COMPARATIVE PROFITABILITY OF CATTLE AND WILDLIFE RANCHES IN SEMIARID ZIMBABWE

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