Dairy cattle performance in agro-pastoral production systems of Uganda Christina Johansson1, Denis Mpairwe2, Eva Spörndly1, Sylvester Katuromunda2, Elly Sabiiti2 & Ewa Wredle1

1 Dept. Animal Nutrition and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, 2 Dept. Agricultural Production, School of Agricultural Sciences, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala,

Background

Background • 95 % of population within agriculture • 85 % of meat and milk from livestock on rangelands • Climate changes, degradation, access to land, increasing

population, changing eating habits • Feed shortage, especially during dry season

Background • 35% of Ugandas milk production from the southwest • Pastoralists → agro-pastoralists • Exotic breeds to improve milk yield - but their nutritional

demand is higher • Pasture used as the only feed source, often low quality

Aim of projects • Analyse factors of importance

to improve milk production

• Suggest management improvements based on results

• Quantity and quality of pasture during rainy and dry season

• Animal management routines

• Cattle performance

Study I

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Prot

ein

(%) a

nd E

nerg

y (M

J M

E/kg

DM

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Past

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(kg

DM

/ha)

Pasture

Protein (%)

Energy (MJME/kg DM)

• Calves born in early dry season had low growth

• Cows calving in late and early dry season had high loss in weight

• Milk yield decreased with days in dry season

• Cows in lactation 3 or higher had higher milk yield (8.7 kg/day) compared to cows in first lactation (6.9 kg/day)

• Milk yield increased with degree of exotic breed

• Milking twice per day gave +2 kg milk

• Cows on pasture during night had higher milk yields

• Evaluate effect of protein-rich (~ 17%) supplements to calves in wet season

• A: pasture B: pasture + lablab hay C: pasture + concentrate

Study II

Supplementation of concentrates improved calf growth performance significantly

Treatment Benefit per calf and month

A: pasture 38 345 UGX (~98 SEK)

B: pasture + lablab hay 26 288 UGX (~67 SEK)

C: pasture + concentrate -14 852 UGX (~38 SEK)

Concentrate supplementation is not cost effective in the short run.

UGX = Uganda shillings

Workshop and farm visit in Kazo, Uganda, November 2012

Dissemination

Future research/work • Feed conservation techniques

• Possibilites to introduce milk

machines

• Farmers cooperatives

THANK YOU!