Feed Utilizable Resources Availability and Utilization in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas of Kampala and Mbarara Districts, Uganda
Loading...
Date
2015
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Livestock Research for Rural Development
Abstract
A study was conducted in Kampala and Mbarara districts, Uganda to identify and document locally available feed resources for commercial beef production. A total of 72 respondents from each district were used for the study. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, observations, and interviews. Secondary sources of data were also reviewed. Over 60% respondents used zero-grazing system for rearing cattle. Most cattle keepers in the urban and peri-urban areas kept cattle for milk other than beef production. Most respondents in Mbarara district kept more indigenous Ankole cattle than the dairy breeds, while those in
Kampala kept more dairy breeds than the indigenous Nganda cattle. Major feed resources used in Kampala and Mbarara districts were agro-industrial by-products, commercial ingredients and crop supply residues. More respondents in Kampala district used both crop supply residues and agro-industrial by-products than their counterparts in Mbarara. In Mbarara district, production
and availability of crop-based livestock feed resources heavily relied on the rainfall patterns but in Kampala, the feed resources were independent of the seasons because they were sourced from different parts of the country. The market crop supply residues were widely utilized feed resources in Kampala and Mbarara. Banana peels were the most widely used crop residues, while
maize bran was the most widely used agro-industrial by-product. Commercial feed ingredients were the most ingredients utilized by respondents in Kampala (72%) and Mbarara (66%) due to their ability to provide most essential nutrients such as energy and protein. Kampala district had a greater variety and availability of the feed utilizable resources than Mbarara. There is a need to
formulate low cost rations based on the available feed resources for testing under the semiintensive beef production systems to identify most practical package for beef production in urban and peri-urban setting.
Description
Keywords
beef production, cattle breeds, investment, low cost rations, nutrients, profits
Citation
Taabu, H. L., & Ndyomugyenyi, E. K. (2015). Feed utilizable resources availability and utilization in urban and peri-urban areas of Kampala and Mbarara districts, Uganda. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 27(7).