No abstract

Background Fodder trees and shrubs are among the strategic feed resources that complement the dry season feed supply in the tropics. They are an integral element of the farming system incorporated into different land uses and deliver multiple functions, even though their diversity relies on various anthropogenic, physiographic, and agroecological factors. Objective The study aimed to identify indigenous legume fodder trees and shrubs (ILFTS) and estimate their diversity in terms of land use and agroecological zones in southern Ethiopia's Gamo landscape. Method Respondent households were selected using a stratified multistage sampling procedure. Information about the ILFTS was gathered through key informant interviews conducted in each agro‐ecological zone. A total of 273 households from three agro‐ecological zones were selected and interviewed using a semi‐structured questionnaire to assess ILFTS. The information acquired by the questionnaire survey was complemented with a focus group discussion held with 10 respondents in each agro‐ecological zone. Herbarium samples were collected for each of the species for identification and confirmation of the botanical names. Sixty randomly selected sampling plots of each with a dimension of 20 m × 20 m were created, and inventories of ILFTS species were performed and recorded on species inventory sheets. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H) was used to determine the species diversity. Result The study identified 21 ILFTS that have been an integral constituent of the land uses recognised for their multiple functions in all agroecological zones. The mean species richness and diversity indices of the ILFTS differed significantly with land use and agroecological zones, where the lowland area closure exhibited the highest, and the highland homesteads and highland grazing land revealed the least. Conclusion Farmers’ indigenous knowledge and previous experience determined the species richness and diversity of ILFTS in farmlands and homesteads; however, the level of exploitation or protection was the reason for variation in area closure and grazing lands.

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

No abstract

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of heat stress and seasons on diurnal body temperature, milk yield, and physicochemical properties of dromedary camel in southeastern rangelands Ethiopia. Twenty lactating camels with 2-3 months postmortem and 3-4 parities were selected for evaluation of milk yield, physicochemical properties, and body temperature measurements. The current finding shows diurnal body temperature was significantly higher in hot weather conditions (dry season). Temperature-humidity index (THImax) showed a strong positive correlation to rectal body temperatures (r = 0.72) and daily milk yield (r = 0.6) of a camel. The mean daily milk yield observed in this study was 6.02, 4.99, 2.38, and 2.57 Liters (L) during autumn, spring, summer, and winter, respectively, and showed higher (P < 0.001) milk yield in rainy season. Mean percentage of protein (3.1%), casein (1.9%), lactose (4.9%), solid-not-fat (SNF) (8.53%), and total solids (TS) (12.7%) was greater (P < 0.001) in wet season. Milk fat and energy-Matiwos Habte ABOUT THE AUTHOR Matiwos Habte is an academic staff of Dilla University. He is a PhD candidate of Climate Smart Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation in the Africa Center of Excellence for Climate Smart Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation at Haramaya University. He has several publications on livestock production. Dr Mitiku Eshetu is an academic staff of the Haramaya University. He has demonstrated high expertise and interest in dairy science with a bias for camel production. Dr Abiyot Legesse is an academic staff of Dilla University. He has demonstrated high interest in climate and land use/land cover change-related impacts on food security. Dr Dereje Andualem is an academic staff of Dilla University. He has demonstrated his expertise in the impacts of microclimatic condition on livestock production for food security. Dr Melesse Maryo is a National Director of the Ethiopian biodiversity institute. He has demonstrated a high interest in biodiversity conservation and climate-smart agriculture and food security.

The research was carried out in southern Ethiopia to determine farmers' preferences for indigenous legume fodder trees and shrubs (ILFTS), as well as the relationship between local feed valuation and scientific parameters. A focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted with ten farmers in each agro-ecological zone to determine the benchmarks for the preference ratings. The respondent farmers used the preference score sheet to rate all the ILFTS on an individual basis. Twenty farmers with extensive experience in ILFTS took part in the preference score ranking of each plant species in each agroecological zone. Dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), Ash, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), and metabolizable energy (ME) content of samples were determined. The standard two-stage in-vitro approach was used to measure the in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of samples. ANOVA was used to analyze the variation among the species in agroecosystems. Farmers evaluated the ILFTS using a variety of parameters, according to the study (feed value, growth rate, biomass output, compatibility, and multifunctionality). The farmers ILFTS preference score with the evaluation criteria differed considerably (P&lt;0.05) in agro-ecological zones. The nutritive value of ILFTS was in acceptable range for feeding ruminants though exhibited a wide variation among the species in agroecological zones. The CP content was above the minimum requirement (8%) to support the normal function of rumen microorganisms. Moreover, CP exhibited positive significant correlation with IVDMD, IVOMD and DOMD unlike the CT and ADL which exhibited negative significant correlation. Thus, ADL and CT were identified as feed fractions that inhibit IVDMD by either by depressing the activity of rumen microorganisms or restricting enzyme access to cell wall components. Conversely, the DM, OM, CP, IVDMD, IVOMD, DOMD and ME were shown a positive significant correlation with farmers feed value preference score, unlike the ADL and CT which exhibited a negative significant correlation. In conclusion, Farmers' indigenous knowledge of feed value is therefore relevant to some extent for judging the nutritive value of the ILFTS and could complement the scientific indicators.

The study was conducted to investigate the in vitro gas production characteristics and methane (CH4) emission potential of indigenous legume fodder trees and shrubs (ILFTS). The most predominant 11 ILFTS species were selected, and leaves and fruit/pod samples were collected, oven dried, and ground. The potential leaf biomass yield (PBY), dry matter (DM), ether extract, digestible crude protein, carbohydrate (CHO), acid detergent lignin, ash, total phenol, condensed tannin, gross energy, digestible energy, metabolizable energy (ME), gas production characteristics, CH4 emissions, organic matter digestibility (OMD), and short‐chain fatty acids (SCFA) were determined. ANOVA and independent t test were used to examine variation among species in plants nature and between fruits and pods within agroecosystems, respectively. Correlation analysis was used to determine relationships among parameters. The study indicated that only DM and CHO showed substantial variation in nutritional quality parameters among trees, shrubs, and fruit/pods in the lowlands. Fruits/pods and trees displayed significant differences in gas production characteristics in the lowlands, unlike shrubs, which had non‐substantial variations. Moreover, the PBY, CH4 emission, OMD, and ME of ILFTS revealed substantial variation (P < .05) with species and among trees, shrubs, and fruits/pods in both agroecosystems. Besides, CH4 production showed a positive significant correlation with gas volume and (b) substantiating the effect of rate and degree of fiber fermentation on CH4 emission. It was discovered that there was a positive significant correlation between the 6 and 24 h incubation period, (c) which substantiated the need for optimal microbial density and substrate for high rate constant gas production of b (c). In conclusion, ILFTS produce considerable biomass rich in nutrients but vary in the degradability of CHO with plant nature, species, and forage origin. This elicits differences in gas production characteristics and CH4 emission with in vitro fermentation, resulting in differences in the corresponding OMD, ME, and SCFA values.

No abstract