Evaluation of existing and potential feed resources for ruminant production in northern Ghana

2014

English

A survey was conducted in six communities to evaluate and document the existing and potential feed resources, their uses and seasonal gaps with respect to ruminant production in northern Ghana. The six project communities (Tingoli, Tibali, Gia, Bonia, Papu, and Guo) were selected based on small ruminant population in the communities Qualitative and quantitative surveys were carried out using Feed Assessment Tool (FEAST). The data was collected through Participatory Rural Appraisal in community focus group discussions and individual interview using structured questionnaire. Mixed crop-livestock farming system was found to be the common practice among the smallholder farmers in all communities. The crops grown in the area included cereals (maize, rice, sorghum and millet) and legumes (groundnut, cowpea, soya beans, and bambara groundnut). The animals reared were cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys, pigs, and poultry such as local chicken and guinea fowls. Livestock production constraints identified were poor housing, disease incidence with high mortality rates, inadequate feed in the dry season and high cost of veterinary drugs. Others were inadequate veterinary services, lack of improved breeds, inadequate technical knowledge and low farm gate prices of animals. Opportunities available in the study area included: availability of pasture / grazing land for ruminants, high market demand for livestock and livestock products, low animal theft cases and availability of labour for livestock husbandry (e.g. Fulani herdsmen and household labour). Feed resources found in the area for ruminant feeding were crops residues (groundnut haulms, cowpea hay, pigeon pea residue (mixture of pods and leaves), rice straw, sorghum heads, yam and cassava peelings), and natural pasture. Agro-industrial by-products like corn mill waste flour, brewers’ spent grain, maize bran, and rice bran were found. Also, few households had stands of browse trees like Leucaena leucocephala, pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), Gliricidia sepium, acacia and mango trees. The study revealed that feedstuffs were more accessible to ruminant after crop harvest and shortage gap identified in dry season which becomes critical from February to April annually. It was concluded that production constraints like high incidence of disease and mortality and dry season feed gaps were major factors affecting smallholder livestock production in Northern Ghana. The availability of grazing land, however, presented a good production opportunity if feed resources it contained could be well managed. Also, for improved livestock productivity, efforts should be made to reduce the incidence of diseases through health care service provision and good supplementary nutrition. Critical period of feed scarcity that occurs between February to May annually could be partly addressed through feed conservation.

Konlan, S. P.; Ayantunde, A. A.; Dei, H. K.; Avornyo, F. K.