Constraints and opportunities for improved milk production and calf rearing in Sanyati communal farming area, Zimbabwe

摘要

TheobjectivesofthisstudyweretoobtainanunderstandingoftheSanyatifarmingsystem,whichissimilartomostfarmingsystemsintheruralareasofZimbabwe,andtoinvestigatetheconstraintsandopportunitiesforimprovedmilkproductionandcalfrearinginacommunalfarmingsystemundertropicalconditions.Thereareseveralconstraintstomilkproductionandcalfrearing,mostcausedbypoornutritionandlimitedmanagement.Gastro-intestinalnematodesareanepidemiologicalconstraintbutworsenedbypoormanagement.Howtheseconstraintsaffectproductionwasinfocus.Milkyieldsofcowsandgrowthratesofcalveswereimportantaspects.Theaveragemilkyieldovera150dayperiodwas5litres/dayandtheaveragegrowthrateofcalvesfrombirthtill4-5monthsoldwas350g/day.Ahighdegreeofindividualvariationwithintheherdwasfound.Thus,apparently,thereisagoodbasetocarryoutselectionforbetterproductiontraitssuchashighermilkyieldsandgrowthrates.Lowqualityroughageisthepredominantfeedofcattleinthisfarmingsystemandsupplementationisneededtoincreaseproduction.Itisveryimportanttokeepinmindthatsupplementsshouldalsopromotebetterutilisationoftheavailablelowqualityroughage.Betterknowledgeaboutwhichgroupsofcattlerespondbesttosupplementationmustbegained.