A survey was conducted in Hamer and Bena-Tsemay pastoral and agro-pastoral districts of South Omo zone, south western Ethiopia in between January to May 2011 with the objective to describe availability of feed resource for goats. Data were collected from the two districts by informal and formal survey methods using focused group discussion and semi-structured questionnaire administered to 250 households. Natural pastures from rangelands are major feed sources for goats. Higher feed availability is reported in March to April (during the main rainy season). However, availability of feed extends up to October in Bena-Tsemay district due to the higher rainfall in the district. In both districts, the hot dry season (November to February) is the period of feed scarcity and during which high mortality of goats have been reported. Crop residues and some food left over are also available for supplementing animals especially in the agro-pastoral areas. The efficiency of goat production in the studied districts could be increased by optimizing goats breeding season with the availability of feed resources.
Aim. To study the adaptation of vetch species and the level of their forage yield in the highlands of the region. Methods. Field and laboratory methods, statistical analysis. Results. The study was conducted in Bulle and Chencha districts of Southern region of Ethiopia with the objective to identify adaptable and high forage yield- ing vetch species for the high lands of the region. Five vetch species (Vicia sativa L., V. dasycarpa Ten., V. atropurpurea Desf., V. villosa Roth. and V. benghalensis L.) were tested at both locations for two years. The result showed that there was signifi cant variation in dry matter yield of the tested species in the two locations. Vetches planted at Bulle performed well when compared with Chencha area with mean DM yield of 5.3 and 1.2 t/ha, respectively. Among the vetch species, Vicia sativa, Vicia villosa, Vicia dasycarpa, and Vicia bengalensis adapted well at Bulle and produced on average 4 to 7 t/ha forage DM. In Chencha area, V. dasycarpa and V. villosa were the best performing species with forage DM yield of 1.6-1.8 t/ha. Conclusions. The vetch species tested in the current study could be used for conventional pasture and forage production, in livestock exclu- sion areas, in forage strips, as an under-sowing with food crops, or as a backyard forage crop in the southern highlands of Ethiopia.
The study was carried out at Arbaminch Agricultural research center, Gamo Gofa zone, Ethiopia, using twenty five intact male yearling Woyto-Guji goats. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of dried moringa leaf substitution to concentrate mixture on feed intake, digestibility and body weight gain of Woyto-Guji goats and to assess the economic benefit of dried Moringa leaf substitution. The experimental design was randomized complete block design. Goats were blocked into five block based on their initial body weight (BW) and randomly assigned to one of the five treatments. The experiment consisted of 90 days of feeding trial and 7 days of digestibility trial. The five dietary treatments used were100% concentrate mixture (CM) consisting of wheat bran (57%), noug (Guizota abyssinica) seed cake (23%), maize (19%) and salt (1%) [T1]; 75% CM+25% dried moringa stenopetala leaf (DMSL) [T2]; 50% CM+50% DMSL [T3]; 25% CM+75% DMSL [T4] and 100% DMSL [T5]. The natural pasture hay of this study was medium quality grass and the CP content was better demanded for maintenance requirement of goats. Total dry matter intake (TDMI) expressed as% BW and metabolic BW (kg/w 0.75) were different (p<0.05) among treatments with an overall mean of 3.46% of BW and 64.59 g DM/kg w 0.75 per day. The TDMI was in the range of 3.3 to 3.7% BW. The CP intake has increased in ascending order with increased level of DMSL supplementation. The trend in TDMI (g/day) of goats across the feeding period showed progressive increment. The increase in BW throughout the feeding period is an attribute of increase in feed and digestible nutrient intakes. Based on the partial budget analysis as well from biological point of view, supplementation of 75% and 100% dried moringastenopetala leaf could be recommended as profitable for goat producer. Therefore, goat producers can use moringa to attain higher body weight gain within a short period of time.
Participatory on-farm evaluation of improved forage crops was conducted in six mixed farming system districts of Southern Ethiopia with the objective to identify farmers preferred forage crops (legumes and grasses). Two annual forage legumes (Vigna unguiculata L. (cow pea) and Lablab purpureus (L.), two perennial legumes (Medicago sativa (L.) (alfalfa) and Desmodium intortum (Mill.) Urb. (green-leaf)), and three perennial grasses (Chloris gayana Knuth (Rhodes grass) and two Pennisetum purpureum Schumach (elephant grass) accessions (No.16800 and 16798)) were evaluated in the study. The major farmers’ criteria considered in the evaluation of forage species were vegetative growth, herbage yield, tillering, protection of soil erosion, palatability, perfor- mance under dry weather conditions, performance in marginal area under low input management, multipurpose use (conservation and soil fertility) and fast growing condition. The study showed that elephant grass accession No. 16798, 16800 and Chloris gayana adapted well and farmers preferred them for their higher herbage yield, vegetative growth, tillering ability and drought resistance. Even though the annual forage legumes Lablab purpureus and Vigna unguiculata were superior in their forage yield, the farmers preferred the perennial forage legumes (Desmodium intortum and Medicago sativa) mainly for their performance under dry weather condi- tion due to their longer growth period. Therefore, the consideration of farmers’ preference for forage crops is crucial for increased adoption of improved forage crops in the region.
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