9 0 HUSABANDARY – 9.6 - GRAZING VERSUS SHED FEEDING

 

ORGANIC FARMING COURSE AGRO-ECONOMY

9 0 HUSABANDARY – 9.6 - GRAZING VERSUS SHED FEEDING

 

In many regions of the tropics, favourable periods with abundant fodder alternate with less favourable periods when there is almost nothing to feed to the animals. However, keeping animals means providing fodder throughout the year. Fodder can be produced on the farm as grazing land or as grass or tree crops used for cutting.

While grazing requires less labour than shed feeding, more land is needed and appropriate measures to keep the animals away from other crops must be undertaken. Grazing may lead to a lower productivity (milk, meat) but usually is the more favourable option concerning health and welfare of the animals.

Shed keeping, however, has the advantage that the dung can be easily collected, stored, or composted and applied to the crops. Whether grazing or shed feeding is the more suitable option will mainly depend on the agro-climatic conditions, the cropping system, and the availability of land. A combination of shed feeding and grazing in a fenced area may be an ideal combination of high productivity and animal friendly husbandry. In extensive grass lands of semi-arid areas, however, grazing may be the only suitable option.

 

 

       TIPS of the picture:

Combinate grazing and shed feeding as an ideal solution?

 

Grazing:

·         less labour

·         More land required

·         Lower productivity

·         More move / exercise

·         Dung is spread on the pasture

 

SHED FEEDING

·         More labour

·         Less land required

·         Higher productivity

·         Less move / exercise

·         Dung can be collected easily

 

KOZI YA KILIMO HAI KILIMO-UCHUMI

9 0 HUSABANDARI – 9.6 - MALISHO DHIDI YA ULISHAJI WA MADINI

 

Katika maeneo mengi ya tropiki, vipindi vyema vya lishe ya mifugo kwa wingi hubadilishana na vipindi visivyofaa wakati karibu hakuna chochote cha kulisha wanyama. Hata hivyo, kufuga wanyama kunamaanisha kutoa lishe kwa mwaka mzima. Lishe inaweza kuzalishwa shambani kama shamba la malisho au kama mimea ya nyasi au miti inayotumika kukata.

Ingawa malisho huhitaji kazi kidogo kuliko kulisha banda, ardhi zaidi inahitajika na hatua zinazofaa za kuwaweka wanyama mbali na mazao mengine lazima zichukuliwe. Malisho yanaweza kusababisha tija ya chini (maziwa, nyama) lakini kwa kawaida ni chaguo linalofaa zaidi kuhusu afya na ustawi wa wanyama.

Utunzaji wa banda, hata hivyo, una faida kwamba kinyesi kinaweza kukusanywa kwa urahisi, kuhifadhiwa au kutengenezwa mboji na kupakwa kwenye mazao. Iwapo malisho ya malisho au mabanda ndiyo chaguo linalofaa zaidi itategemea zaidi hali ya hali ya hewa ya kilimo, mfumo wa upandaji mazao, na upatikanaji wa ardhi. Mchanganyiko wa malisho ya banda na malisho katika eneo lenye uzio unaweza kuwa mchanganyiko bora wa tija ya juu na ufugaji rafiki wa wanyama. Hata hivyo, katika nyasi nyingi za maeneo yenye ukame, malisho yanaweza kuwa chaguo pekee linalofaa.

 

       TIPS za picha:

Je, unachanganya malisho na ulishaji wa banda kama suluhisho bora?

 

Malisho:

• kazi kidogo

• Ardhi zaidi inahitajika

• Uzalishaji mdogo

• Hoja/zoezi zaidi

• Kinyesi hutawanywa kwenye malisho

 

KULISHA MWAGA

• Kazi zaidi

• Ardhi kidogo inayohitajika

• Uzalishaji wa juu

• Kusonga kidogo / mazoezi

• Kinyesi kinaweza kukusanywa kwa urahisi