THE PRODUCTION OBJECTIVES AND FEEDING STRATEGIES OF RUMINANT LIVESTOCK OWNERS IN THE GAMBIA - IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY-MAKERS

A Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), using preference scoring matric es, was used to assess the production objectives of livestock owners i n The Gambia. The PRA was then used in conjunction with gross margin a nalyses and discounted cash flows to assess the social, economic and t echnical constraints to the supplementation of cattle in The Gambia. T he PRA survey indicated that cattle are primarily kept as a means of s avings, Farmers placed a value on manure that equalled domestic milk c onsumption and exceeded that of milk sales. Equines, bulls, and cows i n one district, were important for draught and transport; small rumina nts were kept primarily, as an investment and for ceremonial purposes. The gross margin analyses of productivity responses indicated that su pplementation is not financially attractive in the short-term, i.e. fo r a single lactation or fattening period. However, discounted cash flo ws demonstrated that supplementation is worthwhile in the long-term pa rticularly for draught cattle where multiple benefits accrue. Adoption of long-term supplementation strategies in cows is further constraine d by transport, feed availability and the distribution of costs and be nefits between cattle owners and hired herdsman. (C) 1997 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd.