The management of indigenous pigs in rural villages of Busia and Kakamega district, Western Kenya, is discussed. Data on husbandry practices, challenges and farmers knowledge on T. solium taeniosis / cysticercosis were gathered using questionnaires administered in face-to-face interviews. Pigs were examined for cysticercosis using the lingual palpation method. Data were managed in Stata®. Majority of the farmers were aged 30-50 years (44%), and were mostly women (69%). Years of pig keeping experience was higher in Kakamega (11.4±8.7) than it was in Busia (6.3±5.6) (P<0.05). Pork (31%) and beef (51%) were the most preferred meat types in the villages. Families owned an average of 0.94±0.81 hectares of land. The mean number of pigs owned per farm was 5.0 (±3.4), 1.8 (±1.2) and 1.5 (±0.9) for the pre-weaned, growing and adult pig categories, respectively. Constraints faced by the farmers included feeding (65%), diseases (46%), fewer breeding boars (60 %), poor profits (61%) and conflicts with neighbours (53%). Parasite control was poor. The majority of farmers (73%) had no pig house. These farmers either lacked skills to build the houses (11%; 23/209) or had no money to purchase construction materials (45%; 93/209). Tethering of pigs was frequent (>50%) during the planting (91%; 263 / 290), growing (90%; 263 / 290) and crop harvesting seasons (78%; 227 / 290). Prevalence of pig cysticercosis was 4.5%. Piglets were significantly cheaper in Busia (Ksh 509±57) than in Kakamega (Ksh 777±174) (P<0.05). Indigenous pig management in Western Kenya is reportedly poor. Improved knowledge coupled with changes in local husbandry practices would improve productivity, increase family incomes and safeguard the community from potential health risks associated with pig rearing.

his study evaluated alternative breeding objectives and schemes for crossbred goats in a village/ community breeding program. A single-tier breeding structure was assumed in the optimisation of this breeding program. Considered were two selection schemes; within-group (WG) and across-groups (AG), and three alternative selection objectives; ALT I- defined based on relative weights (RWs) derived from producers’ preferences, ALT II- based on economic values (EVs) without risk and ALT III- based on risk-rated EVs, at different intensities of buck selection (proportion of bucks selected, P = 0.02 and 0.04) and selection criteria (mass and BLUP). The genetic gains (ΔG) in the breeding-objective traits, aggregate responses (RH), total economic response (TER) and the rate of inbreeding (ΔF) per generation varied depending on the scenarios ALT I, II and III, P and the selection criteria. A selection index considering ALT III (Risk-rated EVs) in derivation of ΔG for individual traits, RH and TER, and ΔF would be appropriate and optimal in both WG and AG selection schemes. However, these responses were higher in the AG scheme compared to the WG selection scheme, and the ΔF more favourable with increase in the number of groups co-operating. Responses under mass selection were also comparable to BLUP with the same rate of inbreeding, restricted to an acceptable level of 0.01. These imply that an AG selection scheme under mass selection would be optimal and logical for implementation in the smallholder low-input goat production systems. However, a minimum of 14 co-operating farmer groups would be required to produce considerable levels of responses and at acceptable levels of inbreeding.

Access to timely and reliable information on livestock production and marketing is important in addressing the production and marketing aspects of the sector alongside access to financial services. This study analyzes the intra-household disparities in access to information and financial services among rural households in selected districts in Kenya. Specifically, the study compares women’s access to information on livestock production and financial services with that of men. Results show that informal channels such as farmer to farmer interactions were the key sources of information for livestock production and marketing. More men in male headed households received more training and were exposed to greater and varied topics than women. Men borrowed more from formal credit providers such as banks and co-operatives while women mainly borrowed from their community groups and neighbors. Analysis of determinants of savings by women revealed that women’s age and education positively and significantly increase their probability to save.

A study was conducted to assess the existing village chicken and egg marketing system of Bure district, North West Ethiopia. A participatory rural appraisal and a formal survey were used to collect all the relevant data, using a multistage sampling technique. Seven farmer kebeles (2 from high land, 3 from mid altitude and 2 from low land agro ecologies) and a total of 280 village chicken owner households were selected and considered for the study. In addition, 30 chicken and egg collectors (middle men) were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. All local and urban markets were visited once in a month in all seasons of the year. The result of the current study revealed that there was no any formal chicken and egg marketing operation in the study district. The result showed that 69.3% and 99.6% of interviewed village chicken owners involved in marketing of chicken and eggs, respectively. Producer-Consumer, Producer-Middle men, Producer-Retailer, Middle men- Retailer, Middle men-Consumer were the prevailing chicken and egg marketing channels of the study district. According to the result of the study village chicken owners traveled, on average, a distance of 5.5km and 15.9km to reach to nearby local markets and urban markets, respectively. It is identified that the majority (59.3%) of chicken owners used both hand carrying (hanging birds with a piece of stick) and carrying birds with bamboo-made containers to transport live birds to markets. The result of the current study revealed that the price of chicken and eggs showed variation between months of the year. The percentage increase in market prices of chicken products at holyday market days, as compared to ordinary market days was 19.2% for cocks, 15.3% hen, 24.2% for pullets/cockerels and 16% for eggs. Some of the major marketing problems identified in this study were: low supply of marketable chicken products, presence of only few/limited market out-lets and lack of appropriate marketing information. It is suggested that chicken and egg marketing of village chicken producers can be improved through development of market information system at farmer’s level and strengthening of agricultural extension services, through trainings and advisory services.

The feed resources base, the feeding systems and feed values of three indigenous trees Girawa, Anfare and Kelewa (Local (Amharic), Ethiopian names ) were studied for sheep in sub humid, mid altitude area of south western Ethiopia. The study involved a survey of the feed resources base and assessment of the feeding systems, chemical analysis and in vitro dry matter digestibility. In addition, Girawa was selected to study its effect on growth performances using 32 lambs. The levels of Girawa used for the growth performance study in groups I, II, III and IV, respectively were 100 g/d, 200 g/d, 300 g/d and 400 g/d. The main feed resources for sheep in Jimma area were found to be natural pasture, crop residues, crop aftermaths and indigenous multipurpose trees. Grazing on natural pasture constituted the main feeding system. The indigenous trees were cut and fed occasionally. The levels of CP ranged from 186.2 to 244.4 g/kg DM with minimum level in Anfare. Higher values were recorded for Girawa. Organic matter content was higher for Anfare (924.3 g/kg DM) and lower for Girawa (877.9 g/kg DM). In vitro dry matter digestibility values were 0.448, 0.422 and 0.458 for Girawa, Anfare and Kelewa, respectively. Supplementation of Girawa had an effect (p<0.01) on live weight gains of lambs. Lambs that were offered 400 g/d of Girawa had a higher daily live weight gain (95.1 g/d) compared to those supplemented with 200 (43.3 g/d) and 300 g/d (50.5 g/d) of Girawa as well as the control group (34.0 g/d). Weight gains were not different between the control group and those supplemented with 200 and 300 g/d of Girawa. It was concluded that these feed resources represent a great potential for sheep production in areas where the resources are available. It is also suggested that more studies are needed on higher level of Girawa than the present study on animal performances along with its anti-nutritional effects.

Herbage of Cratylia argentea, Desmodium velutinum, Fleminigia macrophylla, Leucaena diversifolia, Canavalia brasiliensis, Centrosema brasilianum, Clitoria ternatea, Lablab purpureus, Stylosanthes guianensis and Vigna unguiculata from the CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture) gene bank were assessed for their nutritional value and in-vitro digestibility for pigs in order to predict their potential as alternative protein supplement in a tropical smallholder context. Crude protein (CP) contents ranged from 137 to 257 g kg-1 dry matter (DM) (mean 191 g kg-1 DM), although a considerable proportion of it, 27 % on average, was bound to neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Interesting levels of lysine were found in Cratylia argentea (14 g kg-1 DM) and Leucaena diversifolia (13 g kg-1 DM), whereby the latter was also high in tannic acid concentration (49 g kg-1 DM) thus limiting the amino acid digestibility. Vigna unguiculatapresented highest in-vitro enzymatic degradability (521 g kg-1 DM), which even increased in a 40:60 mixture with maize. Lowest degradation was obtained with Flemingia macrophylla (248 g kg-1 DM), while the median of the forages approached 390 g kg-1 DM. It is concluded, that Vigna unguiculata herbage meal has the highest potential to be successfully included in pig diets, while Cratylia argentea meal should equally be assessed in vivo.

The study was conducted to assess the reproductive performance of ewes under village management condition in south western part of Ethiopia. The study was a monitoring study which took place for three years (1995-1997). The overall least squares means for lambing interval (LI) and annual reproductive rate (ARR) were 262 ±53.4 days and 1.88 ± 0.44, respectively. The overall least squares means of age at first lambing and litter size were 404 + 65.40 day and 1.21+1.45 lambs, respectively. Lambing interval was significantly (P<0.05) influenced by parity of the ewe, type of birth and year of lambing. The ewes at their first, and six and above parity showed longer subsequent lambing interval than ewes at 2-5 parity. Ewes that suckled singles had shorter subsequent lambing interval than ewes which suckled twins (255+3.74 vs 283+5.72 days). Year of lambing and type of birth exerted a significant effect (P<0.05) on ARR. The ewes that dropped twins had higher ARR than ewes which dropped singles (1.52 Vs 2.56 lambs/ewe/year). Litter size was significantly (p<0.05) influenced by season of lambing and parity of the ewe. There was a tendency that, litter size increased with an increase of parity up to fifth parity and dropped at the sixth and more parities. The reproductive performance of ewes under village management condition is discussed in association with reports elsewhere in the tropics.

Goat production in Ethiopia contributes significantly to national export earnings and the livelihoods of rural households. In the past, a number of research works were conducted to evaluate and improve the performance of indigenous goats. However, systematically compiled information is not available concerning the level of performance of indigenous goats in the country. In this paper, level of performance for major economic traits of indigenous goats is reviewed and discussed. It is apparent from the information presented in this review that the performance of indigenous goat breeds of Ethiopia is highly variable between different management systems. Many of the research reports show that age at first kidding and kidding intervals appear to be shorter in the traditional systems while reproductive efficiency in terms of growth rate, carcass yield, milk yield, litter sizes and survival rate are higher under improved management systems. In terms of body weight and growth rate, lowland goats are not better than those in the other agro-ecologies. Though productivity of indigenous goats is generally considered as low, there is high potential among the indigenous Ethiopian goat breeds under improved management systems. They also produce skins suitable for production of high quality leather products.

This paper uses household and key informant survey data from Ethiopia to: (1) understand the organizational structures that influence change in dairy production systems; (2) explore how local-level innovation system networks are functioning in the smallholder dairy production and (3) identify intervention points for strengthening innovation capacity. Results revealed that public sector actors are the major role players in the dairy production system despite their minor role in marketing linkages. We also found out that the private sector actors play peripheral roles in the network. Differences between innovator and non-innovator social networks were observed, with innovators exhibiting greater access to sources of production knowledge, inputs, credits and markets. Important institutions that could strengthen the stakeholders’ ability to identify, implement and adapt sustainable practices were not included in the processes. We recommend for policy guidance to reform the current agricultural extension system to address institutional and policy issues that constrain effective agricultural innovation system.