Article InformationAn experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of inclusion of dried Cafeteria leftover (DCLO) at various levels in concentrate mix (CM) on feed intake, digestibility, average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass characteristics, and economic benefits of weaned pigs at Haramaya university piggery. Twenty Yorkshire pigs with initial live weight of 19.89±0.297kg (mean±SE) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments in a completely randomized block design each with five replicates. The experimental rations were sole CM (mixture of maize grain, wheat short, wheat bran, noug seed cake, soybean mill, vitamin premix and salt), replacement of the concentrate with DCLO at different proportions as (33%CM and 67% DCLO; 67% CM and 33% DCLO) and feeding with only sole DCLO. The mean feed intake ranged 1.6-1.82kg/day and ADG was 0.4-0.64kg/day. The least feed intake was for sole DCLO (P<0.05) and the highest for 67% CM:33%DCLO. The FCR (w/w) was lowest (P<0.05) for pigs fed 33% DCLO diet, and pigs fed 67% DCLO:33%CM achieved highest FCR. Crude protein digestibility did not differ between treatments, but DM, EE and CF digestibility increased with increasing level of DCLO in the diets. The mean carcass weight (43.7kg-57.02kg) was highest in 67% CM but lowest in sole DCLO. Back fat thickness (2.4cm-3.2cm (SEM=±0.03)) was lowest in sole CM but highest in sole DCLO. The highest and lowest (P<0.05) rib eye area (23.9 cm 2 -31.9cm 2 (SEM=±0.81)) were recorded for sole CM and sole DCLO, respectively. Cost of feed per kg weight gain was declined significantly (P<0.01) with increasing level of DCLO. Despite the lower production cost of sole DCLO groups, the pigs showed lower performance and this must have contributed to lowest net return of the groups. Thus, it is concluded that DCLO can replace the conventional concentrate mix up to 67% without adverse effect on pig performance.

The study was conducted to assess the general milk production system, handling practices, processing, utilization and marketing system of raw cow milk produced in Mizan Aman, Debub and Shey Bench Districts. A total of 270 respondents (thirty respondents from each study area) were selected using simple random sampling technique and interviewed by using a semi structured questionnaires. The results of current study showed that the respondents of Shey Bench and Debub Bench were entirely (100%) engaged in farming activities, predominately mixed production system. Similarly, majority (82.2%) of the respondents of Mizan Aman were also pre-dominantly involved in mixed crop livestock production while the remaining 17.8% were involved only in Peri-urban production system. Majority of the respondents in the three districts (91.1, 100 and 90% of Mizan Aman, Debub and Shey Bench) had dairy cows from 1 to 5, some had from 6 to 10 and 11 to 15. About 95.6, 94.4 and 78.9% of the respondents in Mizan Aman, Debub and Shey Bench use plastic buckets for milking. As reported by most of the respondents (95.6, 58.9 and 55.6% of Mizan Aman, Debub and Shey Bench districts, respectively), clay pot is used for storage of milk until the wanted amount is accumulated for processing. About 60.0, 26.7 and 20.0% of the respondents utilize raw milk or fresh milk in Mizan Aman, Debub and Shey Bench districts, respectively. Majority of the respondents (97.8, 92.2 and 70.0% in the Mizan Aman, Debub and Shey Bench districts) reported that scarcity of milk is the main problem of milk and milk products marketing in the study areas. The common milk production constraints and prioritized by the sampled farmers were shortage of feed and scarcity of land, diseases, accessibility to marketing place, limitation of market information and inadequate infrastructure. Therefore, it was concluded that the majority of the milk produced in the study areas were not processed, marketed and mainly utilized by household family for home consumption. These suggest the need for enriched dairy cattle production scheme in the study areas.

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The aim of this study was to assess Physico-chemical properties of honey from different beehives and honey sources in selected District of Bale Zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. A total 18 honey samples were collected from different hive types and honey sources for analysis of physico-chemical properties (color, moisture content, electric conductivity, pH, acidity, ash (mineral), HMF, reducing sugars (glucose and fructose), and sucrose content). Statistical analysis was used to analyse the data collected from laboratory parts. Data related to honey quality were analyzed using General linear model of SAS software (SAS, 2008). Whenever a statically significant difference (p<0.05) is observed, least significant difference (LSD) test was used to separate the means difference. Most of the laboratory results for common parameters were found in the range of the national and international standard limits. The result of physico-chemical properties showed that there was a significance difference (p<0.05) between hive types except for sucrose (g/100mg) (p>0.05). The overall mean of honey sampled from different hive types showed color (optical density) (10.86 mmpfund), moisture content (20.34%), ash (0.29%), electric conductivity (0.65 ms/cm), free acidity (57.66 meq/gm), pH (4.2), hydroxy methyl furfural (9.45 mg/kg), apparent reducing sugar (73.12g/100mg), sucrose content (0.1g/100mg) while the mean values for honey sampled from different honey sources were as follows: color (optical density) (10.65 mmpfund), moisture content (19.41%), ash (0.23%), electric conductivity (0.53 ms/cm), free acidity (45.33 meq/gm), pH (3.93), hydroxy methyl furfural (16.38 mg/kg), apparent reducing sugar (67.49 g/100mg) and sucrose content (0.5 g/100mg). Hive type and honey source had direct effects on physicochemical quality of honey. The findings show that there is a high need for techniques and technology intervention, so as to derive benefit from the large number of beekeepers in Bale zone and in the country in general both in terms of honey quality and quantity.

Abstract:A review was undertaken to obtain the related research results and facts on production, husbandry and sustainability of free-range poultry production systems in Ethiopia with the aim of delivering synthesized and summarized information to the beneficiaries. Poultry production has a major role in poverty alleviation by means of income generation and household food security. Free-range chicken production is characterized by low input and output scavenging, with minimal investment in housing, feeding, watering and health care, and hence weak biosecurity, high off take rates and high mortality rates. The production system in Ethiopia is extensive and dominated by indigenous chickens that exhibit remarkable adaptation to local environments. Generally, it is concluded that, the free-range chicken production system offers many people the opportunity to improve their livelihoods, suggesting that improvement of chicken breeding, production environment, farmers' access to inputs and markets needs to focus on the free-range chicken production system.