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Feed resources abundance for wild and domestic herbivores in Miombo woodlands of Western Tanzania

Pius Yoram Kavana1* and Victor Alexander Mwijage Kakengi2

1Mahale-Gombe Wildlife Research Centre, P.O. Box 1053, Kigoma, Tanzania; 2Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, P.O. Box 661, Arusha, Tanzania

 
Abstract

Grasses are the main feed resource for both wild and domestic grazing herbivores. Ecological processes associated with grazing have been stable for millions of years since emergence of grasses and grazers in ancient time. However, current expanding human population, escalating , degradation of natural resources, increasing socio-economic pressures and current climate changes have all increased the complexity associated with the availability of feed resources for both wild and domestic herbivores. This situation compelled initiation of the study to assess feed resources in Miombo woodlands of Western Tanzania. The study involved four districts and twenty six villages. Results indicate that livestock keepers experience feed shortage for grazing herbivores within village lands for a period of 5 to 6 months within a year. Quality of forage feed resources available in Miombo woodland for both wild and domestic herbivore vitiates with advance in dry season. Results indicate Total Digestible Nutrient (TDN) decline with advance of plants maturity from January to December. Furthermore, results indicate that nutritive value of pastures in Miombo woodlands was relatively lower during the dry season than wet season. In addition, results indicate that percentage of unavailable protein (protein bound to lignin) in pastures within Miombo woodlands was relatively lower during the dry season than wet season but the reason for this phenomenon is unknown hitherto. It has been concluded that pastures available within Miombo woodlands of Western Tanzania are relatively lower in quality during the dry season than wet season.

Keywords: domestic herbivore; feed resources; grazing, Miombo woodland; wild herbivore; Western Tanzania
 
To cite this article: Kavana PY and VAM Kakengi, 2014. Feed resources abundance for wild and domestic herbivores in Miombo woodlands of Western Tanzania. Res. Opin. Anim. Vet. Sci., 4(3), 150-156.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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