Assessment of Livestock Production Situation, Feed Resources and Utilization of Feeds from Cropping Systems and Forages in Southern Ethiopia

Eleni Assegid, Adugna Tolera, and Ajebu Nurfeta

 

Full Length Research Paper I Published September ,2019

 

Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Technology  Vol. 5 (7), pp.148-157.

 

ABSTRACT

A study was conducted in Loka Abaya and Amaro districts of Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region Southern Ethiopia to assess livestock production situation, feed resource availability, utilization of forages and feeds derived from cropping systems focusing on cassava and pigeon pea foliage by smallholder farmers. Three rural kebeles from Loca Abaya and four from Amaro districts were purposely selected. A total of 150 households were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires and focus group discussion were held. The descriptive statistics result indicates that the main livelihood activities of 75% of respondents were crop and livestock production. The mean grazing landholding per household was 0.29 ± 0.2. Of the interviewed farmers 78.6% kept cattle primarily for traction and 84.2% reared small ruminants as a source of immediate cash income. The Perennial landholding size, cattle, goat, poultry and beehive per household was higher (p<0.05) in Amaro district compared with Loca Abaya. In the dry season (October to February) feed shortage and water scarcity were the main livestock production constraints, thus crop residues were the main source of livestock feed. Horticultural crops fractions, root crops, trees and bushes leaves were used as supplement feed to mitigate scarcity of feed by 78% of farmers. Cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz) foliage was utilized as dry season supplement by 69.3% farmers in Amaro district. Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) foliage was utilized by 29.3 and 40% of the livestock holders in Loka Abaya and Amaro districts, respectively. Therefore, to sustain livestock productivity in the districts improving feed value of crop residues, cultivating dual-purpose, drought-tolerant crops and utilization of foliage as feed scarcity mitigation is important.

 

KeyWords: Cassava, Foliage, Feed utilization, Production constraint, Pigeon pea and Seasonal variation.

 

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