Selection of fodder trees. Experimentation on the Bikita setting, goat project in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The place and role of fodder trees vary according to their use within the farm or on rangeland. There are a great variety of dietary selection criteria depending on the direct relationship between animals and fodder trees on rangeland or indirect relationship on the farm; these criteria also depend on the protection of the trees during certain periods of the year or on forage distribution. The methodology chosen for dietary selection consisted in testing species of trees from analogous climatic areas as well as local species in order to choose the largest possible genetic selection basis among the most promising species of trees, ¡.e. testing of ecotypes of various origins. The goat project in Zimbabwe involves selection of fodder trees liable to improve goat feeding in communal areas. The experiments started in 1987 and were pursued in 1989 with collaboration of Forest Research Centre of Zimbabwe and Oxford Forestry Institute. The various tree species were tested for growth performance and utilisation as forage for goats. The first results reveal the superiority of some species such as Sesbania sesban in terms of forage production and specific utilisation purposes (live fencing, alley cropping).