Cattle and pastoralism: survival and production in arid lands

Journal Article · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Hum. Ecol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00889211· OSTI ID:6964925

Western, D; Finch, V

Traditional subsistence pastoralists in East Africa tend to keep large herds, milk cattle in preference to eating them, and subject them to long foraging treks. Such practices are widely considered ill-suited to arid lands and are believed to arise because cattle are raised more for social prestige than food production. Whether this is true can only be judged by considering the responses of cattle to arid zones and, given the herder's goals and options, his management practices. In considering these factors, we show that indigenous East African cattle demonstrate energy-sparing capabilities during drought. Pastoralists can therefore herd cattle at great distances from water at little more cost than animals on the normal maintenance diet and watered more frequently. The physiological response of cattle to drought, the ecological constraints imposed by livestock and wildlife competition, and the energetic efficiency of mixed milk and meat pastoralism explain why herders traditionally select their characteristic management practices.

• Research Organization: Wildlife Conservation Intl., New York Zoo. Society, Nairobi Kenya
• OSTI ID: 6964925
• Journal Information: Hum. Ecol.; (United States), Journal Name: Hum. Ecol.; (United States) Vol. 14:1; ISSN HMECA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290400* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Energy Resources
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320301 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Energy Sources
AFRICA
ANIMAL FEEDS
ANIMALS
ARID LANDS
BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BODY FLUIDS
CATTLE
DIET
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
DROUGHTS
ECOSYSTEMS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
FOOD
FORAGE
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
METABOLISM
MILK
PLANTS
POPULATION DYNAMICS
POPULATIONS
RANGELANDS
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
RESOURCES
RUMINANTS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
VERTEBRATES
WATER RESOURCES
WILD ANIMALS