Role and management of donkeys in Samburu and Turkana pastoralist societies in northern Kenya.
A survey was carried out in northern Kenya to obtain data on the role and management of donkeys in Samburu and Turkana pastoralist societies and to identify potential areas, if any, for interventions. Sixty-seven women owning or closely associated with 583 donkeys were surveyed during July/August 1994. The median donkey herd sizes in Samburu and Turkana societies were 4 and 10 respectively. Pack transport of water and domestic materials were the major reasons for keeping donkeys. Donkey milk, meat and blood were consumed widely by the Turkana but not by the Samburu. The major problems in donkey management were donkeys getting lost, being stolen, predation and being affected by diseases, in particular a disease condition involving unthriftiness, emaciation and slow growth. Traditional methods of treating donkey diseases were generally used. It was concluded that donkeys were an important component in the pastoralist societies surveyed although donkey numbers and transport capacity were not limiting factors in pastoralists activities. Potential areas for intervention were identified as disease investigation and stimulation of community based initiatives to tackle general management problems.
Twerda
M
M
Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.
Fielding
D
D
Field
C
C
D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D018397:Equidae / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012919:Social Behavior