Herd dynamics and productivity measures in smallholder cattle production systems in the Limpopo Province of South Africa
2004
Swanepoel, F. J. C. | Stroebel, A. | Pell, A. | Groenewald, I. B.
A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among a sample of 88 smallholder cattle farmers in the Nzhele District of Limpopo Province of South Africa. The number of cattle owned varied from one to 67, with an average of ten (9.8) head of cattle per household. The average age at first calving is 34.3 months. A calving rate, weaning rate, calf mortality, herd mortality and off take of 49.4%, 34.2%, 26.1%, 15.6% and 7.8% respectively, have been reported. It is concluded that cattle production in smallholder farming systems remain complex from a sociological, economic and ecological perspective.
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