciences, IRTA-Unitat de Remugants, Barcelona, Spain.Google Scholar
Mahler, F 1991. Natürliche Weiden und Nebenprodukte des Ackerbaus als Ernährungs-grundlage für die Rinderhaltung am semiariden Standort Westafrikas. PhD thesis, Hohenheim University, Germany.Google Scholar
Menke, KH, Steingass, H 1987. Schätzung des energetischen Futterwertes aus der in vitro mit Pansensaft bestimmten Gasbildung und der chemischen Analyse. II. Regressions-gleichungen. Übersichten Tierernährung 15, 59–94.Google Scholar
Menke, KH, Raab, L, Salewski, A, Steingass, H, Fritz, D, Schneider, W 1979. The estimation of the digestibility and metabolizable energy content of ruminant feedingstuffs from gas production when they are incubated with rumen liquor in vitro. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 93, 217–222.Google Scholar
Ministère des Ressources Animales 2005. Recensement général de l’agriculture et du cheptel. MDA/MRA/FAO, Niamey, Niger.Google Scholar
Munthali, JT 1986. Cattle fattening on basal diets of maize stover and groundnut tops in Malawi. In Utilization of agricultural by-products as livestock feeds in Africa (ed. DA Little and AN Said), pp. 45–52. Proceedings of a Workshop by the African Research Network for Agricultural By-Products (ARNAB), Blantyre, Malawi. International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Google Scholar
National Research Council (NRC) 1985. Nutrient requirements of sheep, 6th revised edition. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
National Research Council (NRC) 1989. Nutrient requirements of dairy cattle, 6th revised edition. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
National Research Council (NRC) 2001. Nutrient requirements of dairy cattle, 7th revised edition. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
National Research Council (NRC) 2006. Nutrient requirements of small ruminants, 6th revised edition. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
Naumann, K, Bassler, R, Seibold, R, Barth, K 2004. Die chemische Untersuchung von Futtermitteln. Methodenbuch Band III. VDLUFA – Verlag, Darmstadt, Germany.Google Scholar
Nicholson, MJ, Butterworth, MH 1986. A guide to condition scoring of zebu cattle. International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Google Scholar
Nicholson, MJ, Sayers, AR 1987. Relationships between body weight, condition score and heart girth changes in Boran cattle. Tropical Animal Health and Production 19, 115–120.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nkya, R, Kessy, BM, Lyimo, ZC, Msangi, BSJ, Turuka, F, Mtenga, K 2007. Constraints on smallholder market oriented dairy systems in the North Eastern coastal region of Tanzania. Tropical Animal Health and Production 39, 627–636.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Oenema, O, Pietrzak, S 2002. Nutrient management in food production: achieving agronomic and environmental targets. Ambio 31, 159–168.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Petersen, SO, Sommer, SG, Béline, F, Burton, C, Dach, J, Dourmad, JY, Leip, A, Misselbrook, T, Nicholson, F, Poulsen, HD, Provolo, G, Sørensen, P, Vinneras, B, Weiske, A, Bernal, M-P, Böhm, R, Juhász, C, Mihelic, R 2007. Recycling of livestock manure in a whole-farm perspective. Livestock Science 112, 180–191.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pistocchini, E, Stella, S, Belli, P, Cantafora, AFA, Turini, J, Zecchini, M, Crimella, C 2009. Dairy production in peri-urban area of Niamey: milk quality and microbial contamination. Tropical Animal Health and Production 41, 145–147.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Powell, JM, Li, Y, Wu, Z, Broderick, GA, Holmes, BJ 2008. Rapid assessment of feed and manure nutrient management on confinement dairy farms. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 82, 107–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Predotova, M, Schlecht, E, Buerkert, A 2009. Nitrogen and carbon losses from dung storage in urban gardens of Niamey, Niger. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems. Retrieved September 18, 2009, from http://www.springerlink.com/content/h6t1762t8541621n/; published online by Springer-Verlag.Google Scholar
Rath, T 1999. Nutrition and productivity of milking cattle on a semi-arid rangeland in West Africa. PhD thesis, Hohenheim University, Germany.Google Scholar
Rotz, CA 2004. Management to reduce nitrogen losses in animal production. Journal of Animal Science 82, E119–E137.Google Scholar
Rufino, MC, Tittonell, P, van Wijk, MT, Castellanos-Navarrete, A, Delve, RJ, De Ridder, N, Giller, KE 2007. Manure as a key resource within smallholder farming systems: analysing farm-scale nutrient cycling efficiencies with the NUANCES framework. Livestock Science 112, 273–287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sangaré, M 1985. Programmes des zones arides et semi-arides – synthèse des résultats d′activité. Document de Programme no. AZ 146. International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), Bamako, Mali.Google Scholar
Sangaré, M, Pandey, VS 2000. Food intake, milk production and growth of kids of local, multipurpose goats grazing on dry season natural Sahelian rangeland in Mali. Journal of Animal Science 71, 165–173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sanon, HO, Kaboré-Zoungrana, C, Ledin, I 2008. Nutritive value and voluntary feed intake by goats of three browse fodder species in the Sahelian zone of West Africa. Animal Feed Science and Technology 144, 97–110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Satter, LD, Klopfenstein, TJ, Erickson, GE 2002. The role of nutrition in reducing nutrient output from ruminants. Journal of Animal Science 80, 143–156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sauvant, D, Morand-Fehr, P, Giger-Riverdin, S 1991. Dry matter intake by adult goat. In Goat nutrition (ed. P Morand-Fehr), pp. 25–36. Pudoc, Wageningen, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
Schiere, JB, van der Hoek, R 2001. Livestock keeping in urban areas, a review of traditional technologies. Animal Production and Health Papers 151. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy.Google Scholar
Schlecht, E, Sangaré, M, Becker, K 1999a. Supplementation of Zebu cattle grazing Sahelian pasture. I. Diet selection and intake. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 133, 69–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schlecht, E, Sangaré, M, Susenbeth, A, Becker, K 1999b. Supplementation of Zebu cattle grazing Sahelian pastures. II. Development of body mass and empty body composition. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 133, 83–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schellberg, J, Lellmann, A, Kühbauch, W 2006. Nutrient flows in suckler farm systems under two levels of intensity. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 74, 41–57.Google Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute 2003. SAS/STAT for Personal Computers. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.Google Scholar
St-Pierre, NR, Thraen, CS 1999. Animal grouping strategies, sources of variation, and economic factors affecting nutrient balance on dairy farms. Journal of Animal Science 77, 72–83.Google Scholar
Sumberg, J 2002. Livestock nutrition and foodstuff research in Africa: when is a nutritional constraint not a priority research problem? Animal Science 75, 332–338.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thys, E, Oueadraogo, M, Speybroeck, N, Geerts, S 2005. Socio-economic determinants of urban household livestock keeping in semi-arid Western Africa. Journal of Arid Environments 63, 475–496.Google Scholar
Tiffen, M 2004. Population pressure, migration and urbanization: impacts on crop – livestock systems development in West Africa. In Sustainable crop-livestock production for improved livelihoods and natural resource management in West Africa (ed. TO Williams, SA Tarawali, P Hiernaux and S Fernandez-Rivera), pp. 3–27. International Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya and CTA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.Google Scholar
UN-Habitat 2007. The state of the world’s cities 2006/7. Retrieved May 30, 2009, from http://www.unhabitat.org/pmss/listItemDetails.aspx?publicationID=2101Google Scholar
Urassa, JK, Raphael, E 2004. The contribution of small scale dairy farming to community welfare: a case study of Morogoro municipality. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://www.fiuc.org/esap/MOROG/MOROG5/General/dairyfarming.pdfGoogle Scholar
Val-Arreola, D, Kebreab, E, Mills, JAN, Wiggins, SL, France, J 2004. Forage production and nutrient availability in small-scale dairy systems in central Mexico using linear programming and partial budgeting. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 69, 191–201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar