Feed resources and utilization practices by smallholder farmers in Meta-Robi District

Endale Yadessa Dandessa, Abule Ebro, Lemma Fita, Getnet Asefa

Abstract


The study was carried out in Meta Robi district, West Shewa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. Secondary data collection, field observation, key informant's discussion and semi-structured questionnaire interview were employed to generate data. The district was stratified into upper, mid and lower altitudes and a total of 90 respondents (upper=30, mid=30 and lower=30) were randomly selected and interviewed individually. The major feed resources were grazing of natural pasture (58.9%), wheat straw (42.4%), barley straw (30%) and hay (21.1%). During the dry season, 90% of the respondents feed their animal crop residues followed by hay (55.6%) and stubble grazing (35.6%). Natural pasture was the major feed source during the wet season. September (86.7%), October (86.7%) and November (74.4%) were classified as months when feed available relatively in excess. Feed was adequately available in the months of December (52.2%), January (54.4%), June (46.7%), July (52.2%) and August (51.1%) whereas February (83.3%), March (95.6%), April (96.7%) and May (96.6%) were classified as feed shortage months. In the study district, 22.2, 37.8, 36.7, and 3.3% of the respondents feed their animals in indoor, group feeding, let to graze and tethering, respectively. Among the grazing systems, continuous grazing, deferred grazing, and zero grazing systems were practiced by 62.2, 36.7 and 1.1%, respectively. About 74.4% of the sampled households in the district did not produce improved forage mainly due to shortage of land (41.1%), shortage of forage seeds (23.3%) and lack of awareness (24.4%). Only 30, 20 and 20.6% of the respondents in upper, mid and lower altitudes manage their grazing land for better production. About 69% of the respondents in the district were transporting livestock feeds to their back yard for their livestock feeding. Feed conservation in upper, mid, lower altitudes and the study district was in the order of 96.7, 96.7, 56.7 and 83.3%, respectively. Utilization of hay and crop residue was started soon after collection (47.8%), one month after collection (15.6%), two months after collection (17.8%) and stay conserved over two months (18.9%). Generally, the production, productivity, transportation, storage and utilization efficiency of the available feed were low and therefore, further research and development works should be designed to reverse the existing situation.


Keywords


Feed resources, management practices, Meta-Robi

Full Text:

PDF

References


Alemayehu, M. (2003). Country pasture/Forage resources profiles: Ethiopia. FAO web site: http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/agpc/doc/counprof/ethiopia/ ethiopia.htm.

Bedasa, E. (2012). Study of Smallholder Farms Livestock Feed Sourcing and Feeding Strategies and their Implication on Livestock Water Productivity in Mixed Crop-Livestock Ssystems in the Highlands of the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia. An MSc. thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies. Haramaya University.139p.

Belay, D., Azage, T. and Hegde, B.P. (2012). Smallholder Livestock Production System in Dandi District, Oromia Regional State, Central Ethiopia.Global Veterinarian, 8 (5): 472-479.

Benin, S., Ehui, S. and Pender J. ( 2004). Policies affecting changes in ownership of livestock and use of feed resources in the highlands of northern Ethiopia. Journal of African Economies, 13: 166-194.

Benin, S., Ehui, S. and Pender, J. (2003). Policies for livestock development in the Ethiopian highlands. Environment Development and Sustainability, 5: 491-510.

Central Statistic Agency. (2011). Ethiopia Demographic and health Survey.55p

Dereje, G. and Eshetu, A. (2011). Agro-ecologies of Ethiopia and major crops grown; Collaboration with EIAR.

Dereje, T. and Tesfaye, L. (2008). Livestock production systems in Darolabu, Habro and Boke districts of Western Harerghe: Proceedings of the 16th annual conference of the Ethiopian Society of Animal Production (ESAP) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, October 8 to 10, 2008.

Dhaba, U., Belay, D., Solomon, D. and Taye, T. ( 2012). Sheep and Goat Production Systems in Ilu Abba Bora Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia: Feeding and Management Strategies. Global Veterinaria, 9 (4): 421-429.

Fekede. F., Shiv, P., Getnet, A., Getu, K. and Seyoum, B.(2013).The status of production, conservation and utilization of natural pasture hay for feeding dairy cattle in the greater Addis milkshed, central highlands of Ethiopia. Journal of Agricultural Research and Development, 3(6): 082-093.

Funte, S., Negesse T., Legesse G. (2010). Feed Resources And Their Management Systems In Ethiopian Highlands: The Case Of Umbulo Wacho Watershed In Southern Ethiopia. Tropical And Subtropical Agro-ecosystems, 12(1): 47-56.

Jahnke, H. E. (1982). Livestock Production Systems and Livestock Development in Tropical Africa. Kieler Wissenschaftsverlag Vauk. Kiel, Germany.

Lemma, G. (2002). Crude protein and mineral status of forages grown on Pellic Vertisols of Ginchi, Central Highlands of Ethiopian. PhD. Thesis. University of Sree State Bloemfontein. 147p

Samuel, M., Azage, T. and Hegde,B.P. (2008). Labour availability and use pattern in smallholder livestock production system in Yerer watershed of Adaa Liben district:In Proceedings of the 16th annual conference of the Ethiopian Society of Animal Production (ESAP) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, October 8 to 10, 2008.

Tesfaye, D. (2008). Assessment of feed resources and rangeland Condition in metema district of north gondar zone, Ethiopia. An MSc. thesis submitted to the department of Animal sciences, school of graduate studies Haramaya University. 161p.

Tessema, Z., Aklilu, A. and Ameha, S.(2003).Assessment of the Livestock Production System, Available Feed Resources and Marketing Situation in Belesa Woreda: A Case Study in Drought Prone Areas of Amhara Region. In: Proceedings of the 10th annual conference of the Ethiopian Society of Animal Production (ESAP) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, August 21-23, 2003.

Tolera, A, Yami, A., Alemu, D. (2012). Livestock feed resources in Ethiopia: Challenges, Opportunities and the need for transformation. Ethiopia Animal Feed Industry Association, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Ulfina, G., Habtamu, A., Jiregna, D. and Chala, M. (2013). Utilization of brewer’s waste as replacement for maize in the ration of calves. http://www.researchwebpub.org/wjar.

Yayneshet, T. (2010).Ethiopia Sanitary & Phytosanitary Standards and Livestock and Meat Marketing Program (SPS-LMM) Texas A&M University System:Feed Resources Availability in Tigray Region, northern Ethiopia, for Production of Export Quality Meat and Livestock.

Yeshitila Admassu. (2008).Assessment of livestock feed resources utilization inAlaba woreda, southern Ethiopia.M.sc. ThesisSubmitted to the Department of Animal Sciences, School ofGraduate Studies, Haramya University.145Pp.

Zewdie, W. (2010). Livestock production systems in relation with feed availability in the Highlands and Central Rift valley of Ethiopia. An M.Sc. thesis submitted to the School of Animal and Range Sciences, School of Graduate studies Haramaya University.160p.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2016 Global Journal of Animal Scientific Research

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.