Species composition and biomass productivity of agro-silvopastoral fodder banks in Tanzania

Abstract

Optimal rumnant livestock production in many countries in the tropics is constrained by both low quantity and quality & feed resources with the dry season being the most limiting. Studies done in many semiarid areas, for instance in agro-silvopastoral fodder banks of northwestem Tanzania, demonstrate herbage species composition of low nutritive values with low crude protein (CP) concentration of 16—26 g/kg DM and biomass productivity of 1St DM/ha (Rubanza et aL 2006). Cattle grazed on standing hay pastures in the dry season recorded low average daily weight gains (ADG) of DM2 —0.14 gId compared to improved growth rate of 0-26 g/d upon correction of CP in the diet through supplementation with tree leaf meal (Rubanza et al. 2005). Information is lacking on rangeland herbage species composition, herbage forage biomass productivity, and nutritive values of grazing land forages in many parts of the tropics including semiarid areas of central Tanzania in Kiteto and Kongwa districts in particular A study was conducted in the dry season between July and September 2013 through the Africa RISING project to: (1) determine herbaceous species composition and biomass productivity in grazing lands, and (2) determine nutritive value of dry season standing hay herbage forage