The experiment was conducted at Bako agricultural research center to evaluate the effect of EM2 and urea treated finger millet straw supplemented with concentrate mix on feed intake, milk yield and composition of crossbred dairy cows. Four cows of same milk yield, body weight, stage of lactation, but differing parities were arranged in 4x4 Latin square design. The animals were provided with natural grass hay (T1), untreated finger millet straw (T2), EM2 treated finger millet straw (T3) and urea treated finger millet straw (T4) diet ad libitum and all treatments were supplemented with concentrate mix. Results of chemical analysis of the treated finger millet straw showed that the treated straw had good nutritive value. The daily dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) intakes were significantly (P<0.001) different among the treatments with the highest intake observed for cows fed EM2 and urea treated finger millet straw (T3 and T4). Milk yields varied significantly among the dietary treatments with the lower mean milk yield recorded for cows in T1 and T2 as compared to those in T3 and T4. This study indicated that EM2 and urea treated finger millet straw diet increased the net return. Feeding EM2 and urea treated finger millet straw with concentrate mix was found to be an effective approach to maximize the utilization of locally available feed resources for relatively high animal productivity during the dry season for small scale dairy keepers in rural areas. Therefore, the result demonstrated that EM2 and urea treated finger millet straw had better feeding value as compared to untreated finger millet straw and natural grass hay for lactating crossbred dairy cows.
A study was carried out at urban and peri-urban areas of Nekemte and Ijaji towns to evaluate the effects of formulated concentrate feeds on feed intake and milk yield of upgraded dairy cows kept by smallholder dairy keepers. Twenty four lactating dairy cows within their 2 nd months after calving and with similar status were selected from smallholder dairy keepers under zero grazing system whereby feed intake, BCS and milk yield data were recorded for a period of 90 days. The cows were randomly allocated to four feeding groups (T1, T2, T3 and T4) in a completely randomized design (CRD). Cows in T1, T2, T3 and T4 were fed commercial dairy feed, recommended concentrate feed of ATRC, recommended concentrate feed of HARC and recommended concentrate feed of BARC, respectively. Basal diet for all dietary treatments were natural grass hay adlibtum. The average CP (%) and IVDMD % of the natural grass hay and recommended concentrates of BARC were (8.2, 7.95) and (25.88, 10.59), respectively. The daily concentrate DM) and CP intakes were significantly different (p<0.001) among the dietary treatments with highest values being registered for T4 (8.2 and 2.12 kg/d, respectively) and for T1 7.55 and 1.77kg/d respectively while the lowest values being registered for t T2 (6.28 and 1.3 kg/d, respectively) and for T3 (5.83 and 1.12 kg/d, respectively). The daily mean milk yields were higher (P<0.001) for cows in T4 (16.42 liter/day) and in T1 (15.10 liter/day) than those for those in T2 (12.55 liter/day) and in T3 (11.66 liter/day). Milk yield was also affected by location (P<0.001) with the highest milk yield being obtained at Nekemte town (15.15 liter/day) and the lowest at Ijaji town (11.49 liter/day). The largest change noted in variable costs was birr 120.79 per day and the change observed in net income was birr 361.24 per day, resulting in a marginal rate of return of 76.69% for T4. Among the concentrates recommended different research centers and the commercial concentrate, concentrate recommended at BARC and the commercial ones increased milk production and profitability of the dairy enterprise. Therefore, Feeding these concentrate types for upgraded lactating cows under smallholder dairy keepers is profitable both biologically and economically.
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