Typologie des systemes de productions du bovin de race Djelli (Bos taurus indicus

Abstract

The development of Djelli cattle breeding in Niger remains a challenge due to prejudices about its productivity. The particularities of its production systems have not been sufficiently developed. The aim of this study is to develop a typology of local Djelli cattle production systems in six localities in the communes of Gothèye, Sinder and Say in Niger. A survey was carried out among 150 breeders. Discriminant factor analysis (DFA) and hierarchical ascending classification (HAC) were used to identify three types of production system: The first type is made up of transhumant herders whose main activity is livestock rearing and who belong to the Peulh ethnic group. This type is characterized by large herds (27 head). They have 3 breeding cows and 4 suckling cows for 16 breeding females. The second type is made up of sedentary breeders. Their main activities are fishing and trading, and they belong to the Sonrai socio-cultural ethnic group. Their herds are modest (17 head), comprising 2 breeding and 5 suckling cows for 11 breeding females. The third type is made up of semi-transhumant herders. Their main activity is farming, and they belong to the Sonrai socio-cultural ethnic group, with an equally modest herd size (18 head). The number of breeding cows is similar to that of the sedentary herders (2 head). However, the number of sucklers is reduced to 3 head for 10 breeding females. The daily intake of bran concentrate per suckling female is the highest (5 kg of bran concentrate per day). The ratio of lactating females to females of breeding age was r =0.45 in the sedentary group, compared with r=0.30 in the semi-transhumant group and r = 0.25 in the transhumant group. The results also showed that the rearing environment is dominated by a diet of rice straw (39%) and rice bran (49%). The most frequently vaccinated disease on the farms was pasteurellosis (87.3%), and the highest deworming rate was 40%. The environment also revealed a variation in lactating females for the riparian localities of Say and Yelwani (5.4±2.6b and 6.0±2.8b respectively), which are very significantly different (P<0.001) from the non-riparian localities of Koulbaga and Tassikoirey (2.9±1.2a and 2.8±1.20a respectively). In conclusion, sedentary farmers are the most productive in a food environment dominated by rice crop residues and diseases such as pasteurellosis and endoparasites.