Assessment of animal manure production, management and utilization in Southern Highlands of Tanzania

摘要

AsurveywasconductedinNjombedistrictsouthernhighlandofTanzaniatoassesslivestockmanureproduction,managementandutilization.Crosssectiontypeofsurveywasusedinthisstudy.Structuredquestionnairesandpersonalobservationswereusedastools.Asampleof60householdswasrandomlyselectedforinterviewing.DataobtainedwereanalysedusingStatisticalPackageforSocialScience(SPSS)computersoftware.Descriptivestatisticsnamelymeans,frequencies,percentagesandcrosstabulationwereusedtodeterminerelationshipbetweenvariables.Furthermoresamplesofstoredmanurefromcattlebetween3-7monthswerecollected.Nitrogen(N),phosphorus(P),potassium(K)andorganiccarbon(C)weredeterminedinthesamplesofmanure.Thestudyrevealedthat80%ofthesurveyedhouseholddidnotgetenoughmanuretofertilizetheircropfields.Itwasnotedthatmajorityoffarmers(78%)whokeptdairycattlecomposttheirmanureinthebarnconstructedbywoodslabsandcoveredbythatchgrass.Furthermoremajorityoffarmers(90%)whokeeplocalcattleleavemanureinthekraalandaddmaizestovertoincreasetheamountofmanure.ManurecompostedinthebarnwasfoundtohaverelativelyhigherN,andK(1.96,1.75%DM)thankraalmanure(1.13,0.94%DM),pitcompostedmanure(1.58,0.94%DM)andmanurepiledoutside(1,41,0.84%DM).