Assessment of uses, special qualities and management aspects of Iringa Red Zebu cattle in Tanzania

摘要

AstudywascarriedoutinIringaRuralandKilolodistrictsofIringaregion,Tanzaniatoassesstheroles,desirabletraits,managementpracticesandtraditionalbreedingactivitiesofIringaRedzebu.Ineachdistrictfourvillagesweresurveyedandfivehouseholdspervillageweresampled.Datawereobtainedthroughindividualinterviewsusingstructuredquestionnaireandfocusedgroupdiscussionsguidedbyachecklist.nbsp;Themajoreconomicactivitiesofthepeopleinthesurveyedareawerecropandlivestockproduction.Cattlewererankedasthemostimportantlivestockspeciesinthehouseholds,followedbylocalchicken,goatsandpigs.In90%ofthehouseholds,husbandsownedcattle.Adultmaleswereresponsibleforherding(25%),purchasing(70%),selling/slaughtering(70%)andtreatmentofsickanimals(97.5%).Milkingwasdonebybothfemales(35%)andmales(22.5%).Making(92.5%)andselling(80%)ofdairyproductsweretheresponsibilitiesofadultfemales.ThemainpurposesforkeepingIringaRedcattleweretoprovidemanure(100%),draughtpower(87.5%),milk(87.5%),cashincome(47.5%)andmeat(45%).Mostpeople(95%)stillprefertokeepIringaRedcattle.IringaRedcattlewerepreferredbecauseoftheirmediumbodysize,goodconformationandredcoatcolour.TheIringaRedstrainwasreportedtobegooddraughtanimal(95%)andhasgoodmeat(90%),temperament(80%)andgoodtolerancetodrought(67.5%),heat(65%)anddiseases(60%).Cattlewereherdedcontinuouslyonnaturalpasturesincommunalgrazinglandswithoutbeingsupplementedwithconcentrates.Mostfarmers(90%)practicedcontrolledbreedingbychoosingthebestbullsfromtheirherdsandcastratingtheinferiormales(40%).Thefarmerswerechoosingbreedingbullsbasingonsize(77.5%)andconformation(67.5%).EastCoastfeverwasthemajorproblem(77.5%),followedbyhelminthosis(22.5%)andFootandmouthdisease(12.5%).Feedshortageduringthedryseason(27.5%),theft,highpriceofveterinarydrugsandshortageofgrazinglandsweretheotherproblemsfacingfarmers.nbsp;ItisconcludedthatIringaRedcattlehavemultipurposefunctions,goodattributesandarepreferredtoothertypesofzebucattle.Therefore,thereisaneedtokeepareservoiroftheirgenesanddeliberateeffortsareneededforpropermanagementofthestrainandthefeedresourcesincommunalrangelandswheretheyarefed.