Up. Kreuter et Jp. Workman, COMPARATIVE PROFITABILITY OF CATTLE AND WILDLIFE RANCHES IN SEMIARID ZIMBABWE, Journal of arid environments, 35(1), 1997, pp. 171-187
Cattle, wildlife and mixed ranching in the semi-arid savannas of the M
idlands Province of central Zimbabwe were compared. Revenue in cattle
enterprises was derived mainly fi om beef cattle while most income in
wildlife enterprises was from plains-game hunting. Cattle ranching bec
ame less profitable and wildlife ranching more profitable and widespre
ad during the 1980s. The 1989/90 survey of 50 ranches found that, in a
reas with abundant wildlife, greatest net revenue ha(-1) was earned by
mixed ranches. Profitability of wildlife ranching depended on access
to off-ranch wildlife resources but lower capital requirements for wil
dlife enterprises resulted in less financial risk. The study did not s
upport the claim that in semi-arid savannas wildlife ranching is more
profitable than cattle ranching. It was concluded that Midlands ranche
rs would maximize their profits and spread risk by operating mixed ran
ches. Sustainable management of such multi-species animal production s
ystems could be enhanced by the combination of individual management o
f cattle enterprises with a co-operative wildlife management scheme. (
C) 1997 Academic Press Limited