[en] A new production system in which pastoral communities are becoming more sedentary and are keeping different genotypes (Holstein-Friesians or their crosses and pure Ankole) is emerging in South Western Uganda. In this system the Ankole, cattle are being crossed with Holstein-Friesian and the two genotypes are being kept in separate herds on the same farm. This is in response to the rapidly growing population, new land policies that favour individual land ownership high demand of livestock products in the urban centres and improved rural infrastructure. As part of a larger research program that aims at evaluating the ecological and economic sustainability of the new pastoral systems, a survey was undertaken of sixteen farmers selected from 3 sub-counties in Kiruhura District in South West Uganda. Two sets of detailed structured questionnaires were used to collect information from the farms. The 1st set was administered at the beginning of the study in April 2007, and the 2nd one was administered on a monthly basis for a period of the last 12 months. On each farm visit performance traits such as milk yield (MY), heart girth measurement (HG) and Body Condition Score (BCS) of the animals were recorded. Comparative MY, BCS and body weight performance for mature cows for the different genotypes are considered here. because the crossbreds gave them more marketable milk, while the Ankole provides security in case diseases or prolonged drought affected the crossbreds. Another group (19.9%) stated that they still prefer to keep Ankole cattle besides the crosses because they are hardy, while others (13.3%) stated that they kept Ankole for beef production because they were easier to sell off for this purpose and the crosses for milk production. Another 13.3% stated that the crossbreds were kept for income through milk sales and Ankole were kept for cultural reasons. Different reasons were given for rearing the animals in separate herds: (i) to control breeding (ii) Ankole cattle scare the Holstein Friesian crosses with their large horns (iii) The two genotypes have different grazing behaviour (iv) The two genotypes require different management. One farmer stated that he kept the two genotypes separate because he had enough land that allows for this. According to the farmers' statements the selected farms had, a combined 4,886 animals of this (56%) were Holstein Friesian- Ankole crosses and the rest Ankole. The combined herd sizes were between 91 and 725 animals. While herd, sizes of the different cattle types (genotypes) were between 32 to 453 animals. genotypes are kept. All interviewed farmers owned the land on which they were grazing the animals, land size ranged between 100 to 750 Hectares. Two of the farmers stated that they had rented additional land to ensure that their animals had enough pastures. The calculated mean stocking density on the farms was 1.36 Hectares per Tropical Livestock Unit. The crossbreds gave significantly higher daily milk yields and had higher body weights than the Ankole. Other areas that were covered in this study include nutrition of the animals, herd health management (disease occurrence, disease control measures and costs involved), labour (hired and costs involved), challenges of the new production system (fluctuations in amounts of pasture and water available for production and unstable milk prices). The paper reports findings on all the above, highlights existing knowledge gaps and finally appropriate technical interventions are recommended. (author)

[en] In response to increasing land pressure due to rapidly growing population, growing demand for livestock products in urban centres and new land policies which encourage individual land ownership in Uganda, pastoralists rearing the long horned Ankole cattle in south western Uganda have now become sedentary and less dependent on communal grazing systems. Crossbreeding of Ankole cattle with the Holstein Friesian for increased milk production is taking place at a very fast rate. A new production system in which pure bred Ankole and crosses of Ankole with Holstein Friesian are reared in separate herds on one farm has now emerged in the area. As part of a programme evaluating the ecological and economic sustainability of breeding in pastoral systems, a survey of sixteen farmers selected from three sub-counties in Kiruhura District in south west Uganda was undertaken. Two sets of detailed structured questionnaires were used to collect information from the farmers. Set one was administered at the beginning of the study in April 2007, while set two was administered on a monthly basis for a period of 12 months. In addition, production data from the animals was collected monthly. Results show that crossbreeding is taking place with no defined programme, farmers still have an attachment to the Ankole cattle and that the most important challenges to the production system are insufficient pasture during the dry season and livestock diseases. The crossbreeds produce significantly more milk than the Ankole and have higher live weights. There is need to formulate appropriate breeding programmes for the farmers and to develop guidelines for suitable stocking densities. (author)