Search

The effects of various treatment options on the nutritional value of wheat straw as well as the growth performance of crossbred calves fed the treated wheat straw were evaluated. Twenty-four female calves (75% Friesian-Borana), weighing 99.3 ± 19.7 kg (aged 6–9 months), were divided into four groups of six animals using a randomized complete block design. The feeding trial lasted approximately 104 days. The dietary treatments were: untreated wheat straw (control T1), wheat straw treated with urea-molasses (T2), urea-lime (T3), and effective microorganisms (T4). Results showed that the treatment options affected the physical silage quality and chemical composition of wheat straw. Calves in the T3 and T4 groups had a higher daily DM intake (3.7 and 3.5 kg/head, respectively) than those in T2 (3.1 kg/head) and T1 (3.02 kg/head) groups. Calves in the T3 (422.7 g/d) and T4 (391 g/d) groups gained greater weight than those in the T2 (281.7 g/d) and T1 (204.4 g/d) groups (P

Livestock production is a major contributor to the national economy in Ethiopia, of which ruminants, particularly cattle, are the dominant and most important livestock species. Limited supply of quality feeds is a major constraint to the improvement of livestock production in Ethiopia. The expansion of agro-industries in Ethiopia, over the last three decades, has created an opportunity for an increased supply of agro-industrial byproducts as a source of feed for livestock. This study was conducted to assess the availability, distribution, and quality of agro-industrial byproducts and compound feeds in Ethiopia. About 310 flour mill factories, 194 oil factories, 13 brewery factories, 7 sugar factories, 4 malt factories, 2 meat and bone meal processing plants, 8 limestone factories, and 112 feed processing plants were surveyed to assess the availability and distributions of agro-industrial byproducts and compound feeds. A total of 757 feed samples were collected for evaluating nutritional values. The annual production of agro-industrial byproducts ranges from 18,065 tons DM/year (abattoir byproducts) to 3,092,035 tons DM/year (malt byproducts) and the total annual production of the different agro-industrial by-products amounts to 5,245,854 tons DM. The annual production of compound feeds was reported to be 5,812,608 tons DM. All agro-industries are processing under their capacity, ranging from 11.7% in sugar factories to 93% in breweries. Shortage and seasonal fluctuation of supply of raw materials (34.8%), high price and price fluctuations of raw materials (17.5%) and electric power interruptions (17.5%) were the major challenges faced by different agro-industries. The crude protein (CP) concentrations of agro-industrial byproducts ranges from 6.2% in maize grain screening to 15.9% in wheat bran for flour mill byproducts; 28% in cotton seed cake to 49.7% in groundnut cake for oilseed cakes and 14.8% in areqe atela to 24.8% in brewery spent grains for brewery and local distillery byproducts. High protein or energy contents of agro-industrial byproducts indicated their potential to be utilized in intensive livestock rations. Thus, it is necessary to create enabling conditions to allow the existing agro-industries to operate at full capacity and to attract new ones into the business to boost the production and availability of agro-industrial byproducts needed as main inputs to manufacture compound feeds.

IntroductionMaralfalfa grass (Pennisetum spp.) is known for its high dry matter productivity and nutritive value. However, information on agronomic management practices to improve yield and nutritive value in Ethiopia is sparse.Materials and methodThe experiment consisted of 7 plant densities (33,333 [75 cm × 40 cm]; 26,667[75 cm × 50 cm]; 25,000 [100 cm × 40 cm]; 22,222 [75 cm × 60 cm]; 20,000 [100 cm × 50 cm]; 16,667 [100 cm × 60 cm]; and 13,333 [125 cm × 60 cm] plants per hectare, and arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications.ResultsThe results indicated that the year had a significant (P0.05) effect on the number of nodes and leaves per plant, leaf length, and basal diameters. The number of tillers per plant varied significantly among plant densities only in the first year at the 1st harvest. Plant height in the first year was significantly (P 0.05) influenced by plant density. Using a lower plant density could reduce the amount of planting material, transport, and labor costs.ConclusionHowever, further studies on Maralfalfa grass should be conducted in multi-locations of Ethiopia both under rain-fed and irrigated conditions with various agronomic practices.

The study was conducted to evaluate the yield performance of improved forage and food crops and to estimate the profitability of fodder and food crops in Holetta and Ejere areas, central highlands of Ethiopia during 2019 and 2020 cropping seasons. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications and evaluated two annual forage crops, two perennial forage crops, and two cereal food crops. Data on herbage dry matter (DM) yield was collected for forage crops while straw and grain yields were measured for food crops. Partial budget analysis was made to evaluate the economic feasibility of forage and food crops production. The result revealed that the herbage DM yield varied (P

Eggs like other animal-source foods (ASFs), contain an array of macro and micronutrients that promote physical and cognitive growth, nutrition, and health outcomes. Hence, they can be used to reduce rampant undernutrition in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Yet consumption of eggs remains low in such countries for various reasons. Given their potential as a tool for reducing malnutrition, this paper reviews the literature on the benefits, risks, and barriers to egg consumption in LMICs. Research indicates that egg consumption is associated with several nutritional and health benefits in newborns, young children, and pregnant and lactating women, but few studies on other groups exist. Effects of egg consumption on diet-related chronic diseases seem to be inconclusive, and early introduction of eggs to infants has reduced allergy risk of eggs later in life in several studies. Some main barriers to egg consumption in LMIC include unaffordability and unavailability, partly due to low poultry productivity, high poultry feed prices, cultural beliefs, and social taboos, many of which disproportionately restrict egg consumption among children and pregnant women. The evidence supports egg intake as a mechanism for meeting nutrient recommendations and a healthy diet in LMIC.

Efforts made so far to increase milk production of indigenous cattle by upgrading with exotic genotypes through crossbreeding under smallholder farmer conditions in Ethiopia have resulted in limited improvement. This study was conducted to determine if combining improved feed and management-related trainings with Holstein genetics will synergistically increase the milk production of dairy cows, and to examine the degree to which the increase or improvement is related to the level of exotic genetics involved. A total of 96 smallholder dairy farmers were purposively selected and allocated to one of three treatments reflecting differing degrees of capacity building support: (1) no training and no material support (Control); (2) training provided by another project (PAID) but without material support; (3) enhanced training plus material support (Feed-Mgt). Sixteen extension development agents and eight livestock experts were selected to provide training and weekly on-farm data collection, monitoring, technical support, and messaging reinforcement visits. Enhanced training addressed a broad range of topics related to feed and feeding, improved forage production, milk production and handling, construction and use of improved dairy housing, disease control, and dairy farm record keeping. Material support was in the form of formulated dairy concentrate feed and improved forage planting materials (seeds/seedlings). Data collection included variables describing animal performance, management practice adoption, and milk and butter quality. Tail hair samples for genetic profiling of breed makeup were also collected from all cows in the study. Results showed that there was a very significant effect of treatment (P < 0.001) on milk production, as well as treatment by week interaction (P = 0.034), with the effect of treatment markedly increasing over time (P = 0.032). That is, cows in Feed-Mgt group had up to 26.6% greater milk production compared to those in the Control group. Region and region by treatment interaction have no effects. Cows used in the experiment had varying proportions of Holstein-Friesian genome that ranged between 0 and 100%, suggesting prevalence of indiscriminate crossbreeding. Cows with a high proportion of Holstein genetics in treatment 3 produced more milk as compared to those in control group. Besides, supplemental feed improved body condition, reduced number of services per conception and resulted in higher lactation length of cows on treatment 3 compared with those on treatments 1 and 2 (P < 0.001). Overall, our findings suggest that an integrated approach of improved feed, feeding practices, and management training for smallholder dairy that goes beyond the improvement of genetics will increase milk production, improve milk quality and body condition, and resulted in higher length of lactation.

Dairy cattle production is an integral part of smallholder farming systems in the central highlands of Ethiopia, but it is characterized by low milk productivity mainly due to nutritional constraints. This study assessed the comparative advantage of using improved forage-based feeding system over the traditional feeding practices on feed intake, milk yield and quality, and cost benefit analysis of crossbred dairy cows under smallholder farmers. The study was conducted at Welmera and Ejere districts on 12 farmers and two cows per farmer, and two dietary treatments were assigned to each cow randomly, and the study lasted 8 weeks. The treatments were: 1) intervention diet composed of oats-vetch mixture hay with concentrate supplementation at the rate of 0.5 kg/l of milk and 2) basal diet following farmers’ current feeding practices: crop residues and native hay, commonly soaked with local brewery residue (“Atela”) and water. The results showed that there was no difference in total dry matter intake between the two diets. However, the basal feed intake was higher in the traditional feeding practice by 11% whereas the concentrate intake was higher in the intervention diet by 25%. Crude protein intake was significantly higher (P

Over 200 million children worldwide suffer from malnutrition and, as a result, are underdeveloped both physically and mentally. Meat has more bioavailable essential micronutrients than plants and is the best source of nutrient-rich foods for children aged 6 to 23 mo, according to the World Health Organization. By consuming meat, which contributes essential bioavailable micronutrients to diets, children in particular can reduce undernutrition and the associated growth and cognitiveimpairment. This review aims to elucidate the effect of meat consumption on cognitive development by systematically reviewing and synthesizing results from available studies. Of 241 pertinent studies initially retrieved from the literature, only 9 met the inclusion criteria, and these included 28 cognition variables covering data from 10,617 children aged 3 mo to 17 y. Twelve(42.8%) of the variables showed improvements in cognition with increased meat consumption, 6 (21.4%) showed no effect,and 10 (35.7%; including 8 from HIV-positive children) showed a decrease in cognition with increased meat consumption.Across all variables, the study reveals some evidence of an association between meat consumption and improved cognition,which becomes more compelling when data from the HIV-positive children are excluded. More research on the effect of meat consumption on cognitive development from randomized controlled studies is needed.

Abstract Traditional weather and climate forecasting is used by many indigenous communities worldwide as a guide in making important decisions that enable them cope and adapt to climate change-induced extreme weather variation. In many pastoral communities in Africa, traditional weather and climate forecasting remains the most accessible and affordable source of weather and climate information. In this study, we used individual interviews and focused group discussions to systematically document indigenous weather and climate forecasting knowledge among Afar pastoralists, with the aim of making such information available, and enhance use of this knowledge in climate change adaptation and explore synergies with modern weather forecasting system. The Afar pastoralists traditionally predict weather and climate variation through the observation of diverse bio-physical entities including livestock, insects, birds, trees and wildlife. No single indicator is taken at face value; weather forecasting is undertaken in a dynamic process where information collected from different sources, including weather information from the modern weather forecasting system, is triangulated to make the safest livelihood decisions. Before any forecasting information is used, it is evaluated through three traditional institutions that collect, share and analyse the information. These institutions include (1) the Edo or range scouting where traditional rangeland scouts are sent on a mission to assess weather and other spatially and temporally variable attributes on rangelands; (2) the Dagu, a traditional secured and reputable network, where weather information is shared among users; and (3) the Adda or the traditional Afar governance system, which analyses traditional weather information before community decisions are made. This first-time systematic documentation of indigenous weather and climate forecasting knowledge among the Afar communities demonstrated the dynamic process of indigenous weather and climate knowledge production, analysis and communication. This shows the value of indigenous knowledge in contemporary pastoral communities, while highlighting synergies with the modern weather and climate knowledge system for co-production of knowledge that serves the objectives of local people.

Abstract Climate change affects different demographic groups differently. Pastoral women, being among the poorest of the poor, are expected to be highly vulnerable to climate change. However, empirical evidence on gender-differentiated vulnerability and adaptive capacity is limited. A triangulation of different techniques including focused group discussions, individual interviews, case studies and structured observations was used to see if there is a difference in factors that determine the level of vulnerability and adaptive capacity between Afar men and women. Gender inequality inherent in the Afar customary tradition (Adda) acts as a risk multiplying factor, resulting in women being more vulnerable than men to climate change-induced food insecurity and related risks. Moreover, men have better scores in different variables determining vulnerability and adaptive capacity, including wealth ownership, wealth inheritance, household-level decision power, opportunities for community-level participation, household burdens and health or body mass index (BMI). Despite their limited scores in many of these factors, Afar pastoral women make higher contributions to household-level adaptation to recurrent drought and weather variability. A gendered approach that recognizes the difference in potentials, limitations and vulnerabilities of pastoral women and men is required for successful implementation of adaptation measures.