Opportunities of and constraints in integrating small livestock species into the farming systems of the forestsavannah zone of Cameroon

The rearing of small livestock species, particularly sheep, goats and pigs by resource-limited African farm-families remains an option for short term financial buffer and easiest means of accessing protein of animal origin. Like elsewhere in West and Central Africa, particularly in the forest-savann...

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Main Authors: Ebangi, A.L., Vabi, B.M., Niba, E.S., Chikoye, David
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Francés
Published: 2006
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/91760
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author Ebangi, A.L.
Vabi, B.M.
Niba, E.S.
Chikoye, David
author_browse Chikoye, David
Ebangi, A.L.
Niba, E.S.
Vabi, B.M.
author_facet Ebangi, A.L.
Vabi, B.M.
Niba, E.S.
Chikoye, David
author_sort Ebangi, A.L.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The rearing of small livestock species, particularly sheep, goats and pigs by resource-limited African farm-families remains an option for short term financial buffer and easiest means of accessing protein of animal origin. Like elsewhere in West and Central Africa, particularly in the forest-savannah transition zone of Cameroon, prominent breeds of small livestock species are the Fulbe (Peulh) sheep, West African Dwarf goats, and Bakossi or local pigs. Flock sizes are usually small, ranging between 3 and 51 for sheep; 3 and 20 for goats, and 4 and 25 for pigs. In the forest-savannah zone of Cameroon where this study was undertaken, water is usually available as reported by about 83% of the farm-families, though the management system is generally extensive as reported by 72% of the farm-families. Appropriate housing for small livestock species is also problematic across the agro-ecological zone as reported by nearly 68% of the farm-families. Under these management systems, mortality rates of as high as 40%, 41% and 30% for sheep, goats and pigs, respectively, are not uncommon. Similarly, reproductive performance and genetic variation, fitness and adaptability are limited by inbreeding, poor veterinary care and the absence of strategic supplementation. Putting together these plethora of constraints, the unexploited opportunities within the zone and related experiences elsewhere within sudano-sahelian and humid forest zones of Cameroon, this paper highlights a number of options for improving and/or integrating small livestock species into low inputs and subsistence-oriented farming systems of the forest-savannah zone of Cameroon.
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spelling CGSpace917602023-12-08T19:40:06Z Opportunities of and constraints in integrating small livestock species into the farming systems of the forestsavannah zone of Cameroon Ebangi, A.L. Vabi, B.M. Niba, E.S. Chikoye, David small livestock species constraints opportunities races-petit elevage moutons chdvres porcs contraintes opportunites cameroun The rearing of small livestock species, particularly sheep, goats and pigs by resource-limited African farm-families remains an option for short term financial buffer and easiest means of accessing protein of animal origin. Like elsewhere in West and Central Africa, particularly in the forest-savannah transition zone of Cameroon, prominent breeds of small livestock species are the Fulbe (Peulh) sheep, West African Dwarf goats, and Bakossi or local pigs. Flock sizes are usually small, ranging between 3 and 51 for sheep; 3 and 20 for goats, and 4 and 25 for pigs. In the forest-savannah zone of Cameroon where this study was undertaken, water is usually available as reported by about 83% of the farm-families, though the management system is generally extensive as reported by 72% of the farm-families. Appropriate housing for small livestock species is also problematic across the agro-ecological zone as reported by nearly 68% of the farm-families. Under these management systems, mortality rates of as high as 40%, 41% and 30% for sheep, goats and pigs, respectively, are not uncommon. Similarly, reproductive performance and genetic variation, fitness and adaptability are limited by inbreeding, poor veterinary care and the absence of strategic supplementation. Putting together these plethora of constraints, the unexploited opportunities within the zone and related experiences elsewhere within sudano-sahelian and humid forest zones of Cameroon, this paper highlights a number of options for improving and/or integrating small livestock species into low inputs and subsistence-oriented farming systems of the forest-savannah zone of Cameroon. 2006 2018-03-23T06:48:43Z 2018-03-23T06:48:43Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/91760 en fr Limited Access Ebangi, A.L., Vabi, B.M., Niba, E.S. & Chikoye, D. (2006). Opportunities of and constraints in integrating small livestock species into the farming systems of the forest-savannah zone of Cameroon. Cameroon Journal of Agricultural Science, 2(1), 1-9.
spellingShingle small livestock species
constraints
opportunities
races-petit elevage
moutons
chdvres
porcs
contraintes
opportunites
cameroun
Ebangi, A.L.
Vabi, B.M.
Niba, E.S.
Chikoye, David
Opportunities of and constraints in integrating small livestock species into the farming systems of the forestsavannah zone of Cameroon
title Opportunities of and constraints in integrating small livestock species into the farming systems of the forestsavannah zone of Cameroon
title_full Opportunities of and constraints in integrating small livestock species into the farming systems of the forestsavannah zone of Cameroon
title_fullStr Opportunities of and constraints in integrating small livestock species into the farming systems of the forestsavannah zone of Cameroon
title_full_unstemmed Opportunities of and constraints in integrating small livestock species into the farming systems of the forestsavannah zone of Cameroon
title_short Opportunities of and constraints in integrating small livestock species into the farming systems of the forestsavannah zone of Cameroon
title_sort opportunities of and constraints in integrating small livestock species into the farming systems of the forestsavannah zone of cameroon
topic small livestock species
constraints
opportunities
races-petit elevage
moutons
chdvres
porcs
contraintes
opportunites
cameroun
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/91760
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