Frontiers in Science
p-ISSN: 2166-6083 e-ISSN: 2166-6113
2014; 4(1): 1-7
doi:10.5923/j.fs.20140401.01
Andrew M. Atuhaire 1, 2, Swidiq Mugerwa 1, Samuel Okello 2, Kenneth Lapenga 2, Fred Kabi 3, George Lukwago 4
1National Agricultural Research Institute (NARO), National Livestock Resources Research Institute, P. O. Box 96, Tororo, Uganda
2Department of Livestock and Industrial Resources, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
3Department of Agricultural Production, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
4East African Agricultural Productivity Project: National Agricultural Research Organization, P.O. Box 295, Entebbe, Uganda
Correspondence to: Andrew M. Atuhaire , National Agricultural Research Institute (NARO), National Livestock Resources Research Institute, P. O. Box 96, Tororo, Uganda.
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Livestock feed fluctuations in quality and quantity is a major constraint to dairy cattle production in Uganda, particularly, in smallholder dairy cattle production. Studies on prioritizing agro-industrial by-products in dairy cattle feeding are central to formulation of sustainable feed management strategies. This study was thus conducted to investigate farmers’ knowledge of agro-industrial by-product management as dairy cattle feed to build logical ideology required in development of appropriate feed management strategies. Focus group discussion and individual interviews were conducted in Lake Victoria Crescent agro-ecological zone to capture information on farmers’ knowledge of the factors enhancing agro-industrial by-products utilization, temporal and spatial variability, and limitations to utilization in smallholder dairy farming system. Chi-square test at p<0.01, df = 3 showed a significant difference among farmers rankings of utilization and factors limiting utilization (p<0.01, df = 4) of agro-industrial by-products across all the study districts. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in spatial and temporal variability of agro-industrial by-products. The study provided basic information about farmers’ knowledge on importance of agro-industrial by-products that could aid the development of sustainable and socially acceptable dairy cattle feed management strategies.
Keywords: By-product, Dairy cattle, Farmers knowledge
Cite this paper: Andrew M. Atuhaire , Swidiq Mugerwa , Samuel Okello , Kenneth Lapenga , Fred Kabi , George Lukwago , Prioritization of Agro-industrial By-products for Improved Productivity on Smallholder Dairy Farms in the Lake Victoria Crescent, Uganda, Frontiers in Science, Vol. 4 No. 1, 2014, pp. 1-7. doi: 10.5923/j.fs.20140401.01.
Figure 1. Map of Uganda showing the location of Buikwe, Jinja and Mayuge districts |
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