Tackling the future challenges of Organic Animal Husbandry - vTI

RAHMANN G & GODINHO D (Ed.) (2012): Tackling the Future Challenges of Organic Animal Husbandry.
Proceedings of the 2 nd OAHC, Hamburg/Trenthorst, Germany, Sep 12-14, 2012
In Kenya, the products of the Red Massai sheep were studied in two districts of Samburu county,
namely Samburu Central (Lorroki) and Samburu North (Baragoi).
Results
India
In India, the project looked at products from free-ranging camels (milk, wool), at the ghee (butterfat)
from Tharparkar cattle, and at Jaisalmeri meat which is derived from a local goat breed.
According to traditional knowledge, the camel and the goat in Rajasthan feed on 36 species of trees,
bushes and grasses. In focus group discussions, people frequently emphasized that this diversity of
plants was responsible for the healthiness of camel milk and the superior taste of goat meat. An
analysis of these plants showed that most of them have proven medicinal value
While cows have a much narrower dietary range, eating only grasses, and no shrubs, people also
believed strongly in the better quality of their local ghee as opposed to the commercial variety, and
were willing to pay almost double for it. However, the quantities that are for sale are very limited,
and most of the ghee is used for domestic consumption. It has some degree of ritual value, being
necessary for Hindu religious ceremonies, for hosting guests and for strengthening pregnant and
post-partum women.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, the processes of making persenda (dried meat) and qourat (dried milk product) were
studied. Chemical analysis appears to support the notion of high nutritional value.
Kenya
In Kenya, the project focused on the Red Maasai sheep breed kept by the Samburu community in
Northern Kenya. The Red Maasai sheep has been the object of much scientific investigation because
it is much more resistant to intestinal parasites than other breeds. Despite this scholarly interest,
the breed has undergone rapid diminution due to cross-breeding and replacement with the
quicker growing Dorper sheep. The research sought to identify the value of the products of the
breed in the traditional culture and to find out whether any of the products might be marketable.
Focus group discussions and structured interviews revealed the following:
• The milk has a higher fat content, but the milk yield is low in comparison with other sheep
breeds. It is either drank raw, boiled, fresh or fermented.
• The meat also has a higher fat content; it is processed and preserved in various ways, including
by drying, deep-frying, boiling, roasting, frying and stewing.
• The Red Maasai sheep has a fat tail from which the fat is extracted, processed locally and used
as medicine especially for small children. It is believed to heal whooping cough, tuberculosis,
and chest pains.
• Hides are used for beddings, mats, attires as well as and are made to baby carriers.
• Sheep are necessary for cultural ceremonies. During ritual practices, during marriages, prayers,
during the elders’ meetings a sheep has to be slaughtered.
• When sheep (and other livestock) are drinking salty water, the meat is sweeter. This is attributed
to the higher mineral content of the salty water which is also beneficial for lowering infection
with gastro-intestinal parasites.
The results of the nutritional analysis are still forthcoming, or need to be interpreted.
Conclusions
While the project is still in progress, the following tentative conclusions can be made:
• Local knowledge of pastoralist communities sees a connection between the dietary composition
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