Abstract
The productivity of the scavenging, small animal species (chickens, ducks, pigs, hair sheep and guinea-pigs) commonly found on small-scale farms at the forest margin in subtropical Bolivia was monitored over a full year. Chickens and guinea-pigs were kept mainly for home consumption, while ducks and pigs were kept mainly for sale. Sheep served both purposes, depending upon the family requirements. In the absence of veterinary treatment, the productivity varied greatly between farms. Pigs gave the greatest gross return, but received the largest amount of supplementary feed. Under the existing system, chickens, ducks and sheep all gave similar gross returns per breeding female, although chickens produced good returns and made a large contribution to the family diet where the reproductive efficiency was high and the chick mortality was low. Mortality resulting from disease was a major problem in poultry, while internal parasites appeared to be important limiting factors in pigs and sheep. Guinea-pigs showed no major problems apart from theft, and were an important dietary component for immigrant families from the highlands of the country. Small animal species have largely been ignored by agricultural research and development activities in Bolivia and elsewhere. They currently make significant contributions to the livelihoods of poor people in terms of both income and food security, and this could be greatly increased by simple improvements in animal husbandry.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Bentley, J., Inñiguez, L. and Henderson, S., 1998. Evaluation of the Impact of the British Tropical Agricultural Mission (BTAM) to the Centro de Investigación Agrícola Tropical (CIAT), Santa Cruz, Bolivia, (Department for International Development (DFID), London)
Chamón, K., 1999. Diagnósticos Participativos de Doce Sistemas de Producción en las Provincias Sara e Ichilo, (Centro de Investigación Agrícola Tropical (CIAT), Santa Cruz, Bolivia), Mimeo
Chamón, K., Joaquín, N. and Paterson, R., 1999. Síntesis y Análisis de Diagnóstico Participativos con Productores de Pequeña Escala en las Provincias Sara e Ichilo, (Centro de Investigación Agrícola Tropical (CIAT), Santa Cruz, Bolivia)
Cochrane, T.T., 1973. El Potencial Agrícola del Uso de la Tierra en Bolivia. Un Mapa de Sistemas de Tierras, (Editorial Don Bosco, La Paz, Bolivia)
Guzmán, A., 1982. Uso Potencial de la Tierra en el Departamento de Santa Cruz, (Corporación Regional de Desarrollo de Santa Cruz (CORDECRUZ), Santa Cruz, Bolivia)
Roca, C., 1998. Contexto de la realidad de los sistemas de producciön de los pequeños productores en la micro-region Ichilo-Sara. In: Metodolog00ED;as de Investigación Pecuaria en Sistemas de Producción de Pequeños Productores: seminario taller internacional, (Centro de Investigación Agrícola Tropical (CIAT), Santa Cruz, Bolivia), 7-17
Román, M.A., 1998. Influencia Cultural en el Desarrollo Agropecuario de los Pequeños Productores de Santa Cruz, (Thesis, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociología, Universidad Mayor de San Simon: Cochabamba, Bolivia)
Rushton, J. and Ngongi, S.N., 1998. Poultry, women and development: old ideas, new applications and the need for more research. World Animal Review, 91, 43-48
Thiele, G., 1991. The Barbecho Crisis: Revisited, (Technical Report No. 1; Centro de Investigación Agrícola Tropical (CIAT)/British Tropical Agriculture Mission (BTAM), Santa Cruz, Bolivia)
Ugarteche, J., Paterson, R.T. and Joaquín, N., 1998. Especies Menores en Sistemas de Producción de Pequeños Productores, Provincias Sara e Ichilo, (Centro de Investigación Agrícola Tropical (CIAT), Santa Cruz, Bolivia)
Wilkins, J.V. and Martinez, L., 1983. Bolivia: an investigation of sow productivity in humid lowland villages. World Animal Review, 47, 15-18
Wilkins, J.V., Hook, S., Rachman, M. and Leslie, J., 1983. The Role of Sheep in Small Farm Development in the Bolivian Lowlands, (Documento de Trabajo No. 30; Centro de Investigación Agrícola Tropical (CIAT)/British Tropical Agricultural Mission (BTAM), Santa Cruz, Bolivia)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Paterson, R., Joaquín, N., Chamón, K. et al. The Productivity of Small Animal Species in Small-scale Mixed Farming Systems in Subtropical Bolivia. Tropical Animal Health and Production 33, 1–14 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010369024658
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010369024658