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Thirty-yearling Menz lambs with average initial body weight of 19.72 ± 1.96 kg (Mean ± SD) were used to evaluate the effects of supplementing mung bean haulms (MBH) and concentrate mixture (CM) on feed intake, body weight gain and carcass characteristics of lambs fed a basal diet of natural pasture hay. The lambs were assigned into five treatments in a randomized complete block design as follows: 226 CM (T1), 77 MBH + 192 CM (T2), 154 MBH + 156 CM (T3), 231 MBH + 120 CM (T4), 308 MBH + 87 CM (T5) grams on dry matter basis. Total dry matter (DM), organic matter and metabolizable energy intakes were increased (p 0.05) among treatments. Feed conversion efficiency for T2 was higher (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.

Background: Natural pasture is an essential source of livestock feed worldwide, particularly in Ethiopia. Though pastureland coverage and management practices are changing over time, studies are limited in addressing the status under the dynamics of smallholder management conditions. Objective: To evaluate natural pasture botanical composition, biomass yield, and nutritional value under different management and stages of harvesting in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Methodology: The pasture was harvested at three stages (pre-flowering, mid-flowering, and after full flowering) under different management (extensive, semi-intensive where urea was used as a fertilizer, and seasonal grazing). Quadrats of 0.25 m2 were used for herbaceous species identification, biomass yield estimation and nutritive value analysis. Chemical composition of the samples were analyzed using Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy. Results: Thirty-one herbaceous species were identified (38.71% grasses, 19.35% legumes, 9.67% sedges, and 32.26% forbs), which belong to 11 families. The total biomass yield under semi-intensive management practice at full maturity stage was greater than seasonally grazed and extensively managed pasture. The species richness, species evenness Shannon-Wiener diversity (H’ max) and maximum possible diversity (H’max) were similar (P>0.05) under all management practices. Natural pasture condition score was fair under seasonal grazing, while the score was excellent under extensive and semi-intensive management. Metabolizable energy (ME), and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) were higher (P

Background: Green fodder followed by crop residue, agro-industrial by-products and non-conventional feeds make a large contribution to livestock feeding in Ethiopia. Objective: To identify and estimate chemical composition of major feed resources in south western Ethiopia. Methodology: The study was conducted in the highland, midland and lowlands of south western Ethiopia. A total of 26 indigenous browse and 12 grass species, 3 crop residues, 3 cereal grain mill by-products and 8 non-conventional feeds (2 local brewery by-products, 6 enset, vegetable and fruit by-product) were identified for this study. Triplicate feed samples were collected and assessed for nutrient analysis. Results: Crop residues in highlands and, natural pasture followed by crop residues and browses in midland and lowland agro-ecologies were the dominant feed resources. Most browse species, few indigenous grass species, Colocasia esculenta L., Enset ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesem, Ipomoea batatas L. leaves, and local brewery by-products possessed crude protein (CP) content >110 g kg−1 dry matter (DM). Conversely, CP concentration of Acokanthera schimperi (A.DC.) Benth. and Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) Baill. across all agro-ecologies, crop residues, grass species in the lowlands, sugar cane leaf, banana peel and cereal grain screenings was 550 g kg−1 DM. All the tested feed resources but, Ricinus communis L., Acacia oerfota (Forssk.) Schweinf., Rhus natalensis Krauss and Balanites aegyptiaca L. possessed

Abstract Background Following global pledges to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to the baseline level of 2020, improved quantification of GHG emissions from developing countries has become crucial. However, national GHG inventories in most Sub-Saharan African countries use default (Tier I) emission factors (EFS) generated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to estimate enteric CH4 emissions from animal agriculture. The present study provides an improved enteric CH4 emission estimate (Tier II) based on animal energy requirements derived from animal characteristics and performance data collected from about 2500 cattle in 480 households from three smallholder farming systems to represent the common dairy farming in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Using average seasonal feed digestibility data, we estimated daily methane production by class of animal and farming system and subsequently generated improved EF. Results Our findings revealed that the estimated average EF and emission intensities (EI) vary significantly across farming systems. The estimated value of EF for adult dairy cows was 73, 69, and 34 kg CH4/cow/year for urban, peri-urban, and rural farming systems, respectively. Rural dairy farming had significantly higher emission intensity (EI) estimated at 1.78 CO2-eq per kg of fat protein-corrected milk (FPCM) than peri-urban and urban 0.71 and 0.64 CO2-eq kg−1 FPCM dairy farming systems, respectively. The EF estimates in this study are lower than the IPCC's (2019) default value for both stall-fed high-productive and dual-purpose low-productive cows. Conclusions The current findings can be used as a baseline for the national emission inventory, which can be used to quantify the effects of future interventions, potentially improving the country's commitment to reducing GHG emissions. Similarly, this study suggests that increased animal productivity through improved feed has a considerable mitigation potential for reducing enteric methane emissions in smallholder dairy farming systems in the study area.

The foliage of browse species and forage legumes has good nutritional value and can be utilized as a protein source in ruminant diets. However, its efficient utilization requires the establishment of a comprehensive database of feeding values. Two databases, i.e., forage nutritive value (92 studies) and in vivo animal performance (62 feeding experiments), were built to assess the feeding value of the foliage of browse species and cultivated forage legumes in Ethiopia. The forage nutritive value data (chemical composition and in vitro digestibility) were summarized as descriptive statistics. The analysis of in vivo data was conducted using a mixed model procedure with fixed (forage supplement) and random (studies) factors. Forage categories had crude protein (CP) ranging from 17.6 ± 5.2% (indigenous browse species) to 22.4 ± 4.5% (multipurpose fodder tree/shrub species), respectively. Variations were observed in CP values between the vegetative and blooming stage harvesting of herbaceous forages (22.7 ± 4.1% versus 19.8 ± 3.5%). The leaves contained more CP than the twigs in multipurpose fodder tree/shrubs (22.8 ± 3.2% versus 18.8 ± 0.6%) and the pods in indigenous browse species (18.0 ± 5.0% versus 15.3 ± 2.3%). However, the greatest mean in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of 70.1 ± 10.8% was observed in the foliage of indigenous browse species. The variation in IVOMD was small among the forage categories (61.2 ± 11.2%–63.5 ± 10.8%). Twigs of the multipurpose fodder tree/shrub species had the lowest IVOMD of 53.0 ± 6.9%. Herbaceous forage legumes tended to have higher NDF and ADF values than the other forage categories. In terms of nutrient concentration and digestibility, large variations were observed within the same forage categories and species. The supplementation of forage, on average at 277.5 ± 101.4 g/day (±SD), to a low-quality basal diet resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) improvement in the apparent digestibility of DM, CP, and NDF as well as the daily intake of DM, CP, and metabolizable energy (ME). The application of sole forage supplementation was determined to have comparable effects on DM intake (p = 0.2347) with dietary supplements based on concentrate feedstuffs. However, CP intake (p = 0.0733) tended to be lower for forage over the concentrate treatment. The averaged daily gain (ADG) of the animals was significantly increased (p < 0.05) by 71.2% due to the forage supplement compared to unsupplemented treatment (11.6 ± 5.47 g/d (±SE) vs. 40.3 ± 4.99 g/d (±SE)). Overall, the nutrient utilization and production performance of animals fed with low-quality basal diets could be improved when an appropriate amount of forage is included as supplement. The large variation recorded in the nutritional composition of browse species and forage legumes could provide an opportunity to screen for species and varieties with superior nutritional quality.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of drinking water salinity levels on water intake and loss, feed intake and digestion, body weight (BW), thermoregulation, and blood characteristics on growing and mature (18.8 ± 0.39 and 21.8 ± 0.40 kg BW, and 0.6–1 and 1.5–2 years of age, respectively) Blackhead Ogaden sheep and Somali goats. The animals were assigned to a 4 (water salinity) × 2 (sheep and goat species) × 2 (growing and mature animals) factorial arrangement for the 60-day experimental period and 10-day digestibility determination. Water treatments were fresh water (FRW) and low (SW-L), moderate (SW-M), and high (SW-H) levels of salinity (i.e., the addition of NaCl to obtain 10, 13.5, and 17 g of total dissolved salts (TDSs)/L, respectively). The salinity of drinking water did not affect feed intake, BW, thermoregulatory traits (respiration rate, rectal temperature, and heart rate), or blood parameters (p > 0.05); however, drinking water, total water intake, urine excretion, and total water loss increased (p < 0.01) while apparent dry matter digestibility decreased quadratically (p < 0.01) with increasing water salinity. Analysis of the interaction between water treatment and species showed that PCV (p = 0.059) and hemoglobin (p = 0.070) levels tended to be higher in sheep than in goats drinking FRW, and AST activities were greater (p = 0.036) in goats consuming SW-M than in sheep consuming water with the same salinity level. In conclusion, increasing the salinity level of drinking water by adding NaCl to up to 17 g/L of TDSs had no adverse effect on the water intake, feed intake, BW, and health status of growing and mature Blackhead Ogaden sheep and Somali goats.

Background. Different forage innovations have been used to alleviate livestock feed shortage in Ethiopia. Napier, Rhodes, and Desho grasses are the most widely cultivated forage grasses in the backyard system. Objective. To evaluate the effect of harvesting age of Urochloa grass cultivar/ accessions on morphology, forage yield, chemical composition at Wolaita Sodo State dairy farm, Ethiopia. Methodology. The experiment involved a 5 × 3 factorial arrangement in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications, three harvesting ages (60, 90, and 120 days of age), and five Urochloa grass cultivars/ accessions (Urochloa hybrid 'Mulato II', Urochloa mutica (Forssk.) T.Q. Nguyen, Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) R.D. Webster 'acce. no. DZF13151', Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) R.D. Webster 'Piata' and Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) R.D. Webster 'acce no. DZF16550') during 2020˗2021. Results. Plant height and number of leaves were greater (P

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of different preservatives on nutrient content, organic matter digestibility (OMD), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), yeast, mold, and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) concentrations of wet brewery grain (WBG). The experiment was undertaken for 28-days using five treatments (T); T1 = no preservative; T2 = 1.75% salt; T3 = 2.5% molasses; T4 = 2.5% Effective Microbial (EM) and T5 = 0.6% formic acid. Data was analyzed using a completely randomized two way factorial design of the mixed procedure of SAS (Version 9.1, 2001). The highest dry matter loss was for WBG stored with T1, while the lowest was for WBG treated with T5. WBG treated with T5 had the highest crude protein content, while those with T1 had the lowest. OMD of WBG treated with T5 was higher than T4. SCFA content of WBG treated with T3 was higher than those T4. WBG stored with T1 and T3 had a higher NH3N content than T4 and T5. WBG stored with T1 had the highest yeast and mold concentration, while WBG treated with T5 had the least. The highest LAB count was recorded for WBG treated with T5, while the least was for T1 and T3. Results has shown that preserving WBG with 0.6% formic acid is found to be more effective in terms of preventing spoilage by inhibiting mold and yeast growth as compared to other preservatives used in this study.

Sustainable livestock farming practices have the potential to improve productivity and high income, reduce greenhouse gases, and improve household food security. Despite previous efforts to disseminate these technologies, the rate of adoption has remained very low in Ethiopia. In this study, we investigate the determinants of adoption and the impact of improved dairy farming practices (IDFP), which include improved breed, improved feed, and improved feeding conditions, on household food security in the central highland of Ethiopia. Methods: A multi-stage stratified random sampling technique was used to select 480 smallholder farmers from four districts. The study employed principal component analysis (PCA) to group IDFPs, and the endogenous switching regression model (MESR) was used to examine household food security status. Results: Our findings showed that IDFP adoption had a significant and positive impact on per capita food consumption and increases the likelihood of smallholder farmers being food secure compared to non-adopters. The adoption of integrated IDFP had a greater impact on household food security when smallholder farmers used a package that incorporates improved breeds, feeds, and feeding systems (B1F1S1). The implementation of this package increased food security by 31% in terms of household food consumption score (HFCS) and 26% in terms of household diet diversity score (HDDS). Additionally, the size of livestock holdings, off-farm income, extension services, and milk collection centers all influenced the adoption decision of this package. Conclusions: It has been confirmed that improving dairy farming practices for sustainable development can significantly contribute to the food security of smallholder farmers when used in combination. Interventions that address access to farm resources, the supply chain for technological inputs and services, and output markets may assist in the adoption of dairy technologies.

The experiment was conducted with the objective of investigating the effect of graded levels of wheat bran (WB) and noug seed cake (NSC) mixtures on carcass yield and characteristics of local Arsi-Bale sheep fed urea treated maize cob (UTMC). The experiment consisted of digestibility and ninety days of feeding trials followed by evaluation of carcass components at the end of these trials. Twenty yearling male sheep were used as experimental animals in this research. The experimental design was randomized complete block design. The treatments were ad libitum feeding of UTMC (T1) and supplementation with mixtures of WB and NSC at a ratio of 2WB:1NSC offered at 150 g (T2), 250 g (T3) and 350 g DM/head /day (T4). Water and salt were offered free choice and UTMC was given ad libitum throughout the experimental period. The result indicated that dressing percentage on slaughter weight (SWT) and hot carcass weight (HCW) basis was higher (P

Protein supplements are expensive and not easily accessible under small-scale livestock production systems in Ethiopia and other developing countries, which necessitates investigating the alternative protein sources for cost-effective livestock production. Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp) leaves (PPLs) are rich in protein and are well-suited for feeding small ruminants; however, the effect of inclusion of PPL in the concentrate mixture (CM) on the performance of dairy cows was not well documented. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementation of PPL and CM to native pasture hay-based rations on feed intake, milk yield and composition, and blood metabolites of crossbred dairy cows (Holstein × Zebu). A 4 × 4 Latin square design with three replications, balanced for carryover effects, was used for this study. The treatments included native pasture hay provided ad libitum as a basal diet, supplemented with a CM alone (T1), the inclusion of 10% of PPL in the CM (T2), 20% PPL in the CM (T3), or 30% PPL in the CM (T4). Supplements were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Total DM intake (hay + supplement intake) was similar (P > 0.05) among treatments. Hay intake was greater (P = 0.05) for T1 and T2 than for T4, while supplement intake was the least for T1 (P 0.05) supplement intake. Feed intake, milk yield and composition, feed conversion efficiency, body condition score, serum total protein, albumin, globulin, glucose, triglyceride, urea N, creatinine, and cholesterol were similar (P > 0.05) among treatments. The inclusion of up to 30% of PPL in the CM resulted in a comparable performance of crossbred dairy cows as supplementation with CM under the conditions of the current experiment. Therefore, further study is required to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of a higher level of PPL in the concentrate mixture on the performance of lactating crossbred dairy cows.

Background. In mixed crop livestock farming systems in Ethiopia, sorghum stover and other crop residues are a strategic livestock feed resource. Farmer’s decisions and intensity of use of sorghum stover for feed than other uses are closely associated with biophysical and socioeconomic characteristics. Objective. This study explores determinants of sorghum biomass uses for livestock feed in three major sorghum growing agroecological zones of Ethiopia. Methodology. Tobit and double hurdle models were run and likelihood ratio test was performed to select most suitable estimation technique. Result. Allocation of sorghum stover for feed showed a significant association with sorghum growing agro-ecological zones, highest in the lowland (86.73%) and the lowest in highland sorghum growing agroecological area (61.75%). Econometric model result revealed that among other factors; availability of feed from grazing and other crop residues had a negative effect on decision to use and intensity of use of sorghum stover for feed. Household’s livestock ownership and family size had positive effects. Implication. Decision variables influenced household’s decision and intensity on use of sorghum stover for feed at three major sorghum growing zone differently. Conclusion. Knowledge generated through this study may help any research and development efforts to enhance productivity of sorghum biomass for livestock feed and livestock improvement strategies. Keywords: Agroecology; Crop residue; Econometric models; Feed resources; Sorghum stover. Keywords: Agroecology; Crop residue; Econometric models; Feed resources; Sorghum stover.

A study was conducted to assess botanical composition, biomass yield, nutritive value and methane production of forages in the grasslands of Kofele district in West Arsi Zone of Oromia National Regional State, southern Ethiopia. Three patches of the grassland including protected grassland, private grazing land used by smallholder farmers and ranch were selected for the study to represent three different grazing land management practices. Quadrats of 0.5 m × 0.5 m were used to determine biomass yield and collect samples of herbaceous forages from each site (12 quadrats from each site). For woody species four 10 m × 10 m plots were established along transect of 200 m with 20 m distance between plots to identify available species (in the ranch only). A total of 20 herbaceous species were identified, out of which 45% were grasses, 15% legumes, 10% sedges and 30% forbs. Out of 17 browse species identified in the ranch, 47.1% were trees while 52.9% were shrubs. The total biomass production from protected grassland (4.34 t/ha) was higher (P

Background. Nowadays, in Ethiopia crop production is the dominant practice and indigenous browse species can make a large contribution to livestock feeding during dry season. However, few researches has been undertaken on the nutritional value of indigenous multipurpose browse species in this region, which means indigenous knowledge of multipurpose browse species is not strongly supported by scientific information. Objective. A study was conducted in the highland and lowlands of north western Ethiopia, to assess farmers’ preference criteria, farmer’s preference between the indigenous multipurpose browse species and the relationship of farmers’ knowledge of multipurpose browse species (MPBs) foraging value with laboratory result. Methodology. Group discussions, preference ranking and scoring by a total of 60 farmers were conducted in two agro-ecologies. Result. The farmers’ preference among MPB species which are browsed by cattle sheep and goat were determined considering availability, biomass yield, foraging value, palatability, multi-functionality and growth and re-growth ability. In the highland, the comparison among indigenous MPB species for their benefits and desired tree characteristics showed that farmers preferred Albizia gummifera for its availability and multi-functionality. In terms of feed value, growth and re-growth ability and palatability, the score for Vernonia amygdalina was higher than other MPB species. Ficus thonningii was preferred for its biomass yield. There was also a strong relationship between farmers’ feed value score and laboratory results. Farmers were able to differentiate effectively MPB species that had high and low protein content and in vitro digestibility using their indigenous feed value indicator system. In lowland, the score for Ficus sycomorus followed by Piliostigma thonningii was higher for availability and Cordia africana was scored higher for multi-functionality and growth and re-growth ability. In terms of feed value and palatability, Piliostigma thonningii has the highest score. Albizia malacophylla was preferred and rated highest for biomass yield. But, the laboratory indicators were non-correlated (P > 0. 05) with the farmers’ assessment of feed value score. Implication. The result of this study confirms that farmers have their own criteria to evaluate browse species and can differentiate the browse species that had high and low fiber content based on their indigenous knowledge. Conclusion. Therefore, we conclude that when incorporating locally available resources, farmers’ preference criteria and indigenous knowledge is vital to efficiently utilize indigenous MPB species and to tackle feed shortage in the study area. Antecedentes. Hoy en día, en Etiopía, la producción de cultivos es la práctica dominante y las especies de ramoneras indígenas pueden hacer una gran contribución a la alimentación del ganado durante la estación seca. Sin embargo, se han realizado pocas investigaciones sobre el valor nutricional de las especies autóctonas de ramoneo multipropósito en esta región, lo que significa que el conocimiento indígena de las especies de ramoneadores multipropósito no está fuertemente respaldado por información científica. Objetivo. Se realizó un estudio en las tierras altas y bajas del noroeste de Etiopía, para evaluar los criterios de preferencia de los agricultores, la preferencia de los agricultores entre las especies autóctonas de ramoneo multipropósito y la relación entre el conocimiento de los agricultores sobre el valor de búsqueda de especies de ramilletes multipropósito (MPB) con los resultados de laboratorio. Metodología. Se llevaron a cabo discusiones grupales, clasificación de preferencias y puntuación por un total de 60 agricultores en dos agroecologías. Resultados. La preferencia de los agricultores entre las especies de MPB que son buscadas por ganado ovino y caprino se determinó considerando la disponibilidad, el rendimiento de biomasa, el valor de forrajeo, la palatabilidad, la multifuncionalidad y la capacidad de crecimiento y rebrote. En las tierras altas, la comparación entre las especies autóctonas de MPB por sus beneficios y las características deseadas de los árboles mostró que los agricultores preferían Albizia gummifera por su disponibilidad y multifuncionalidad. En términos de valor alimenticio, capacidad de crecimiento y rebrote y palatabilidad, la puntuación de Vernonia amygdalina fue más alta que la de otras especies de MPB. Se prefirió Ficus thonningii por su rendimiento de biomasa. También hubo una fuerte relación entre la puntuación del valor del pienso de los agricultores y los resultados de laboratorio. Los agricultores pudieron diferenciar de manera efectiva las especies de MPB que tenían alto y bajo contenido de proteína y digestibilidad in vitro utilizando su sistema de indicador de valor alimenticio indígena. En las tierras bajas, la puntuación para Ficus sycomorus seguida de Piliostigma thonningii fue más alta en disponibilidad y Cordia africana obtuvo una puntuación más alta en multifuncionalidad y capacidad de crecimiento y rebrote. En términos de valor alimenticio y palatabilidad, Piliostigma thonningii tiene la puntuación más alta. Se prefirió Albizia malacophylla y obtuvo la calificación más alta en cuanto a rendimiento de biomasa. Sin embargo, los indicadores de laboratorio no estaban correlacionados (P> 0.05) con la evaluación de los agricultores del puntaje del valor del alimento. Implicación. El resultado de este estudio confirma que los agricultores tienen sus propios criterios para evaluar las especies de ramoneras y pueden diferenciar las especies de ramoneras que tenían un contenido alto y bajo de fibra según su conocimiento indígena. Conclusión. Por lo tanto, llegamos a la conclusión de que al incorporar los recursos disponibles localmente, los criterios de preferencia de los agricultores y el conocimiento indígena son vitales para utilizar de manera eficiente las especies nativas de MPB y abordar la escasez de alimento en el área de estudio.

IntroductionClimate change affects livestock production and productivity, which could threaten livestock-based food security in pastoral and agro-pastoral production systems of the tropics and sub-tropics. Boran cattle breed is one of the hardiest Zebu cattle reared by Borana Oromo pastoralists for milk and meat production. However, there is limited comprensive information on production, reproduction and adaption traits of the Boran cattle in Ethiopia. Thus, this paper aims to compile the main production, reproduction and some adaptation traits of Boran cattle based on systematic review and meta-analysis of peer reviewed published and unpublished literature.MethodologyA combination of systematic review and meta-analysis based on PRISMA guideline was employed. Accordingly, out of 646 recorded articles identified through database searching, 64 were found to be eligible for production, reproduction and adaptation characteristics of the Boran cattle, 28 articles were included in qualitative systematic review while 36 articles were used for quantitative meta-analysis.ResultThe Boran cattle breed has the ability to survive, produce and reproduce under high ambient temperature, utilize low quality forage resources, and resist water shortage or long watering intervals and tick infestations. The review revealed that the breed employs various adaptation responses (morphological, physiological, biochemical, metabolic, cellular and molecular responses) to cope with harsh environmental conditions including climate change, rangeland degradation, seasonal feed and water shortages and high incidences of tick infestations. The meta-analysis using a random-effects model allowed provision of pooled estimates of heritability and genetic correlations for reproduction and production traits, which could be used to solve genetic prediction equations under a population level in purebred Boran cattle. In addition, heritability and genetic-correlation estimates found in the present study suggest that there is high genetic variability for most traits in Boran cattle, and that genetic progress is possible for all studied traits in this breed.ConclusionThe Boran cattle breed has the ability to survive, produce and reproduce under high ambient temperature, utilize low quality forage resources, and resist water shortage or long watering intervals and tick infestations. However, currently there are several challenges such as recurrent droughts, pasture deterioration and lack of systematic selection and breeding programs that play to undermine the realization of the potential of the breed. Thus, we recommend systematic selection for enhancing the reproductive and production performances without compromising the adaptation traits of the breed coupled with improved management of rangelands.

This study was conducted to identify major livestock production constraints and improved forage production efforts in the Damot Gale district. Four representative kebeles, two associated with our NGO project and two from nonproject outreach activities, were selected. Forty farmers from each kebele were randomly chosen for the purpose of individual interviews using a semistructured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS (version 20) and Excel. The topmost livestock production constraint was feed shortage where a larger proportion of farmers (75.6%) suffered from the problem with higher (p ≤ 0.01) severity in nonproject intervention areas. Of these, 38.6% were challenged for a period of three months while another 61.4% suffered for about four months. Purchasing grass (31.4%) and concentrate (33.5%) and feeding enset (Ensete ventricosum) leaf (21.49%) were the most commonly adopted coping mechanisms to alleviate feed shortages during the dry season, while using purchased grass and enset leaf was the main coping strategy in nonproject intervention (p ≤ 0.01) areas. The majority of households (90.75%) participate in improved forage production regardless of farm size. Desho grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum) (71.38%) and elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) (42.63%) are the most common improved forages in both study areas. These forages are produced for the purpose of two or more functions (feed, cash, and preventing erosion) that vary (p ≤ 0.01) among intervention status. Major niche locations adopted for improved forage production include farm land, soil and water conservation structures, and perimeter fencing. Greatest constraints on improved forage production were seed/material shortage followed by land shortage and lack of awareness. Project intervention (p ≤ 0.01), tropical livestock unit (TLU) holding (p ≤ 0.01), and forage seed/planting material access (p

Abstract Background Mountain grasslands are globally important ecosystems. They are considered as heritage sites with “outstanding values” to ecological communities by adding a further “layer and support to the existing protection measures.” However, mountain grasslands are increasingly under threat from human activities and impacts of climate change. Methods Using satellite imagery, we studied land use/land cover (LULC) patterns between 1973 and 2015. Individual interviews consisting of 240 households for comparison and field data collection were conducted for accuracy assessment. Results Five categories of LULC types were identified from the image classification that included forestland, grassland, shrubland, bushland, and agricultural land. Between 1973 and 2015, the forestland, grassland, and shrubland covers were declined by 15.9%, 53.6%, and 41.0%, respectively. In contrast, bushland and agricultural land were increased by 169% and 647%, respectively. The overall LULC classification accuracies for the four reference years ranged from 77.6 to 86.5% with Kappa statistic of 0.69 to 0.80. The majority of respondents (92.5%) mentioned that the cover of forestland outsized the other land use land cover types followed by grassland in the past. Conclusions The stated indicators of land use/land cover changes linked to the impact of climate change were decline in milk yield and crop production, spread of livestock diseases, degradation of grazing lands, and change in the timing of rain. The results of the study suggest that human-climate related components were major drivers of land use/land cover dynamics that demand for proper management and conservation of mountain grassland ecosystem in Sidama South Ethiopia.

Objective A study was conducted to evaluate the varietal differences among faba bean straws and also to assess the potentials of faba bean straws supplemented with concentrate fed at the rate 70% straws and 30% concentrate mixture on feed intake, digestibility, body weight gain and carcass characteristics of the animals. Methods Forty yearling Arsi-Bale sheep with initial body weight of 19.85±0.29 kg (mean± standard deviation) were grouped in a randomized complete block design into eight blocks of five animals each based on their initial body weight. Straws included in the study were from Mosisa (T1M), Walki (T2W), Degaga (T3D), Shallo (T4S), and local (T5L) varieties of faba bean and concentrate (2:1 ratio of wheat bran to “noug” seed cake). The experiment consisted of seven days of digestibility and 90 days of feeding trials followed by evaluation of carcass parameters at the end. Results Local variety had lower (p0.05) by variety of the faba bean straws. Conclusion There is significant varietal differences between faba bean straws both in quality and quantity. Similarly, significant variation was observed in feed intake, digestibility, body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency among sheep fed different straws of faba bean varieties with concentrate supplement. Based on these results, Walki and Mosisa varieties could be recommended as pulse crop rotation with cereals in the study area.

Multidimensional improvement programs of chickpea require screening of a large number of genotypes for straw nutritive value. The ability of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to determine the nutritive value of chickpea straw was identified in the current study. A total of 480 samples of chickpea straw representing a nation-wide range of environments and genotypic diversity (40 genotypes) were scanned at a spectral range of 1108 to 2492 nm. The samples were reduced to 190 representative samples based on the spectral data then divided into a calibration set (160 samples) and a cross-validation set (30 samples). All 190 samples were analysed for dry matter, ash, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, Zn, Mn, Ca, Mg, Fe, P, and in vitro gas production metabolizable energy using conventional methods. Multiple regression analysis was used to build the prediction equations. The prediction equation generated by the study accurately predicted the nutritive value of chickpea straw (R2 of cross validation > 0.68; standard error of prediction < 1%). Breeding programs targeting improving food-feed traits of chickpea could use NIRS as a fast, cheap, and reliable tool to screen genotypes for straw nutritional quality.

Abstract Introduction Rangeland ecosystems provide multiple ecosystem services, including feed resources for wild and domestic herbivores in semi-arid areas. However, under the ever increasing environmental changes, the impact of rainfall variability on the productivity and vegetation dynamics of rangelands are the great challenges that pastoral community are facing today. As a result, the potentials of most rangelands in semi-arid ecosystems affect the livestockproduction. Therefore, we studied the interconnections between the long-term rainfall variation and the rangeland Water Requirement and Satisfaction Index (WRSI) in Mieso, Jigjiga, and Shinile districts under pastoral conditions of Ethiopia. Methods The base period rainfall data (1984–2015) was obtained from the National Meteorological Agency of Ethiopia, whereas the future rainfall trend was predicted using MarkSim software (Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 GHG concentration trajectory). Mann-Kendall’s statistical tests, coefficient of variation, LEAP software (version 2.61), and Minitab Software (version 15) were used to assess the relationship between rangeland WRSI and long-term rainfall variability. Results The result indicated that mean annual rainfall anomaly had strong positive correlation with rangeland WRSI in Mieso (P

The Borana rangeland has diverse species of woody and herbaceous plants which are useful as forage. Chemical analysis, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and in sacco degradability study were conducted on feed samples collected from browse and grass species during the hot dry and main rainy seasons. Chemical analysis and IVDMD were done for Acacia brevispica, A. nilotica, A. seyal, A. tortilis, Balanites aegyptiaca, Grewia bicolor, G. tembensis, Rhus natalensis, Vernonia cinerascens and Maracaa and grass species Cenchrus ciliaris, Chrysopogon aucheri and P. mezianum while in sacco degradability was done for A. nilotica, B. aegyptiaca, G. bicolor, R. natalensis and C. aucheri. The crude protein content (CP) of the browse species was higher in the rainy season except A. seyal which had higher value in the dry season (210 g/kg DM). The condensed tannin (CT) concentration ranged from 1.2 to 332 g/kg DM in B. aegyptiaca and A. tortilis, respectively. The NDF and ADF were highest in G. tembensis and G. bicolor while lowest values were in A. nilotica and A. seyal in the dry season, respectively. During the rainy season G. tembensis had highest NDF (750.9 g/kg DM) and lowest was in A. nilotica (128.1 g/ kg DM). The IVDMD among the browse varied from 965.7 to 718.9 and 974.7 to 676.3 in the dry and rainy seasons, respectively. In grass species CP was from 56 to 78. The NDF ranged from 728 to 749 g/kg DM and from 673 to 709 g/kg DM in dry and rainy seasons, respectively. The IVDMD was higher in the rainy season (698.2-811.5 vs 577.8-620.2). The in sacco DM degradability was highest for A. nilotica followed by B. aegyptiaca and lowest was in C. aucheri. The browse had high feed potential based on chemical and digestibility/degradability values recorded in this study while grasses could be considered as moderate. Among the grasses, C. ciliaris and C. aucheri are promising in terms of the digestibility values. However this conclusion needs to be supported by animal experiments and knowledge of the local community.

Nutritive value of morphological fractions of Sesbania sesban [15019] and Desmodium intortum was determined based on their chemical composition, in sacco dry matter (DM) degradability, in vitro gas production and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD). In sesbania, neutral detergent fiber (NDFom) and acid detergent fiber (ADFom) contents were higher in twigs and green pods (P whole forage > leaves. The soluble tannins (STs) content was higher (P