Journal of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences (JEAS). Abdou et al., 2020. Volume 22(2): 33-43
Open Access – Research Article
Diagnosis of a Peri-Urban Ranching System: A Case Study of the Kirkissoye Dairy Cooperative in the Urban Community of
Niamey, Niger
Harouna Abdou 1,*, Abdoulkadri Laouali 1, Ibrahim Karimou Adamou 2, Roi Fhad Rafiou Ala 1
1 Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Tillabéri, Niger
2 Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Tahoua, Niger
Abstract: This study aimed to analyze the functioning of Kirkissoye Dairy Cooperative’s (KDC) Cow Breeding System for better milk supply. A survey was conducted among 21 farms of cows in this Dairy Cooperative of Kirkissoye from January 1st to February 15th, 2019, using a systemic approach. Analysis of data revealed that the operators were mainly civil servants (65%) and livestock farming represented a secondary economic activity for them. No farm had a homogeneous breed herd. The most dominant races were Azawak (49.3%), Crusaders (26.6%) and Goudali (20.1%). The staple food was a mixture of Echinochloa stagnina and rice straw, supplemented brewing grains (100%), licking stones (100%), vitamins (80%), bush straw (50%) and wheat bran (35%). The main pathologies reported were diarrhoea (69%), foot and mouth disease (14%), retained placenta (11%) and mastitis (6%). All respondents practised health and medical prophylaxis. The same applied to the use of paid labour for the management of the herd. The age pyramid had a structure which contrasts with the characteristics of a dairy herd. Average production was 3 litres of milk per cow with little difference in performance between breeds. Reproduction was by artificial insemination (75%) or by natural breeding (25%). Besides, the farm typology presented three distinct profiles in terms of herd structure, feeding practices, genetic improvement and zootechnical performance. Ultimately, the farming system of this cooperative did not meet the principles of an efficient dairy farming system.
Keywords: Diagnosis of livestock system, Niamey, Niger, Milk production, Peri-urban.
*Corresponding author: Harouna Abdou, bassarou74@gmail.comÂ
Cite this article as: Abdou, H., A. Laouali, I.K. Adamou and R.F.R. Ala. 2020. Diagnosis of a peri-urban ranching system: A case study of the Kirkissoye Dairy Cooperative in the urban community of Niamey, Niger. Journal of Environmental & Agricultural Sciences. 22(2): 33-43.
Copyright © Abdou et al., 2020. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided the original author and source are appropriately cited and credited.
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