The harvest of male white-tailed deer having only 2 "points", also known as "spike bucks", has be... more The harvest of male white-tailed deer having only 2 "points", also known as "spike bucks", has been a controversial subject among landowners, hunters, and biologists over the years. The role of nutrition on body size and antler development had been previously investigated by many researchers; however, the role of genetics had not been investigated. In 1973, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department initiated research to investigate the roles of these 2 aspects on body size and antler development in white-tailed deer. Dr. John D. Williams provided the data base, statistical analysis, and data interpretation through an interagency agreement with the Texas A & M University Agricultural Experiment Station. This project was funded under the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, a sportsmen funded program, which apportions revenues collected as manufacturers' excise taxes on sporting arms, pistols, ammunition, and archery equipment to the states and territories for the conservation and management of wild birds and mammals. Many people participated in the field studies over the period of years. Special acknowledgments are due to Robert L. Cook, who was in on the initial research planning, George W. Litton, Regional Director for Wildlife, Dr.
African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Aug 31, 2011
Elucidating the influence of ecological factors on composition and foraging intensity of subterra... more Elucidating the influence of ecological factors on composition and foraging intensity of subterranean termites is critical in development of sustainable termite management strategies. Our aim was therefore to analyze the effect of selected biotic and abiotic factors on composition and foraging intensity of termites. We used principal component and canonical correspondence analysis to select appropriate factors and to model relationships respectively. Macrotermes species occurred in sites where the quantity of litter was generally above the mean. However, Macrotermes herus (Rambur) and Macrotermes spp.4 occurred in sites where the litter quantity was below the mean. Trinervitermes oeconomous (Tragardh) and Odontoremes spp.1 were noted to occur in the direction of increasing quantity of biomass. Generally, most species occurred in sites where soil pH was above or slightly below the mean (4.8). Majority of the species were also noted to occur in sites where bulk density was below or slightly above the mean (1.55 g/cm 3). Highest bait consumption (95%) occurred within a range of 55 to 60% basal cover beyond which the amount of bait consumed reduced. Litter and biomass quantity, pH and bulk density were noted as the most influential environmental variables determining composition of termites while basal cover was the major determinant of foraging intensity.
Abstract: Crop-livestock integration provides a more efficient pathway for increased intensificat... more Abstract: Crop-livestock integration provides a more efficient pathway for increased intensification especially under resource poor smallholder farmers. This study was conducted to identify the challenges to integration of vegetable production in smallholder systems of Uganda in Masaka and Ngora districts. Sixty farming households were interviewed from each district. The results of the study showed that the farm household characteristics in the two districts were similar but differences in enterprise allocation to land occurred mainly due to land ownership systems and main source of income for the household. Farmers’ choice of vegetables was informed by their economic importance with “Nakati”(Solanum aethiopicum) ranking first choice in Masaka and tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) in Ngora Farmers ’ also considered other factors like tolerance to water stress and contribution to household food security. Lack of market (31 and 43%), high cost of inputs (24 and 44%), (24 and 45%), pe...
Production systems, land cover change and soil factors affecting pasture production in semi-arid ... more Production systems, land cover change and soil factors affecting pasture production in semi-arid Nakasongola
Production systems, land cover change and soil factors affecting pasture production in semi-arid ... more Production systems, land cover change and soil factors affecting pasture production in semi-arid Nakasongola
Termites are a major pest in the semi-arid and sub-humid tropics. They pose a serious threat to a... more Termites are a major pest in the semi-arid and sub-humid tropics. They pose a serious threat to agricultural crops, forestry seedlings, rangelands and wooden structures. In Ethiopia the problem is particularly serious in the western part of the country, specifically in Wollega Zones of Oromia Region. In the past, several attempts were made to reduce damage caused by termites, including extensive termite mound poisoning campaigns. These interventions not only had a negative effect on the environment, but were also largely ineffective. Based on previous work in Uganda showing that adding organic matter to the soil diverts termites from the plant and functions as alternative feed source, a project was commenced by the Challenge Program for Water and Food (CPWF). In partnership with IWMI and Makerere University, ILRI and Wollega University took the lead in working with local stakeholders to identify sustainable solutions to address the termite problem in Diga, Ethiopia. The research con...
A alpha-glucosidase was purified from the digestive fluid of the palm weevil Rhynchophorus palmar... more A alpha-glucosidase was purified from the digestive fluid of the palm weevil Rhynchophorus palmarum L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) by chromatography on anion-exchange, gel filtration, and hydrophobic interaction columns. The preparation was shown to be homogeneous on polyacrylamide gels. alpha-glucosidase is a monomeric protein with a molecular weight of 60.60 kDa based on its mobility in SDS-PAGE and 61.05 kDa based on gel filtration. Maximal alpha-glucosidase activity occurred at 45°C and pH 5.6. The purified alphaglucosidase was stable at 37°C and its pH stability was in the range of 4.0–5.6. The enzyme readily hydrolysed pnitrophenyl-α-D-glucoside, maltose, maltodextrins and required strictly alpha-gluco configuration for activity. It cleaved glucose-glucose alpha-(1–2) linkages better than alpha-(1–4), alpha-(1–1), alpha-(1–3) and β-(1–6) linkages. The catalytic efficiency (Vmax/KM) values for p-nitrophenyl-α-D-glucoside, maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentose, malto...
Aflatoxin is a collective term for a group of toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites produc... more Aflatoxin is a collective term for a group of toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced by some strains of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus during growth, on feeds and foods. The fungal spores are found worldwide, in air and soil, and infest both living and dead plants and animals. An experiment was conducted to investigate the concentration, total excretion and carry-over of Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1) into milk as Aflatoxin M 1. Nine crossbred lactating goats were divided into three groups of three each, based on the level of milk production. Commercial Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1) was administered to all groups at a rate of 100 ppb in the diet. Group I served as control (T 1). In group II (T 2), calcium bentonite (CaB) and in group III (T 3), activated charcoal (AC), were added at the rate of 1% of Dry Matter Intake (DMI). Dry matter intake was not significantly different (P>0.05) among T 1 (1.22), T 2 (1.14) and T 3 (1.13). Daily milk yield was also not significantly different (P>0.05) among treatments T 1 (0.91), T 2 (0.86) and T 3 (1.03) during the experimental period of 14 days. The AFM 1 concentration, excretion and carry-over of AFB 1 in T 1 continued to increase with time, whereas, the same was seen to decline in the adsorbent fed groups T 2 and T 3. The results suggest that supplementation of CaB or AC at 1% of DMI for lactating goats result in a reduction in AFM 1 content in milk and carryover of aflatoxin from feed to milk without causing any change in composition of milk.
Economically feasible strategies for year-round feed supply to dairy cattle are needed to improve... more Economically feasible strategies for year-round feed supply to dairy cattle are needed to improve feed resource availability, milk yield and household income for the smallholder dairy farming systems that dominate in the rural Eastern and Central African region. Currently, napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is the major forage in zero-grazing production systems, but production is often constrained. While forage legumes, including Centrosema pubescens and Clitoria ternatea are used to complement napier grass, Brachiaria spp, a new drought tolerant grass, is being introduced. Our results showed that the introduction of drought tolerant forage technologies improved milk yield and household income. Supplementing napier grass and forage legume mixture with Brachiaria and forage legume mixtures by 0.5 ha on farm, elevated household production levels and lead to economic returns of US$677/cow/year.
Efficient utilization of animal manures is critical in sustaining productivity and profitability ... more Efficient utilization of animal manures is critical in sustaining productivity and profitability of smallholder crop-livestock production systems. However, adoption of particular manure application regimes would only be possible if the recommended regimes make economic sense to farmers whose major objective is usually to generate incomes. An on-farm experiment was conducted for three rainy seasons in Uganda to evaluate the economic benefits derived from production of cabbage under different levels of poultry manure (PM). The PM levels investigated included 0t/ha-1, 1t/ha-1, 2t/ha-1, 3t/ha-1, and 4t/ha-1 replicated three times per season. The total costs that vary, the gross and net benefits for each treatment were calculated and subsequently used to construct a partial budget from which dominance analysis was conducted. The non dominated treatments were then selected for marginal rate of analysis. The highest net benefits (Ug. shs 9,266,000) were obtained at 4t/ha. The net benefits ...
Abstract: Crop-livestock integration provides a more efficient pathway for increased intensificat... more Abstract: Crop-livestock integration provides a more efficient pathway for increased intensification especially under resource poor smallholder farmers. This study was conducted to identify the challenges to integration of vegetable production in smallholder systems of Uganda in Masaka and Ngora districts. Sixty farming households were interviewed from each district. The results of the study showed that the farm household characteristics in the two districts were similar but differences in enterprise allocation to land occurred mainly due to land ownership systems and main source of income for the household. Farmers’ choice of vegetables was informed by their economic importance with “Nakati”(Solanum aethiopicum) ranking first choice in Masaka and tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) in Ngora Farmers’ also considered other factors like tolerance to water stress and contribution to household food security. Lack of market (31 and 43%), high cost of inputs (24 and 44%), (24 and 45%), pes...
Rangelands provide the cheapest source of feed for ruminant livestock and account for more than 9... more Rangelands provide the cheapest source of feed for ruminant livestock and account for more than 90% of beef production in Uganda. Rangelands are however being degraded due to changes in resource ownership, management practices, and market forces that exert pressure on rangeland resources. Many farmers are not aware about the existence of alternative feeding practices that can be used to supplement grazing, increase growth rate and returns to investment. This study was therefore conducted to understand the current beef production practices and assess climate variability and change impacts in the beef cattle production systems in the rangelands of Lake Victoria basin. The study was conducted in Rakai, Isingiro and Lyantonde interviewing 33, 37 and 30 cattle producing households. 48.5, 73 and 69.9% of the households in Rakai, Isingiro and Lyantonde District had stayed in the area for more than 20 years with 97.6% of household heads having attained formal education. Average land owned p...
Starter feeds are important in the growth of African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell) larvae... more Starter feeds are important in the growth of African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell) larvae. A study was conducted to investigate the performance of Artemia shell-free embryos, Moina micrura (Kurz) and phytoplankton as starter feed for larvae rearing of C. gariepinus. The experiment lasted 15 days in a set of nine tanks of 900-litre capacity. The study was divided into two phases of 5 and 10 days. During the end of the 15 days, the larvae fed on M. micrura had a growth rate of 32.95±12.62 % day
Elucidation of factors influencing utilization of introduced forages is critical in formulation o... more Elucidation of factors influencing utilization of introduced forages is critical in formulation of interventions to foster their integration into smallholder dairy production systems. The study sought to identify introduced forages cultivated by farmers and the socio-economic factors influencing their preference and adoption in Masaka, Mityana and Wakiso Districts of Uganda. Pennisetum purpureum was the most cultivated fodder with 70.5% of respondents cultivating it. Farmers differed (X2=919.6, P < 0.0001) in their ranking of factors influencing their preference for introduced forages. Farmers’ raking of “high yielding” was higher (p<0.001) than for other factors in all the three districts. Adoption was found to be a function of age, land ownership and level of education. The probability of a farmer adopting introduced forages differed among age groups (X2=11.3, df= 4, p=0.024), systems of land ownership (X2=12.1, df= 4, p=0.017) and levels of education (X2=10.1, df=3, P=0.018...
Utilisation of weather forecast information, herd and feed resources management strategies by pas... more Utilisation of weather forecast information, herd and feed resources management strategies by pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in response to drought
Seasonal water fluctuations both in quality and quantity negatively affect livestock production a... more Seasonal water fluctuations both in quality and quantity negatively affect livestock production and subsequently reduce livestock-water productivity (LWP) in rainfed pastoral production systems. The major contributing factors to this phenomenon are poor upper catchment and water resource management which result in contamination, sedimentation/silting, eutrophication due to nutrient enrichment, and excessive discharge of runoff into water reserviors. This study investigated the effect of upper catchment management (un-vegetated and vegetated catchment, un-vegetated and vegetated gullies); and water cover plants on water quality and quantity in surface water reservoirs, and their impacts on livestock water productivity (LWP) in rainfed pastoral production systems of Uganda. Water quality and quantity in sixteen reserviors were monitored on a monthly basis in Nakasongola and Kiruhura districts for a period of one year covering two dry and two rain seasons. Sedimentation studies showed ...
Infestation and destruction of rangeland vegetation by subterranean termites is a major constrain... more Infestation and destruction of rangeland vegetation by subterranean termites is a major constraint to livestock production in the rangelands of Uganda, particularly, in semi-arid Nakasongola. Ethnoecological studies on termite dynamics are central to formulation of sustainable termite management strategies in such ecosystems. This study was thus conducted to investigate farmers' traditional ecological knowledge of the termite problem with the intent to build more coherent principles required in the development of appropriate termite management strategies. Focus group discussions and individual interviews were conducted to capture information on farmers' ethno-ecological knowledge of the factors enhancing termite damage on vegetation, temporal and spatial variability of damage and diversity of termite species in the Nakasongola ecosystem. Kruskal-Wallis test showed that there was a significant difference (X 2 =451.5, P>0.0001) among farmers' ranking of factors responsible for the destructive behavior of termites on rangeland vegetation. Overgrazing and deforestation ware ranked significantly higher (X 2 =156, P>0.0001) than other factors. Eight species were identified and the species belonged to one family (Termitidae) and two sub-families (Macrotermitinae and Termitinae). The study provided basic information about farmers' knowledge of the biology and ecology that could aid the development of sustainable and socially acceptable termite control strategies.
The harvest of male white-tailed deer having only 2 "points", also known as "spike bucks", has be... more The harvest of male white-tailed deer having only 2 "points", also known as "spike bucks", has been a controversial subject among landowners, hunters, and biologists over the years. The role of nutrition on body size and antler development had been previously investigated by many researchers; however, the role of genetics had not been investigated. In 1973, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department initiated research to investigate the roles of these 2 aspects on body size and antler development in white-tailed deer. Dr. John D. Williams provided the data base, statistical analysis, and data interpretation through an interagency agreement with the Texas A & M University Agricultural Experiment Station. This project was funded under the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, a sportsmen funded program, which apportions revenues collected as manufacturers' excise taxes on sporting arms, pistols, ammunition, and archery equipment to the states and territories for the conservation and management of wild birds and mammals. Many people participated in the field studies over the period of years. Special acknowledgments are due to Robert L. Cook, who was in on the initial research planning, George W. Litton, Regional Director for Wildlife, Dr.
African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Aug 31, 2011
Elucidating the influence of ecological factors on composition and foraging intensity of subterra... more Elucidating the influence of ecological factors on composition and foraging intensity of subterranean termites is critical in development of sustainable termite management strategies. Our aim was therefore to analyze the effect of selected biotic and abiotic factors on composition and foraging intensity of termites. We used principal component and canonical correspondence analysis to select appropriate factors and to model relationships respectively. Macrotermes species occurred in sites where the quantity of litter was generally above the mean. However, Macrotermes herus (Rambur) and Macrotermes spp.4 occurred in sites where the litter quantity was below the mean. Trinervitermes oeconomous (Tragardh) and Odontoremes spp.1 were noted to occur in the direction of increasing quantity of biomass. Generally, most species occurred in sites where soil pH was above or slightly below the mean (4.8). Majority of the species were also noted to occur in sites where bulk density was below or slightly above the mean (1.55 g/cm 3). Highest bait consumption (95%) occurred within a range of 55 to 60% basal cover beyond which the amount of bait consumed reduced. Litter and biomass quantity, pH and bulk density were noted as the most influential environmental variables determining composition of termites while basal cover was the major determinant of foraging intensity.
Abstract: Crop-livestock integration provides a more efficient pathway for increased intensificat... more Abstract: Crop-livestock integration provides a more efficient pathway for increased intensification especially under resource poor smallholder farmers. This study was conducted to identify the challenges to integration of vegetable production in smallholder systems of Uganda in Masaka and Ngora districts. Sixty farming households were interviewed from each district. The results of the study showed that the farm household characteristics in the two districts were similar but differences in enterprise allocation to land occurred mainly due to land ownership systems and main source of income for the household. Farmers’ choice of vegetables was informed by their economic importance with “Nakati”(Solanum aethiopicum) ranking first choice in Masaka and tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) in Ngora Farmers ’ also considered other factors like tolerance to water stress and contribution to household food security. Lack of market (31 and 43%), high cost of inputs (24 and 44%), (24 and 45%), pe...
Production systems, land cover change and soil factors affecting pasture production in semi-arid ... more Production systems, land cover change and soil factors affecting pasture production in semi-arid Nakasongola
Production systems, land cover change and soil factors affecting pasture production in semi-arid ... more Production systems, land cover change and soil factors affecting pasture production in semi-arid Nakasongola
Termites are a major pest in the semi-arid and sub-humid tropics. They pose a serious threat to a... more Termites are a major pest in the semi-arid and sub-humid tropics. They pose a serious threat to agricultural crops, forestry seedlings, rangelands and wooden structures. In Ethiopia the problem is particularly serious in the western part of the country, specifically in Wollega Zones of Oromia Region. In the past, several attempts were made to reduce damage caused by termites, including extensive termite mound poisoning campaigns. These interventions not only had a negative effect on the environment, but were also largely ineffective. Based on previous work in Uganda showing that adding organic matter to the soil diverts termites from the plant and functions as alternative feed source, a project was commenced by the Challenge Program for Water and Food (CPWF). In partnership with IWMI and Makerere University, ILRI and Wollega University took the lead in working with local stakeholders to identify sustainable solutions to address the termite problem in Diga, Ethiopia. The research con...
A alpha-glucosidase was purified from the digestive fluid of the palm weevil Rhynchophorus palmar... more A alpha-glucosidase was purified from the digestive fluid of the palm weevil Rhynchophorus palmarum L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) by chromatography on anion-exchange, gel filtration, and hydrophobic interaction columns. The preparation was shown to be homogeneous on polyacrylamide gels. alpha-glucosidase is a monomeric protein with a molecular weight of 60.60 kDa based on its mobility in SDS-PAGE and 61.05 kDa based on gel filtration. Maximal alpha-glucosidase activity occurred at 45°C and pH 5.6. The purified alphaglucosidase was stable at 37°C and its pH stability was in the range of 4.0–5.6. The enzyme readily hydrolysed pnitrophenyl-α-D-glucoside, maltose, maltodextrins and required strictly alpha-gluco configuration for activity. It cleaved glucose-glucose alpha-(1–2) linkages better than alpha-(1–4), alpha-(1–1), alpha-(1–3) and β-(1–6) linkages. The catalytic efficiency (Vmax/KM) values for p-nitrophenyl-α-D-glucoside, maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentose, malto...
Aflatoxin is a collective term for a group of toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites produc... more Aflatoxin is a collective term for a group of toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced by some strains of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus during growth, on feeds and foods. The fungal spores are found worldwide, in air and soil, and infest both living and dead plants and animals. An experiment was conducted to investigate the concentration, total excretion and carry-over of Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1) into milk as Aflatoxin M 1. Nine crossbred lactating goats were divided into three groups of three each, based on the level of milk production. Commercial Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1) was administered to all groups at a rate of 100 ppb in the diet. Group I served as control (T 1). In group II (T 2), calcium bentonite (CaB) and in group III (T 3), activated charcoal (AC), were added at the rate of 1% of Dry Matter Intake (DMI). Dry matter intake was not significantly different (P>0.05) among T 1 (1.22), T 2 (1.14) and T 3 (1.13). Daily milk yield was also not significantly different (P>0.05) among treatments T 1 (0.91), T 2 (0.86) and T 3 (1.03) during the experimental period of 14 days. The AFM 1 concentration, excretion and carry-over of AFB 1 in T 1 continued to increase with time, whereas, the same was seen to decline in the adsorbent fed groups T 2 and T 3. The results suggest that supplementation of CaB or AC at 1% of DMI for lactating goats result in a reduction in AFM 1 content in milk and carryover of aflatoxin from feed to milk without causing any change in composition of milk.
Economically feasible strategies for year-round feed supply to dairy cattle are needed to improve... more Economically feasible strategies for year-round feed supply to dairy cattle are needed to improve feed resource availability, milk yield and household income for the smallholder dairy farming systems that dominate in the rural Eastern and Central African region. Currently, napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is the major forage in zero-grazing production systems, but production is often constrained. While forage legumes, including Centrosema pubescens and Clitoria ternatea are used to complement napier grass, Brachiaria spp, a new drought tolerant grass, is being introduced. Our results showed that the introduction of drought tolerant forage technologies improved milk yield and household income. Supplementing napier grass and forage legume mixture with Brachiaria and forage legume mixtures by 0.5 ha on farm, elevated household production levels and lead to economic returns of US$677/cow/year.
Efficient utilization of animal manures is critical in sustaining productivity and profitability ... more Efficient utilization of animal manures is critical in sustaining productivity and profitability of smallholder crop-livestock production systems. However, adoption of particular manure application regimes would only be possible if the recommended regimes make economic sense to farmers whose major objective is usually to generate incomes. An on-farm experiment was conducted for three rainy seasons in Uganda to evaluate the economic benefits derived from production of cabbage under different levels of poultry manure (PM). The PM levels investigated included 0t/ha-1, 1t/ha-1, 2t/ha-1, 3t/ha-1, and 4t/ha-1 replicated three times per season. The total costs that vary, the gross and net benefits for each treatment were calculated and subsequently used to construct a partial budget from which dominance analysis was conducted. The non dominated treatments were then selected for marginal rate of analysis. The highest net benefits (Ug. shs 9,266,000) were obtained at 4t/ha. The net benefits ...
Abstract: Crop-livestock integration provides a more efficient pathway for increased intensificat... more Abstract: Crop-livestock integration provides a more efficient pathway for increased intensification especially under resource poor smallholder farmers. This study was conducted to identify the challenges to integration of vegetable production in smallholder systems of Uganda in Masaka and Ngora districts. Sixty farming households were interviewed from each district. The results of the study showed that the farm household characteristics in the two districts were similar but differences in enterprise allocation to land occurred mainly due to land ownership systems and main source of income for the household. Farmers’ choice of vegetables was informed by their economic importance with “Nakati”(Solanum aethiopicum) ranking first choice in Masaka and tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) in Ngora Farmers’ also considered other factors like tolerance to water stress and contribution to household food security. Lack of market (31 and 43%), high cost of inputs (24 and 44%), (24 and 45%), pes...
Rangelands provide the cheapest source of feed for ruminant livestock and account for more than 9... more Rangelands provide the cheapest source of feed for ruminant livestock and account for more than 90% of beef production in Uganda. Rangelands are however being degraded due to changes in resource ownership, management practices, and market forces that exert pressure on rangeland resources. Many farmers are not aware about the existence of alternative feeding practices that can be used to supplement grazing, increase growth rate and returns to investment. This study was therefore conducted to understand the current beef production practices and assess climate variability and change impacts in the beef cattle production systems in the rangelands of Lake Victoria basin. The study was conducted in Rakai, Isingiro and Lyantonde interviewing 33, 37 and 30 cattle producing households. 48.5, 73 and 69.9% of the households in Rakai, Isingiro and Lyantonde District had stayed in the area for more than 20 years with 97.6% of household heads having attained formal education. Average land owned p...
Starter feeds are important in the growth of African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell) larvae... more Starter feeds are important in the growth of African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell) larvae. A study was conducted to investigate the performance of Artemia shell-free embryos, Moina micrura (Kurz) and phytoplankton as starter feed for larvae rearing of C. gariepinus. The experiment lasted 15 days in a set of nine tanks of 900-litre capacity. The study was divided into two phases of 5 and 10 days. During the end of the 15 days, the larvae fed on M. micrura had a growth rate of 32.95±12.62 % day
Elucidation of factors influencing utilization of introduced forages is critical in formulation o... more Elucidation of factors influencing utilization of introduced forages is critical in formulation of interventions to foster their integration into smallholder dairy production systems. The study sought to identify introduced forages cultivated by farmers and the socio-economic factors influencing their preference and adoption in Masaka, Mityana and Wakiso Districts of Uganda. Pennisetum purpureum was the most cultivated fodder with 70.5% of respondents cultivating it. Farmers differed (X2=919.6, P < 0.0001) in their ranking of factors influencing their preference for introduced forages. Farmers’ raking of “high yielding” was higher (p<0.001) than for other factors in all the three districts. Adoption was found to be a function of age, land ownership and level of education. The probability of a farmer adopting introduced forages differed among age groups (X2=11.3, df= 4, p=0.024), systems of land ownership (X2=12.1, df= 4, p=0.017) and levels of education (X2=10.1, df=3, P=0.018...
Utilisation of weather forecast information, herd and feed resources management strategies by pas... more Utilisation of weather forecast information, herd and feed resources management strategies by pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in response to drought
Seasonal water fluctuations both in quality and quantity negatively affect livestock production a... more Seasonal water fluctuations both in quality and quantity negatively affect livestock production and subsequently reduce livestock-water productivity (LWP) in rainfed pastoral production systems. The major contributing factors to this phenomenon are poor upper catchment and water resource management which result in contamination, sedimentation/silting, eutrophication due to nutrient enrichment, and excessive discharge of runoff into water reserviors. This study investigated the effect of upper catchment management (un-vegetated and vegetated catchment, un-vegetated and vegetated gullies); and water cover plants on water quality and quantity in surface water reservoirs, and their impacts on livestock water productivity (LWP) in rainfed pastoral production systems of Uganda. Water quality and quantity in sixteen reserviors were monitored on a monthly basis in Nakasongola and Kiruhura districts for a period of one year covering two dry and two rain seasons. Sedimentation studies showed ...
Infestation and destruction of rangeland vegetation by subterranean termites is a major constrain... more Infestation and destruction of rangeland vegetation by subterranean termites is a major constraint to livestock production in the rangelands of Uganda, particularly, in semi-arid Nakasongola. Ethnoecological studies on termite dynamics are central to formulation of sustainable termite management strategies in such ecosystems. This study was thus conducted to investigate farmers' traditional ecological knowledge of the termite problem with the intent to build more coherent principles required in the development of appropriate termite management strategies. Focus group discussions and individual interviews were conducted to capture information on farmers' ethno-ecological knowledge of the factors enhancing termite damage on vegetation, temporal and spatial variability of damage and diversity of termite species in the Nakasongola ecosystem. Kruskal-Wallis test showed that there was a significant difference (X 2 =451.5, P>0.0001) among farmers' ranking of factors responsible for the destructive behavior of termites on rangeland vegetation. Overgrazing and deforestation ware ranked significantly higher (X 2 =156, P>0.0001) than other factors. Eight species were identified and the species belonged to one family (Termitidae) and two sub-families (Macrotermitinae and Termitinae). The study provided basic information about farmers' knowledge of the biology and ecology that could aid the development of sustainable and socially acceptable termite control strategies.
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Papers by Emmanuel Zziwa