Download FWM 507: GAME RANCHING AND DOMESTICATION Compiled by

FWM 507: GAME RANCHING AND DOMESTICATION
Jayeola, O.A. (Ph.D)
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History of Ranching and Domestication
Types and Level of Domestication
Basis for selection of species
Experimental approach to Ranching and Domestication
Planning and Design of Cages for various game species
Growth behavior of Reproduction of Game species
Food Preference
Health care and Game husbandry technique.
History of Domestication
• Domestication (from Latin domesticus) or taming is the process
whereby a population of animals or plants, through a process of
selection, becomes accustomed to human provision and control. A
defining characteristic of domestication is artificial selection by
humans. Some species such as the Asian Elephant, numerous
members of which have for many centuries been used as working
animals, are not domesticated because they have not normally
been bred under human control, even though they have been
commonly tamed. Humans have brought these populations under
their care for a wide range of reasons: to produce food or valuable
commodities (such as wool, cotton, or silk), for help with various
types of work (such as transportation or protection), for protection
of themselves and livestock, to enjoy as companions or ornamental
plant, and for scientific research, such as finding cures for certain
diseases......................
Attributes of Animal to be
Domesticated
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Flexible diet .
Reasonably fast growth rate.
Ability to be bred in captivity.
Pleasant disposition.
Temperament which makes it unlikely to
panic.
• Modifiable social hierarchy.
REASONS FOR GAME DOMESTICATION
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Food e.g. meat, milk
Pet
Biomedical research
Source of income
Protection
Hunting
Scientific research
Bye – product like hide and skin, borns and tusks
Employment
Posterity
Source of animal power
To prevent extinction
PRELIMINARY STUDIES FOR DOMESTICATION
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Acceptability for consumption.
Certain aspects of its biology should be studied.
Parasitic infection – Intestinal, blood skin.
Habitat – Construction of cages should be based on the behavioural pattern
of the animals, ventilation, space,.
Habitat requirement.
Reproduction of the animals to be domesticated should be carefully studied under
the following.
age and weight at sexual maturity
estrous cycle, gestation period
age at weaning, birth and mortality rate
sex ratio
lactation
Care of progeny or young should be carefully studied.
Economic feasibility.
Trapping of wild animal or capture of animals or birds for establishment of
breeding stock or colony or parent stock.
Care of cages.
PROBLEMS OF WILDLIFE DOMESTICATION
• Heat exhaustion
• Infection of diseases and parasites
• Predators e.g. capture and transportation from the wild to the
domestication site.
• Animal stocking e.g. capture and transportation from the wild
to the domestication site.
• Financial constraint
• Maintenance of captive animals
• Establishment of breeding colony and parent stock
• Shortage of experienced manpower.
• Pilfering
ADVANTAGE OF WILDIFE OVER DOMESTIC ANIMALS
• Wildlife are more resistance to several
diseases
• Wildlife can survive in marginal lands
• Killing out percentage of wild animals is
generally very high.
• Higher utilization and conversion of forages to
lean meat.
• Wildlife can survive with little or no water.