Search

AbstractThe Maasai indigenous knowledge of animal diseases is comparable to the conventional knowledge of the modern veterinarian. Their diagnostic skills of livestock diseases is based on indigenous symptoms of diseases, vectors of diseases, season effects and species affected. The pastoralist diagnostic skills appear to be superior to those of agropastoralists. With the advent of modern veterinary medicine, the Maasai ethnoveterinary practice appears to be on the decline. This paper focuses on indigenous knowledge basis for diagnosis, treatment and control of selected examples of livestock diseases. In addition, the impact of modern veterinary medicine on pastoral (Maasai) ethnoveterinary practice will be briefly discussed.

AbstractThe study was conducted in the Blue-Nile valley of Wogidi district in Ethiopia, where woody vegetation degradation associated with intensive land use activities has become a national concern. It was undertaken with an overall objective of documenting the impacts of land use and topography on the spatial distribution of two gum and incense producing tree species, Boswellia papyrifera (Del.) Hochst and Commiphora africana (A. Rich.) Engl. Five land use units, each with two slope categories (⩽ 25% and > 25%) were subjected to a 5x2 factorial arrangement and a total of 50 sample points were employed to measure density, crown cover, and age ratio of trees. Analysis of vegetation attributes revealed that, except for density of C. africana, all the vegetation attributes did show lower status in the heavily populated land use units than the control site reflecting the differential impact of intensive land use pressure against protection. In the heavily populated land use unit (Luu-3) for example, density, cover and age ratio of B. papyrifera trees were as low as 8.3 trees/ha, 7.7% and 0.21 respectively. In contrast to this, i.e. in the site of low population pressure (the control) the same attributes appeared to be measured as 77 trees/ha, 7.7% and 0.51 respectively. However, attached to the proximity ecological position, density and crown cover of B. papyrifera showed no significant difference (P. > 0.05) between Luu-1 and Luu-2. Density of C. africana, most likely due to its affinity to a specific microhabitat, it did not differ among all land use units (P > 0.05). Between the slope aspects of the area, B. papyrifera and C. africana were found to dominate the steep (>25%) and gentle (⩽ 25%) slopes respectively. Regarding density of B. papyrifera, while it was 196 trees/ha in the steep slope, 146 trees/ha were documented from the lower slope aspect. Inversely related to this, C. africana had 68 and 102 trees/ha on >25% and ⩽25% slopes respectively. Age ratio analysis of B. papyrifera trees, however, did not show significant difference (P > 0.05) between these two slope categories. In the study area therefore, land use and slope were identified as determinant factors to the spatial distribution of woody vegetation and policy frameworks to account these factors are suggested to be substantial in the management of such resources.

AbstractA study was conducted in the semi-arid Kibwezi division of Kenya to investigate the effect of moisture availability on nitrogen and phosphorus uptake by plants. The study consisted of four treatments i.e. control, grass, legume, and grass/legume mixture. These were replicated on two sites with different soils. On each site, two sets of treatment were set up whereby one wasgiven additional water, whereas one remained unwatered. The experiment was conducted during the short and the long rains. CP and P contents were determined for each of the treatments and seasons.The CP content of plants generally decreased as they grew from vegetative to seeding stage. Watering had no significant effect (P<0.05) on the CP content of plants during the short rains. During both seasons, the legume component had higher CP content than the grass. The effect of watering on P content was only significant during the long rains. Overall, during the long rains, plants had less P content. There was no significant difference (P<0.05) in the P content of the watered plots between sites during the short rains season. Generally, the level of CP and P of grass and legume depended on the level of available nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil, as well as soil moisture content.

AbstractA survey study was conducted in Kajiado district, Kenya to document families and species of woody vegetation important in the livelihood systems of the Maasai. Data was collected from a total of 150 pastoralists comprising of the youth (< 30 years), middle-aged (31-50 years), and elderly (> 51 years) age group. The study revealed six key roles of woody vegetation, that is, medicinal, environmental signals, homestead and corral fencing, woodfuel, livestock fodder, and poisons to livestock. For each category, the most common families and species of woody plants were reported.

AbstractA participatory vegetation inventory and research was conducted in Mashuuru Division. Kajiado District of Kenya. with an overall objective of capturing the indigenous knowledge of the Maasai pastoralist community on vegetation resources. Data collection was done through questionnaires, community workshops and meetings whereby the pastoralist. administration and extension personnel. and prominent leaders were invited. Representative pasloralists were engaged during the actual field data collection to assist in naming of vegetation types and uses of plant species encountered. The pasloralists gave detailed information on the status of vegetation degradation, which they considered as a major threat to their sources of livelihood. The information included indicators of vegetation degradation. the possible approaches, and benefits of reversing the degradation trend. The pasloralists also named and categorized plants into those that provide fodder and food for livestock and humans respectively; medicinal value to livestock and humans; woodfuel; construction. poisonous to livestock and humans; and as environmental quality indicators. Finally. they named five plant species which they considered threatened with extinction due to over-harvesting for medicinal and other uses. The study showed that both indigenous knowledge held by farmers and technical knowledge held by researchers are complimentary and they need each other for more responsive research activities. The data collected from such participatory involvement of pastoralists is demand driven and therefore guides the researchers on the type of research interventions for enhanced natural resource management.

AbstractA study was conducted to determine the nutritional characteristics of selected grass and browse species from “Kenya” rangelands. The identified species were analyzed for their chemical composition (CP, NDF, ADL) and in-vivoDMD at specified stages of growth whereas browse species were analyzed at early leaf and leaf shed stages of growth. The time of high nutritive value in grasses was limited to a short period of rapid growth during the growing season. Thereafter CP rapidly declined from as high as 19% to less than 7% within a period of four weeks. In-vivoDMD declined and total fibre increased, thereby lowering the potential nutritive value. Browse species showed less decline in their potential nutritive value and it is apparent that they are potential supplements to grass-dependent range ruminants during the dry season.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

IN 1928 there was an extensive North American outbreak of “scab” in barley, caused by the fungus Gibberella zea (Schw.) Petch syn. G. saubinetti (conidial stage Fusarium graminearum Schw.). This was followed by the publication of a number of papers on the effect of feeding infected grain to domestic animals.