Traditional livestock breeding practices of men and women Somali pastoralists: trait preferences and selection of breeding animals

Somalia, one of the world's poorest countries, has livestock as the mainstay of the economy, with an estimated 65% of the population engaged in the livestock sector. This paper presents a gendered study on the traditional livestock breeding practices of Somali pastoralists for camels, cattle, sheep and goats, with a focus on documenting livestock traits of importance, the criteria used to select male breeding animals and the criteria used to cull female breeding animals. Data for the study were obtained by performing participatory rural appraisals (PRAs) with separate male and female pastoral groups from 20 settlements of the Tog‐Dheer region of Somaliland (in north‐western Somalia). In total, more than 500 pastoralists were involved. In terms of livestock ownership, goats were the most common species kept (97% of all households), followed by sheep (64%), camels (37%) and cattle (9%), with considerable herd size variation across households. Traits of key importance to the pastoralists varied by species and gender of the PRA group, but included adaptedness to harsh environmental conditions, high market value/high meat production and high milk production. The pastoralists practised sensible criteria for the selection of male breeding animals for all species, capturing aspects of productivity (milk yield, reproduction), adaptedness (good hardiness) and marketability (body size and conformation). Similarly, they practised sensible criteria for culling of female breeding animals, with females removed from the herd primarily for poor performance, but also to meet the livelihood needs of the family. Differences in the selection and culling criteria were noted by species, as well as gender of the pastoralists. On the whole, there was strong alignment between the livestock selection criteria used by the Somali pastoralists, their reasons for keeping livestock and the market requirements. This is not surprising given the intimate and long‐standing relationship between Somali pastoralists and their livestock.     

Indigenous Rangeland and Livestock Management Among Pastoralists and Agro-pastoralists in Miombo Woodlands,Eastern Tanzania

Indigenous rangeland management practices, forage quality and availability, and livestock production by pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in miombo woodlands were investigated in a study conducted in Kilosa district, Tanzania. The study methods comprised household interviews, key informant and focus group discussions, and forage laboratory analyses. Preferred forage species and indigenous rangeland and livestock management practices among pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in miombo woodlands were identified, and the nutrient content of the forages was determined. In general, rangeland management in the study area faces challenges such as unclear or disputed land tenure regime and lack of technical knowledge. Moreover, the nutritional value of some native forage species identified in miombo was found to be too low to meet the nutrient requirements of livestock. Livestock in miombo contribute greatly to household livelihoods and food security, but forage scarcity was identified as a limiting factor. Overall, it was concluded that rangeland improvement practices are poor or nonexistent in allocated grazing areas in Kilosa’s miombo woodlands.     

气候变化对家庭牧场复合系统的影响及其牧民适应

家庭牧场土-草-畜-人复合生态系统是北方草原应对气候变化的基本单元,研究其适应性是促进牧区可持续发展的科学基础之一。以草业系统论构建家庭牧场气候变化适应性的研究方法,基于问卷调查研究了内蒙古草原10个旗县599个家庭牧场对气候变化的响应过程。结果表明,1)放牧地、打草场、饲料地、购草作为家庭牧场草料供给途径存在明显的区域分异,饲料地、购草之间具有替代效应;2)以干旱为主的极端气候是气候变化影响家庭牧场的关键因子,雪灾、沙尘暴、大风的影响在内蒙古各地呈现分异格局;3)牲畜、草场是气候变化作用于家庭牧场经营的主要介质,而通过土壤、人群、设施等要素对家庭牧场影响相对较小;4)购草、卖畜是牧户应对极端气候的主要适应行为,分别为保畜与减畜策略,比较而言,保畜策略更为常见。研究认为,家庭牧场复合系统对气候变化的响应发生于草畜-经营界面,草、畜2因子是反馈过程的关键节点。     

Is Microcredit a Form of Risk for Pastoral Households of Inner Mongolia’s Semiarid Rangelands?

Microcredit loans are now common for Inner Mongolian pastoralists and are encouraged by government policy on the basis of their previous success for poverty alleviation. However, the effects of the highly variable weather characteristics of many semiarid rangelands on the efficacy of microcredit have not been fully examined. Pastoralists in our study area are often trapped in a vicious cycle of borrowing more each year to pay for previous debt and the next year’s production. Instead of helping to maintain herds through bad years, microcredit has often led to reduced herds and assets. To understand why, a qualitative, interview-based approach was used to determine the kinds of loans taken out and why they are taken out, as well as to assess household livestock sales, income, and costs in three villages. In poor years, 82% of households used loans to purchase winter forage. However, borrowers sold more livestock because the standard 1-yr loan term, combined with weather and market conditions, often forced sales for repayment. Weather and market variation made annual income and costs difficult to anticipate. Loans became an added household risk, another way that environment can influence the social and economic interactions of a rangeland social-ecological system. Longer-term loans could smooth the uncertainty of weather and market conditions, and supplementary measures such as government subsidies or forage insurance could buffer the inevitable but unpredictable bad years. Globally, study of the impacts of nonequilibrial ecological dynamics on economic and policy institutions would help to understand why many development initiatives have failed in such systems.     

农牧过渡区犏牛短期育肥研究及发展策略

临夏州地处青藏高原与黄土高原的农牧过渡地带,与辽阔的青海、甘南牧区接壤。每年10月至次年4月草原牧区进入枯草期,大量牲畜从牧区向农区、半农区转移,当地群众利用秋收丰富农作物秸秆进行阶段性育肥,实现了草原牧区和农耕区饲草料和草食畜资源的互补性,做到了经济和生态双赢发展,有力地推动了脱贫攻坚工作。项目组通过现场入户、问卷调查、样本试验等方式,对犏牛育肥情况进行了详细调研和认真分析,提出了农牧过渡地区犏牛发展策略。     

Historical Forage Productivity and Cost of Capital for Cow-Calf Production in California

Exposure of livestock grazing to forage productivity variation and to market fluctuations affects the risk of investment and returns from cow-calf operations, but little work has been done to empirically compare these returns to the returns that would be demanded by financial markets from assets with similar risk and return characteristics. This study uses historical forage production data from three rangeland locations in California, and cattle and hay prices, to simulate financial statements for three hypothetical cow-calf producers in the period 1988–2007. Return on investment from year to year incorporates the variability and risk associated with dependence on natural forage production. Performance is then compared to the actual performance of a diversified portfolio of assets using the Capital Asset Pricing Model, from which the theoretical cost of capital for these hypothetical grazing enterprises is derived. Much like other agricultural enterprises, cow-calf production in California has low market risk and a low theoretical cost of capital. This theoretical cost of capital is still greater than the historical return from livestock production (excluding land appreciation) in the western United States, adding further backing to the point often made in the literature that ranchers who engage in cow-calf production are receiving benefits beyond the commercial returns from livestock production alone.     

内蒙古牧区现代化建设中畜牧业高质量发展对策的研究

在对内蒙古部分牧业旗（县）实地调研的基础上,总结分析以33个牧业旗（县）为代表的内蒙古牧区畜牧业发展取得的进步和存在的主要问题,系统地提出了注重产业化经营、注重规划专业化生产布局、注重草原畜牧业生产方式转变、注重良种繁育体系建设、注重调整畜群结构及繁育方式、注重农牧区饲草资源互补利用体系建设的“六注重”牧区畜牧业高质量发展建议,以期为推进内蒙古牧区现代化建设提供参考。     

资本禀赋视角下牧户的减畜行为及影响因素研究

基于青藏高原西藏那曲市的183户牧户数据，运用双栏模型探讨了资本禀赋的各要素对牧民减畜行为决策的影响。结果表明： 1）样本区牧户的减畜意愿较高，整体来看有61.40%的牧户愿意减畜，且愿意减畜的牧户当中，有67.16%的牧户愿意减畜的比例为当前养殖数量的30%及以下。2）经济资本中的牧业收入和拥有的房产价值对牧民的减畜意愿具有显著的促进作用，而家庭贷款、政府补贴和牲畜数量均对牧民的减畜意愿具有显著的抑制作用。在愿意减畜的条件下，家庭贷款、家庭储蓄、固定资产对牧民的减畜程度具有显著的抑制作用。3）文化资本中的受教育程度对牧民的减畜意愿具有显著的促进作用。4）社会资本中的制度信任和人际网络对减畜意愿具有显著的正向促进作用，而组织网络对减畜意愿具有显著的抑制作用，在愿意减畜的情况下，制度约束对牧民的减畜程度具有显著的抑制作用。     

Rural livestock asset portfolio in northern Ethiopia: a microeconomic analysis of choice and accumulation

Livestock fulfill different functions. Depending on their livelihood strategies, households differ in their choice of what type of animal to keep and on accumulation of the chosen animal overtime. Using a panel data of 385 rural households in a mixed farming system in northern Ethiopia, this paper investigates the dynamic behavior of rural households’ livestock holding to identify determinants of choice and accumulation of livestock overtime. Choice is analyzed for a principal animal, the animal that constituted the largest value of livestock assets a household possessed, using a multinomial logit model. Results indicate that rural households differ in their choice of what type of animal to keep. Agro-climatic conditions, sex and age of household head, presence of an adult male member in a household, and liquidity are the major factors that influence the type of principal animal households keep. Conditional on the principal animal selected, we analyzed the factors that determine the accumulation of the chosen animals by correcting for selection bias. Area of land cultivated is the most significant factor that explains the number of animals households keep. Other factors include sex of household head, diversification into nonfarm self-employment, and shocks.     

我国饲草生产现状及发展对策

为加快我国农牧交错区“粮改饲”工作,提升饲草的产量和品质,借助公共信息平台,查阅国内外饲草生产现状及存在的问题等文献,分析了国内饲草生产现状、供需情况及应对措施。以粮改饲政策和饲草生产现状为依据,论述了发展优质饲草的必要性,提出了今后生产优质饲草的发展对策建议,为促进草食畜牧业的可持续发展及种植业和养殖业的共赢发展提供参考。     

西藏自治区当雄县龙仁乡牧户草畜供求及经济状况分析

在西藏自治区当雄县龙仁乡选择101户牧户为调查对象,采用入户调查与实地观测相结合的方法,对该地区的草地资源以及牧户的家畜养殖、草畜供求和家庭收入现状进行分析。结果表明,该地区的人工草地建设、草地载畜量、草畜配置以及牧户的饲草收贮、家畜饲养方面存在突出问题;从提高人工饲草产量和质量、优先发展季节畜牧业、引导新型种草和养殖技术等方面提出了有针对性的建议。     

冻原高山草地牧户家畜养殖规模影响因素分析——以青海省为例

家畜养殖规模是草地载畜的重要组成部分,对其影响因素进行深度剖析,对于引导牧户合理放牧,遏制草地退化,确保我国生态安全意义重大。根据在青海省调查获取的牧户数据,本研究运用主成分分析法识别了冻原高山草地上相关因素对牧户家畜养殖量的贡献率,进一步采用分位数回归深入剖析了不同规模牧户家畜养殖量的影响因素及其影响规律,探索家畜养殖影响因素在牧户规模层面的异质性。结果表明：冻原高山草地牧户家畜养殖量的主导现实因素为自然因子,其余影响因素依次是政策因子、教育因子和非牧因子;中等以下规模牧户家畜养殖量受家庭劳动力和非牧就业收入占比的显著影响;中等及以上规模牧户家畜养殖量受人均经营草地面积和草原补奖政策的显著影响,补奖政策中禁牧比草畜平衡更能达到保护草地生态的目标。建议增加牧区非牧就业机会,积极引导中等以下规模牧户参与非牧就业,同时加大冻原高山草地禁牧范围,并在补偿标准上对中等及以上规模牧户适当倾斜。本研究发现了冻原高山草地上家畜养殖影响因素在牧户规模上的异质性,为政府针对不同规模牧户区分管理提供了一定的科学依据。     

加强草牧场基本建设发展牧区集约化畜牧业

鄂托克旗是内蒙古自治区较大的一个纯牧业旗,天然草场总面积171．7万hm^2,占土地总面积的83％,长期以来,由于人口的急增加,牲畜数量的快速增长,以及全球性气候干旱的影响,草地沙化,退化严重,草畜矛盾日益突出,近年来,在旗委旗政府的高度重视下,随着“双权一制”的落实,防灾基地,草原建设项目,牧区示范工程和草地生态建设项目的逐步落实和实施,给草原带来良好的生机,以水为中心的配套草库仑建设蓬勃发展,人工种草,种灌木的积极性空前高涨,截止到1998年,畜均占有0．009hm^2灌溉饲料地1．1hm^2围栏蓄场,大大减轻了天然草场的压力,草场植被得到恢复,草地生态环境有所改善,使草原畜牧业逐步走上舍饲,舍饲集约化经营之路,牲畜头数稳定在140万头（只）左右（牧业年度）,连续获得了第15个丰收年。     

肃南牧区羊种畜场布鲁氏菌病综合防控净化技术工作讨论

布鲁氏杆菌病是牧区主要人畜共患病之一,受市场等因素影响,牧区与农区的动物及其产品交流频繁,动物疫病发生、流行、传播风险加大。为进一步加强牧区布鲁氏杆菌病防控工作,以肃南县皇城绵羊育种场和赛美奴高山细毛羊种畜繁育公司为示范点,通过集中集成布鲁氏菌病检测净化方法、规范饲养管理行为、严格控制跨区域移动、强制扑杀阳性羊等综合防控措施,探索出适合我县畜间布鲁氏菌病科学的防控策略与成功经验,为我县户、村、乡(镇)实施畜间布鲁氏菌病净化无疫,提供可借鉴可复制的集成示范经验。     

Feeding ecology of four livestock species under different management in a semi-arid pastoral system in South Africa

The Leliefontein communal area in Namaqualand is grazed by mixed species herds that have multiple benefits for pastoralists. This study assessed how the management (herding and free-ranging) of different livestock herds affects their feeding ecology during the wet and dry seasons in a semi-arid shrubland. By using direct observations of livestock grazing in the field, we established their habitat preferences, diet selection and resources overlap. Results indicate that all free-ranging livestock can be considered grazers with cattle being selective. When sheep are herded, they tend to be more generalist feeders and herded goats are browsers. Livestock diet selection and forage preferences are largely linked to the habitats in which they graze and browse. Dietary overlap is highest between free-ranging livestock irrespective of season, whereas herded livestock are able to consume a food source with little potential competition from other livestock. Although the wet-season annual forage resources are able to sustain the livestock population in Leliefontein, this study concludes that the overdependence on annual vegetation would make livestock vulnerable during drought periods when forage production is low.     

藏南农牧交错带农牧互作模式下土地利用效益耦合度分析

农牧耦合是提升农牧交错带生态系统综合效益的有效途径之一。研究采用土地利用耦合模型,定量分析了西藏藏南地区“牧繁农育”和“农草牧补”两种农牧耦合模式土地利用社会经济效益和生态环境效益的耦合度。结果表明,2008-2016年“牧繁农育”模式的土地利用生态环境效益和社会经济效益均呈逐渐增加的趋势,“农草牧补”模式的土地利用生态环境效益虽呈增加趋势,但社会经济效益处于波动状的稳定状态;虽然“牧繁农育”模式和“农草牧补”模式均处于协调发展状态,但“牧繁农育”土地利用社会经济效益与生态环境效益较“农草牧补”随年际的变化具有相对稳定性,这为类似地区定量评价农牧耦合模型效益提供了范式。     

甘南州夏河县牧区冬春饲草储备与抗灾运营模式

 
雪灾是制约高寒牧区畜牧业可持续发展的主要灾害。高寒牧区由于冬春枯草期漫长,可利用饲草短缺,一旦遇有雪灾会对当地畜牧业发展产生致命打击。如何探索可利用饲草资源作为牧区冬春饲草储备,以预防、抵抗雪灾或用作冬春补饲是解决高寒牧区畜牧业发展的瓶颈问题。论文以夏河县某公司经营模式为例,介绍了甘南藏族自治州夏河县采取农牧交错区公司经营的模式种植优质饲草,并通过政府与公司签署订单收购牧草的模式,留够牧区抗灾、防灾饲草数量,从而有效预防和减轻了牧区雪灾的危害。     

苦马豆素对母畜繁殖机能的影响及防控

苦马豆素主要存在于豆科棘豆属和黄芪属植物如疯草中,动物采食大量疯草会发生神经中枢紊乱,苦马豆素中毒的母畜表现不孕、流产,产死胎、畸胎等,引起繁殖能力下降,妨碍家畜繁育和品种优化,给我国草原畜牧业造成严重的经济损失,严重制约了我国西部草原牧区养殖业的持续发展。现通过对疯草主要毒性成分苦马豆素对母畜的繁殖性能指标、生殖器官组织形态学病理变化和生殖激素的影响进行综述,旨在为母畜疯草中毒引起的繁殖机能紊乱疾病提供治疗及预防思路,降低牧区养殖业经济损失,提高我国畜牧业长远发展的能力。     

自然和人为因素对牧业发展的影响及对策——以永昌县新城子镇马营沟村为例

在半农半牧地区,草原资源家庭责任承包制的实施使土地被过分细分到户,导致草地的破碎化。研究表明:强化草原管理有利于以草定畜,严格控制牲畜饲养量,草地超载及代牧现象减少;畜种改良使得传统的草原放牧向半放牧半舍饲过渡,大牲畜的饲养量出现大幅度减少;草地破碎化使得草地退化以定居点和水源为中心,沿着牧道呈一定的梯度形成辐射状的区域性草地退化趋势。通过草地的联户承包,共同经营管理,促进了草畜平衡制度的顺利实施,一定程度上解决了草畜矛盾,减缓了草原生态恶化的趋势。