Livestock

A pecuária em Moçambique depende fortemente da disponibilidade e qualidade das forragens, sendo o capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Cameroon roxo) uma alternativa estratégica devido ao seu elevado potencial produtivo e adaptabilidade às condições tropicais. O estudo foi conduzido durante a época seca em Moçambique, com o objectivo de avaliar o efeito de diferentes alturas de resíduo (10, 20, 30 e 40 cm) sobre o crescimento, estrutura morfológica e produtividade do capim-elefante. Foram utilizadas parcelas experimentais padronizadas, com medições de altura do dossel, número de folhas e perfilhos, produtividade da massa verde e seca, percentagem da massa seca, e cálculo da relação folha:colmo. O delineamento experimental adoptado foi o de Blocos Completamente Casualizados (DBCC), com quatro repetições por tratamento. O maneio de corte do capim-elefante mostrou que alturas de resíduo mais elevadas (30–40 cm) favorecem a rebrota, preservam meristemas activos e mantêm o dossel pré-corte, alcançando até 0,95 m no segundo corte, contra 0,69 m no resíduo de 10 cm. O número de folhas manteve-se estável (61–75 folhas por perfilho), enquanto o perfilhamento aumentou em resíduos maiores, atingindo até 56,5 perfilhos no segundo corte, contribuindo para a persistência da pastagem. A produtividade de massa verde e matéria seca foi superior nos cortes com resíduos elevados, chegando a 33,25 t ha⁻¹ e 13,45 t ha⁻¹, respectivamente, reflectindo maior acumulação de biomassa e qualidade da forragem. Portanto, cortes conservativos entre 30 e 40 cm equilibram produtividade e persistência, garantindo forragem de alta qualidade durante a época seca. 

This study aimed to characterize the morpho-structural traits of indigenous goats reared at the Chobela Research Station located in Chobela neighbourhood, Magude District, southern Mozambique. A total of 137 goats were selected, comprising 77 Landim and 60 Pafúri animals. Qualitative (morphological) traits were assessed through visual inspection and summarized using frequencies and percentages, while quantitative (morphometric) traits were measured using a zoometric tape and analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a 5% significance level. Due to low expected frequencies in some qualitative trait categories, inferential analysis (Chi-square test) was not performed, and these results are presented descriptively. In terms of morphological traits, all Pafúri goats exhibited a convex head profile, whereas Landim goats showed both convex (57.9%) and concave (42.1%) profiles. Approximately 75% of the goats presented a uniform coat colour pattern. Morphometric comparisons based on inferential analysis of female goats (n = 131) due to the limited number of males (n = 6), showed that Landim goats tended to have higher mean values for horn length (19.21 ± 0.83 cm), withers height (58.67 ± 1.20 cm), and body length (67.31 ± 1.73 cm), whereas Pafúri goats exhibited slightly larger head dimensions and thoracic perimeter. However, none of these differences were statistically significant (p > 0.05). Regarding zoometric indices, Landim goats tended to exhibit higher cephalic and thoracic indices, whereas Pafúri goats showed similar or slightly higher body, particularly among females. In contrast, Pafúri goats exhibited marginally higher proportionality indices, reflecting more elongated body proportions. Similarly, the small variations observed in zoometric indices did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). We hypothesized that, despite being reared under similar environmental conditions, Landim and Pafúri goat ecotypes would exhibit distinct morpho-structural characteristics due to differences in genetic background and adaptive history. These findings indicate that the morpho-structural differences between the two breeds are mainly descriptive rather than statistically supported. These results provide site-specific and preliminary baseline information for future genetic and phenotypic studies, thus may support conservation and sustainable utilization strategies for indigenous goat populations, particularly those reared under similar management and environmental conditions in southern Mozambique.

The Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) Herding for Health Knowledge Management (H4H KM) Project is aimed at contributing towards the improvement of livestock and rangeland management across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region through documentation and dissemination of critical H4H information to a number of priority stakeholders who are making decisions and who directly involved in implementing livestock and rangeland management.