Fodder Resources Used by Cattle During the Dry Season in the Subdivisions of Mindif, Maga, and Zina in the Far North Region of Cameroon

AUTHOR(S):

Aboubakar Arama, Godwe Emmanuel, Rapmo Kononer Serge, Ziebe Roland, Abdou Bouba Armand

TITLE

Fodder Resources Used by Cattle During the Dry Season in the Subdivisions of Mindif, Maga, and Zina in the Far North Region of Cameroon

PDF

ABSTRACT

Climate change in the Far North region in recent years has considerably impacted pasture productivity, resulting in a significant fodder deficit, particularly during the dry season. This study, conducted in the Mindif, Maga, and Zina subdivisions, aimed to enhance understanding of the forage species consumed by cattle during the dry season. The adopted methodology focused on structured and semi-structured pastoral surveys, an assessment of pasture productivity using the integral harvesting technique, and floristic inventories using the foot-by-foot method for woody plants and the field tour method for herbaceous plants. The results showed that approximately 83.67% of woody plants and 68.63% of herbaceous plants inventoried in pastures were grazed by cattle during the dry season. Grazing values were 42.73% and 46.99% in the dry and cold seasons, particularly in Mindif and Maga, and 34.43%, 44.63%, and 48.57% in Mindif, Maga, and Zina, respectively, in the dry and hot seasons. Pasture productivity and carrying capacity in the dry and cold seasons were 910 kg DM/ha in Mindif and 1,706.5 kg DM/ha in Maga, with respective carrying capacities of 0.53 and 0.76 UBT/ha in the cold season. During the dry and hot season, these values were 128.6, 626.50, and 1128 kg DM/ha at Mindif, Maga, and Zina, respectively, with stocking capacities of 0.09, 0.28, and 0.50 TLU/ha/hot season. Given the importance of pastures, whose sustainability is under threat, it is crucial to develop strategies that preserve biodiversity and ensure food security.

KEYWORDS

Fodder, dry season, cattle, pastures, productivity, herbaceous

Cite this paper

Aboubakar Arama, Godwe Emmanuel, Rapmo Kononer Serge, Ziebe Roland, Abdou Bouba Armand. (2025) Fodder Resources Used by Cattle During the Dry Season in the Subdivisions of Mindif, Maga, and Zina in the Far North Region of Cameroon. International Journal of Agricultural Science, 10, 106-125