aistand south~ern afrkca - (PDF, 101 mb) - USAID

Research methodology
Project implementation started in February
1985. Initially the approach was to review the
objectives and proposed methodology and to
establish awork plan forresearch activities. This
included identification and designation of
small-scale dairy development localities and the
areas of collaboration within and between the
various research disciplines in the Animal
Production Research Unit (APRU), the Department
of Agricultural Research, the Department
of Animal Health and Production and
District and Regional Agricultural Extension
staff,
In the meantime, the ground work for the
project implementation was completed. This
included the selection of Simmental-Tswana
crossbred cattle for exchange with farmers' cows;
the identification and selection of participating
farmers based on the agreed criteria; the
baseline survey; measurement of each farmer's
crop area and yinld of crop residues and plnted
fodder; construction of basic dairy infrastructure;
and purchase of project vehicles,
laboratory equipment, veterinary supplies, dairy
utensils, fodder seeds and fertiliser.
Finally a "Small-Scale Dairy Technical and
Management Package for on-farm Research"
was prepared and agreed upon in August 1985.
The introduction of this technical and
management package marked the actual field
implementation of the project.
Introduction of the technical
pat c tn oThe
package
Simmental-Tswana crossbred cattle
Simmental-Tswana heifers (in-calf to a Simmental
bull) were selected from APRU ranches
and aggregated from about August 1985, for one
month, at a temporary assembly and distribution
point at the central research station.
Diring this period they were adapted to the re-
. mmended cereal stover-based feeding system,
trained and conditioned by the project staff,
Each of the 46 farmers was pr'vided with one
of these in-calfheifers in exchang for a cow from
his herd. The crossbred heifers were allocated on
a strictly random lottery basis.
The Simmental crosses were considered for
free replacement by the project if they failed to
produce milk satisfactorily or if the calf died
within the first two months ofexchange or if they
died or were injured on-farm due to projectrelated
activities (e.g. heartwater vaccination).
Crop and fodder production
All participating farmers were provided with 20
kg of Dolichos lablab (Lablabpurpureus)seed,
enough to plant one hectare of iand. All
cultivation, planting and harvesting was done by
the farmers. The farmers were also responsible
for obtaining their normal subsistence crop seed
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and fertiliser for routine seasonal planting.
Allocation ofland for various crops wai left to the
farmer.
At the end of the cropping season farmers
harvested all legume fodder hay (lablab) cereal
stovers and all crop residues. These were then
stored for winter or dry-season feeding to in-calf
cows, milking cows and calves.
Feeding system
A flexible, practical feeding system was recommended
which was also dependent on the
availability of local feed resources and seasonal
variations. The feeding system was divided into
summer (wet) season and winter (dry) season.
Summer season - Decemberto April
. natural pasture grazing;
* sorghum bran (moroko);
* mineral supplements - bonemeal and salt
(1:1) or;
° dicalcium phosphate (DCP) and salt (1:2)
ad lib.
Winter season - May to November
Four alternative rations were recommended
and compared in on-farm trials:
• natural pasture grazing;
* lablab hay;
• sorghum bran (moroko);
* mineral supplements as above; and
•sorghum sogustvr stover.
project started during the drought of the
mid-eighties. Due to prevailing climatic
conditions and to assist farmers, the project
purchased and supplied additional cereal crop
stovers, legume hay and sorghum bran (moroko)
to enable a minimum of one and a maximum of
four lactating cows to be fed during the first two
winter seasons (120 days each season). The
ma::imum crop stover provided by the project
was up to 100% of the stover harvested by each
farmer. The provision of this feed subsidy was
only intended to assist farmers in the first two
years of operation.
Breeding system
Artificial insemination was chosen as the most
appropriate method for breeding to enable
Simmental semen to be used on the farmers'
existing Tswana cows and to provide a "gradingup"
mechanism for those crossbred cows
provided by the project and kept on-farm.
Provision was made for the farmers' Tswana
cows to be sent to the nearest Al centre for
insemination between November and March.
'ihe Simmental crossbred cows owned by the
farmers were inseminated on-farm. The semen
and the insemination service were provided by
the project. Farmers assisted in recording the
incidence of first heat so that the next cycle could
be anticipated and prepared for. Local bulls did