Euphorbia as drought feed for camels in northern Kenya

The article “The emergence of Euphorbia tirucalli as drought feed for camels in northern Kenya” (by Kagunyu & Wanjohi, published in 2015 in Pastoralism: Research, Policy and Practice) is based on a study carried out in Isiolo County in northern Kenya among Borana pastoralists. It looked into the supplementary feeds used by the Borana for camels during drought periods and the availability of these feeds. The findings indicate that Borana pastoralists use Euphorbia tirucalli to feed their camels during drought, but this plant is sparsely distributed in the study site. Most of the feed was bought from neighbouring agropastoralists. E. tirucalli plays a very important role in saving the lives of camels during droughts. It is therefore recommended that pastoralists in Isiolo County be encouraged to plant E. tirucalli and learn appropriate methods of harvesting and propagating the plant.

Posted on 6 November 2016 in Pastoralism & Natural Resources