Livestock production in central Mali: Long-term studies on cattle and small ruminants in the agropastoral system

R.T. Wilson

ILCA Research Report No. 14

December 1986

INTERNATIONAL LIVESTOCK CENTRE FOR AFRICA
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

ILCA PUBLICATIONS
The International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA) is an autonomous, non-profit making research and information centre with a mandate to improve livestock production throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The activities and publications of the centre are financed by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The CGIAR members which have funded ILCA to date are the International Development Research Centre, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, and the governments of Australia, Belgium, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Iran, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Responsibility for ILCA publications rests solely with the centre and with such other parties as may be cited as joint authors. Until 1982, the centre's two main series of scientific publications were Systems Studies and Monographs. These two series have now been superceded by the present series of Research Reports.

Correct citation: Wilson RT. 1986. Livestock production in the central Mali: Long-term studies on cattle and small ruminants in the agropastoral system. Research Report 14. ILCA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

ABSTRACT

ILCA has been conducting a long-term study on livestock production in central Mali since the beginning of 1976. This report presents results based on data collected over a 6-year period from 1978 to mid-1984. In Part I the livestock production systems in the zone, management practices and herd and flock demography are described. Cattle and small ruminant productivity is discussed in detail in Parts II and III and recommendations based on the results of the studies are given in Part IV.

KEY WORDS

/Sahel//Mali//cattle//sheep//goats//livestock production systems//productivity//livestock management//herds//reproduction//growth//mortality/

RESUME

En 1976, le CIPEA a entrepris une étude à long terme sur la production animale dans le centre du Mali. L'analyse des données recueillies de 1978 à 1984 est présentée dans le présent rapport, qui comprend quatre parties. La première est consacrée à une description des systèmes d'élevage, de la conduite des troupeaux et de la démographie animale. Les deuxième et troisième chapitres traitent des divers aspects de la productivité des bovine et des petite ruminants, et le quatrième présente des recommandations fondées sur les résultats de l'étude.

MOTS CLES

/Sahel//Mali//bovin//mouton//chèvre//système d'élevage//productivité//exploitation du bétail//troupeau//reproductivité//croissance//mortalité/

ISBN 92-9053-081-2

This electronic document has been scanned using optical character recognition (OCR) software and careful manual recorrection. Even if the quality of digitalisation is high, the FAO declines all responsibility for any discrepancies that may exist between the present document and its original printed version.

Part one - General background

1. Introduction

General
Cattle types and distribution
Small ruminant types and distribution

2. The study area

Location
Climate
Vegetation

3. Livestock production systems

Livestock in the Sahel zone
Livestock production in Mali

Ecological zones
Distribution of people and animals
Production systems
Subsystems in the agropastoral system

4. Materials and methods

The study herds and flocks
Field methods
Data analysis
Additional sources of information

5. Management

Ownership patterns
Movement
General management
Management case studies

Mouton de case in the Niono area
Management of Macina sheep in the inundation zone

6. Herd and flock demography

Cattle population structure
Small ruminant population structure

Part two - Cattle productivity

7. Reproductive performance

Age at first calving
Calving interval
Season of calving
Number of calves born per breeding female in the herd
Discussion

8. Growth and weight

Birthweight
Growth to maturity
Breeding female postpartum weight
Effects of climate on growth and mature weight
Discussion

9. Mortality and offtake

Abortions
Mortality to 4 years of age
Mortality in adult cattle
Offtake
Discussion

10. Productivity

Meat production: A case study at Niono slaughterhouse

Numbers and seasonality of animals slaughtered
Sex and age structure
Carcass weights
Contribution of cattle to meat supply

Milk production
Productivity indices

Part three - Small ruminant productivity

11. Reproductive performance

Age and weight at early parturitions
Litter size, parturition interval and annual reproductive rate
Effects of climate on the period of birth and on litter size
Numbers of births by age class
Discussion

Early reproductive performance
Main reproductive traits
Climatic effects on reproduction

12. Growth and weight

Birthweight
Growth to maturity
Breeding female postpartum weights
Effects of climate on specific age and sex groups
Discussion

13. Mortality and offtake

Abortions
Preweaning mortality
Mortality after weaning
Offtake

14. Productivity

Milk production
Wool production
Productivity indices

Appropriate improvement paths for goats and sheep in Mali

Part four - Conclusions and recommendations

15. Conclusions and recommendations

The nature of traditional livestock production systems
The current data set
Major problems to improved productivity
Future research

References

Appendix

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research

Livestock production in central Mali: Long-term studies on cattle and small ruminants in the agropastoral system

Table of Contents

Part one - General background

Part two - Cattle productivity

Part three - Small ruminant productivity

Part four - Conclusions and recommendations