Evaluating the impact of cattle corralling duration on soil nutrient dynamics and sorghum yield in dryland Systems

Livestock corralling is a traditional practice in Sahelian farming systems, yet its contribution to soil fertility and crop productivity remains underutilized. This study assesses the effects of varying corralling durations on manure accumulation, soil nutrient dynamics, and sorghum yield in dryland smallholder systems. A two years field experiments were conducted using 10 Tropical Livestock Units (TLUs) on 150 m² plots across six farms over 3, 7, 10, and 15-night corralling durations. Soil samples and crop performance were evaluated under each treatment and compared to unpenned control plots. Farmer surveys were also conducted to assess perceptions and management constraints. The amount of dry manure deposited per hectare increased proportionally with penning duration, from 2.82 t ha⁻¹ after 3 nights to 14.12 t ha⁻¹ after 15 nights using 10 Tropical Livestock Units (TLUs). These organic inputs contributed to marked improvements in soil organic matterup to 34% after 10–15 nights—and a 26% increase in total nitrogen compared to unpenned plots. Longer durations also led to greater accumulation of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), while soil pH improved from very strongly acidic (pH 4.5–5.5) to weakly acidic levels, especially after 7 nights or more. These fertility gains translated into significantly higher sorghum grain yields, reaching up to 2,651 kg ha⁻¹ under 7-, 10-, and 15-night treatments more than 50% higher than the control and 24% higher than 3-night penning. In addition, farmers reported a reduction in mineral fertilizer use by approximately 50% on penned plots, demonstrating the cost-effectiveness and input substitution potential of the practice. A 7-night corralling strategy offers an efficient balance between labor input and agronomic benefit. Cattle corralling presents a practical, low-cost approach to enhance nutrient cycling, reduce input dependency, and support agroecological intensification in dryland farming systems. Scaling adoption will require context-specific support to address labor, infrastructure, and land access constraints.