Table 1.
Description of some of the non-numerical parameters regarding cattle herd management and performance in Western Uganda
| Kabarole n (%) |
Kamwenge n (%) |
Kasese n (%) |
Total study area n (%) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 55 | 49 | 40 | 144 |
| Herd size* | ||||
| 2-5 | 35 (64) | 13 (26.5) | 2 (5) | 50 (34.7) |
| 6-10 | 11 (20) | 14 (28.6) | 7 (17.5) | 32 (22.2) |
| 11-20 | 4 (7.3) | 11 (22.4) | 6 (15) | 21 (14.6) |
| 21-50 | 5 (9.1) | 6 (12.2) | 14 (35) | 25 (17.4) |
| 51-100 | 0 | 3 (6.1) | 9 (22.5) | 12 (8.3) |
| 101-150 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 151-200 | 0 | 2 (4.1) | 2 (5) | 4 (2.8) |
| Purpose of cattle * | ||||
| Beef | 0 | 0 | 2 (5) | 2 (1.4) |
| Dairy | 24 (43.6) | 19 (38.8) | 7 (17.5) | 50 (34.7) |
| Dairy and beef | 29 (52.7) | 30 (61.2) | 27 (67.5) | 86 (59.7) |
| Other | 2 (3.6) | 0 | 4 (10) | 6 (4.2) |
| Cattle care by | ||||
| Husband/wife* | 54 (98.2) | 35 (71.4) | 21 (52.5) | 110 (76.4) |
| Other family* | 43 (78.2) | 26 (53.1) | 18 (45.0) | 87 (60.4) |
| Employees* | 18 (32.7) | 27 (55.1) | 26 (65.0) | 71 (49.3) |
| Decision regarding cattle made by | ||||
| Husband/wife | 54 (98.2) | 47 (95.9) | 39 (97.5) | 140 (97.2) |
| Other family* | 22 (40.0) | 12 (24.4) | 3 (7.5) | 37 (25.7) |
| Employees | 0 | 1 (2.0) | 0 | 1 (0.7) |
| You, family, employees have contact with other’s cattle* | 26 (47.2) | 18 (36.7) | 29 (72.5) | 73 (50.7) |
| Visitors to cattle | ||||
| Wash hands before | 6 (10.9) | 5 (10.2) | 9 (22.5) | 20 (13.9) |
| Clean boots or feet | 0 | 3 (6.1) | 2 (5.0) | 5 (3.5) |
| Share equipment with other farmers | 20 (36.4) | 11 (22.4) | 8 (20.0) | 39 (27.1) |
| Farmers in area help each other with cattle | 21 (38.2) | 21 (42.9) | 22 (55.0) | 64 (44.4) |
| New cattle put directly with the herd | ||||
| Always | 47 (85.5) | 37 (75.5) | 30 (75.0) | 114 (79.2) |
| Never | 2 (3.6) | 5 (10.2) | 4 (10.0) | 11 (7.6) |
| Sometimes | 1 (1.8) | 0 | 1 (2.5) | 2 (1.4) |
| Never bought | 3 (5.5) | 5 (10.2) | 4 (12.5) | 13 (9.0) |
| Missing value | 2 (3.6) | 2 (4.1) | 0 | 4 (2.8) |
| Preventive measures for healthy cattle last 12 months | ||||
| Tick spray/ dip | 54 (98.2) | 48 (98.0) | 40 (100) | 142 (98.6) |
| Traditional medicine | 1 (1.8) | 2 (4.1) | 0 | 3 (2.1) |
| Cattle kept separate from other cattle herds | 1 (1.8) | 2 (4.1) | 4 (10) | 7 (4.9) |
| Antibiotics or other drugs* | 39 (70.9) | 45 (91.8) | 39 (97.5) | 123 (85.4) |
| Deworming | 53 (96.4) | 46 (93.9) | 39 (97.5) | 138 (95.8) |
| Vaccination* | 8 (14.5) | 2 (4.1) | 12 (30.0) | 22 (15.2) |
| Has own bull* | 10 (18.2) | 24 (49.0) | 26 (65.0) | 60 (41.7) |
| Use communal bull* | 42 (76.4) | 24 (49.0) | 14 (35.0) | 80 (55.6) |
| Use artificial insemination | 7 (12.7) | 1 (2.0) | 1 (2.5) | 9 (6.3) |
| Cattle on pasture | 51 (92.7) | 49 (100) | 40 (100) | 140 (97.2) |
| Cattle on pasture tethered* | 16 (29.1) | 11 (22.4) | 1 (2.5) | 28 (19.4) |
| Fenced pastures* | ||||
| Yes | 24 (43.6) | 16 (32.7) | 13 (32.5) | 53 (36.8) |
| Yes, partly | 19 (34.5) | 22 (44.9) | 5 (12.5) | 46 (31.9) |
| No | 8 (14.5) | 11 (22.4) | 22 (55) | 41 (28.5) |
| Shared pasture | 18 (32.7) | 19 (38.8) | 24 (60.0) | 61 (42.4) |
| Use pasture in national park* | 1 (1.8) | 0 | 17 (42.5) | 18 (12.5) |
| Wildlife on the pasture | 22 (40.0) | 15 (30.6) | 23 (57.5) | 60 (41.7) |
| Water to cattle from open water* | 23 (41.8) | 9 (18.4) | 35 (87.5) | 67 (46.5) |
| Water to cattle from a well* | 27 (49.1) | 42 (85.7) | 2 (5.0) | 71 (49.3) |
| Water to cattle from tap | 9 (16.4) | 1 (2.0) | 4 (10.0) | 14 (9.7) |
| Other livestock on the farm or in the household | 52 (94.5) | 47 (95.9) | 35 (87.5) | 134 (93.1) |
| goat | 45 (81.8) | 40 (81.6) | 28 ()70.0 | 113 (78.5) |
| chicken | 40 (72.7) | 39 (79.6) | 28 (70.0) | 107 (74.3) |
| pig* | 18 (32.7) | 11 (22.4) | 2 (5.0) | 31 (21.5) |
| dog* | 24 (43.6) | 5 (10.2) | 8 (20.0) | 37 (25.7) |
| Farmer was satisfied with the health of the cattle over the last 12 months* | 43 (78.2) | 41 (83.7) | 20 (50.0) | 104 (72.2) |
* Statistically significant (p < 0.01) difference between districts at Fisher exact test
Data from an interview with the farm owner or manager of 144 cattle herds in Western Uganda. All variables refer to the last 12 months prior to the sampling occasion. The study was performed in 2015