|
|
Department
of Agricultural Research
APRRD
Research Highlights
|
|
Early weaning project
The early weaning project,
whereby Friesian dairy calves are introduced to solid feeds to reduce milk
consumed by the calves has shown that calves introduced to solids at six weeks
grow at the same rate as those weaned at 12 weeks. Analysis of the data to
determine the economics of early weaning is still in progress.
Milk processing and
marketing
Under the milk processing and
marketing project, the Department has completed the establishment of three Milk
Collection Centres at Kumakwane, Oodi and Bokaa. The Kumakwane Centre has been
in operation since September, 1994, and dairy farmers around the village sent
their milk to the Centre for sale to the public. The Department continues to
monitor the project to determine its sustainability.
Lablab processing
Investigations on the
processing on lablab as hay using the RIIC chaff cutter revealed the following:
(i) Chopping fresh hay with
the cutter and drying it reduced drying losses by as much as 62% compared to
the stocking method used by farmers. However, the nutritional value as measured
by protein, calcium and phosphorus content of the forage remains the same.
(ii) Partial budget analysis
for the chopped hay was P 5 868,30 compared to P 2 149,60 and based on this, it
was estimated that to justify the investment in the chaff cutter, a farmer will
have to grow at least six ha of lablab. Since most small farmers have far less
than six ha for all their crops. It will be advisable for farmers to own this
machine in groups.
Stocking rate trials
Stocking rate trials using
2,4,6,8 and 12 ha/1su at two ranches showed that the performance of the animals
and the range is optimized at 8-12 ha-1su. At 6 ha-1su, the animals did not
lose weight but gained very little during the drier months.
Grazing Systems studies
utilizing 1 paddock (continuous grazing), 3 paddock and 9 paddock rotational
grazing showed that the continuous system was better than the multi paddock
systems.
Results form a rangeland
rehabilitation study, whereby enclosures are installed at 4,8,13,15,18 and 23km
along a degradation gradient from a water point to study the rate of range
recovery showed that enclosures nearer the water point, i.e. up 8km recovered
very slowly and below the 4km distance the range is dominated by poor annuals,
an indication of lack of propgules for good forage species.
Growth trial
A growth trial using 18 month
old intact males of Brahman and crosses of Sussex, South Devon and Charolias
with Tswana cows was carried out. Animals were fed three levels of sorghum
Stover roughage at 40%, 55% or 65% mixed with ground maize grain. At 40%
roughage, South Devon and Charolias had comparably higher daily gains
(1,5kg/day) than Sussex (1,3kg/day) and Brahman (1,1kg/day). Increasing the
level of roughage in the diet resulted in the crossbred gaining lower, but
equal to the Brahman. Crossbred needed a higher concentrate in their diets for
optimum performance.
Composite breed trial
The first
Selection and Conservation
Programme
The indigenous Tswana cattle,
sheep and goats selection and conservation programs are going well. Selection
is based on survival, mothering ability, growth rate and structural boundless.
Cattle comprise of two herds of 300 breeding females and selection done at 7
months or 18 months of age. Sheep and good flocks comprise of two herds each of
250 breeding ewe/does where selection is done at 4 months or 12 months of age.
Back to Animal
Production and Range Research