69 Original article The Productivity and Health of Traditionally Managed Cattle in Monze District of Zambia: Results of a Questionnaire Survey Mutsuyo KADOHIRA1 and Kenny SAMUI2 1: International Cooperation Center for Agricultural Education , Nagoya University, Fuso-cho, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601 Japan 2 : School of Veterinary Medicine , University of Zambia, P, O. BOX 32379, Lusaka, Zambia (Received 25 October, 2001/Accepted 30 November, 2001) Summary A questionnaire survey was conducted in order to gather data on animal production and health of traditional cattle farmers in the Monze district of Zambia. After stratifying areas by grazing patterns, a two-stage cluster sampling method was used to randomly select areas and farms. The survey started from February and ended in June 1998 and a total of eight areas and 125 farms were included in the study. An average cattle herd size was 24, cows having the highest proportion (48 %), followed by oxen (18 %), calves (18 %), heifers (14 %) and bulls (3 %). Twenty-two percent of farmers took their cattle to the Kafue Flats for grazing in the dry season. About 70 % attempted to control ticks. The average general and calf mortality rates were both 32 %. Corridor disease could be the main reason for such high mortality rates. General fertility, offtake and intake rates on average were 57 %, 13 % and 2 %, respectively. Key words: Africa, cattle, traditional sector 100), the highest offtake rate and a relatively high calving INTRODUCTION rate have been reported in Namwala district, followed by The research was planned to focus on one of the major Monze, which share the Flats7) . However, the highest traditionally managed cattle populations in Zambia, found calf mortality rate in the rainy season has also been around the Kafue Flats in the Southern Province (Figure reported in Namwala and Monze : 21 % and 25%), 1). The Flats form a large, annually flooded plain with a respectively, where the majority of herds graze on the total area of 7,000 square km. It is estimated to have a Flats during the dry season7). grazing capacity of about 700,000 head of cattle, Approximately 70 % of the calves are born while the approximately a quarter of the total national herd 3). The cattle are grazing on the Flats under relatively tick-free area is administered by the local chiefs and has been conditions brought about by the seasonal flooding as well exclusively reserved for cattle grazing in the dry season. as the seasonal grass burning practice7). These calves, The Flats could be among the best cattle rearing areas of therefore, may not receive the necessary tick challenge Zambia and has the largest average herd size (more than required to develop resistance against tick-borne diseases found in the highlands during the rainy season. While in the Flats, these calves acquire heavy ecto and endo 連 絡 先:〒464-0814名 古 屋 市 千 種 区 不 老 町 parasitic burdens which weaken their natural resistance 名 古 屋 大 学 農 学 国 際 教 育 協 力 研 究 セ ン タ ー towards diseases in general and tick-borne ones in Tel:052-789-4599 Fax:052-789-4222 E-mail:[email protected] particular. The Flats are also a habitat to Kafue lechwe, 70 獣 医 疫 学 雑 誌 No.269-76.2001 Figure 1. A map of Monze district, showing the location of the eight study areas . zebra, wildebeest, buffalo and kudu. Communal grazing at and production data is summarized and presented. high concentrations of cattle, which share the pasture on the Flats with large numbers of wild ruminants, was MATERIALS AND METHODS considered to be the main reason for the high prevalence 1. Sampling method of bovine viral diarrhea, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis There are 20 veterinary camps, in which a veterinary and brucellosis 8). Apart from that, soil borne diseases assistant is posted, in Monze district. Approximately half such as blackquarter and hemorrhagic septicemia are also of the traditional farmers rear cattle. Using the 1996 common as are mosquito-borne diseases especially Rift Monze district annual report all veterinary camps in the Valley fever. These diseases are associated with the District were listed. Then these camps were divided into decrease in animal production such as reproductive three strata based on their grazing patterns as follows disorders (eg. abortion and still birth), weight loss and (1) camps that are located near the Flats and the cattle death. graze on the Flats in the dry season (6 camps) ; (2) camps Thus, it would be of interest to have an integrated that are located along the interface between the Flats and assessment of the agricultural communities around the highlands and some herds graze on the Flats in the dry Flats. In this assessment, data will be collected at both the season (5 camps) ; and (3) camps that are located on the ecological area level and the farm level. As the first step, highlands and cattle never graze on the Flats (9 camps). a questionnaire survey was conducted in Monze district, Five of the camps had no veterinary assistants. one of the communities around the Flats, The objective of According to the 1996 Monze district annual report, the the survey was to gather data on animal production and total cattle population in each of the three group was : (1) health, and the socio-economic status of traditional cattle 24,888 (2) 27,949 and (3) 18,613, respectively. The total farmers. In this paper, only the section of animal health numbers of cattle in stratum (1) and (2) were not very The Productivity and Health of Traditionally Managed Cattle in Monze District of Zambia : Results of a Questionnaire Survey 71 different and (3) had the smallest. Three veterinary Calf mortality rate : (number of deaths of calves aged 0- camps were purposely selected in stratum (1) since only 12 months)/(number of live births) three veterinary assistants were posted among six camps. General fertility rate : (number of live births)/( average Then three and two veterinary camps, proportional to the number of cows of reproductive age) total cattle populations, were randomly selected from Crude live birth rate : (number of live births)/(average strata (2) and (3),. A total of eight camps were included NAR*) in the survey ; namely Bweengwa, Nakansangwe and Offtake rate : (number of cattle sold)/(average NAR*) Keemba (stratum 1) ; Hafwa, Hamavwa and Kayuni (2) ; Intake rate : (number of cattle purchased)/(average and Njola and Katimba (3) (Figure 1). Using a random NAR*) number table, 20 farms were randomly selected in each RESULTS camp by a simple random sampling method from a complete list of traditional cattle farmers, which was Approximately half of the farmers in Nakansangwe and created based on the 1996 animal census. This was used Bweengwa, respectively, and 70 % of the farmers in for selecting farmers in each veterinary camp (except Keemba practiced seasonal grazing. A total of 125 Njola where the 1994 census data was used as there were farmers were visited for the survey. Actual interviews no records in 1995 and 1996). began on 9th February 1998 and ended on 17th June 1998 and it took approximately 8 weeks to complete the survey. 2. Questionnaire and estimating herd health and production parameters 1. Cattle health and management The questionnaire consisted of approximately 90 The proportions of bulls, cows, heifers, oxen and calves questions grouped into sections as follows : general were similar among all study areas (Table 1). The agricultural activities, socio-economic status, human largest proportion was that of cows (48 %), followed by health, animal inventory, cattle health and production and oxen and calves (18 % each), then heifers (14 %) and environmental factors. Only the section of animal health bulls (3 %). Herd sizes by area are significantly different and production data is summarized and presented in this (p<0.05). The largest average herd size was 66 in paper. A commercial software (STATISTIX 3.1, St. Paul, Bweenga, followed by 37 in Kayuni. In other areas, half USA) was used to summarize data. the farmers had approximately 10 cattle with an overall For estimating herd health and production parameters, average of 24. the following information was collected : herd structure One third of the farmers had purchased at least one such as number of bulls, cows, heifers, oxen and calves, animal in the last 12 months and about 11 % of the number of cattle purchased and sold, number of all farmers bought cattle every year. The average years of deaths, number of calves born alive, and number of calves cattle rearing experience were similar among all areas aged 0-12 months that died. The number of events (ie. death and birth etc.) that occurred in the last 12 months were recorded and used as the numerator as well as the Table 1. Average herd structure of traditionally managed cattle denominator for estimating calf mortality rates. The rates in the eight study areas, Monze district, Zambia. were estimated as follows 9). General mortality rate : (number of all deaths)/(average NAR*) Footnotes : *The average number at risk (average NAR) was calculated by adding the number of animals at risk at the beginning of the time period (12 months before the farm visit) to the number at risk at the end (the time at the actual farm visit), dividing the sum by 2. 72 獣 医 疫 学 雑 誌 No.269-76.2001 (p>0.05) and the overall average was 27 years. At night, joined the herd for grazing at 3-6 months. However, all cattle were kept in a kraal located next to their houses. some farmers paid no attention to calf management at all.