Availability, Yield and Utilization Practices of Livestock Feed Resources in Gilgel Gibe Catchments of Jimma Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted in three selected districts of Jimma zone, Southwest Ethiopia with the aim of assessing livestock feed resources utilization systems in order to identifying the major constraints and opportunities of livestock production in relation to feed. The study districts were selected based on their livestock production potential and accessibility. Accordingly 122, 188 and 104 households (HHs) from Kersa, Omo Nada and Tiro Afeta districts, respectively were participated in the study. The respondents HHs were purposively selected depending on their livestock keeping experience and having a single species of livestock. The study revealed that crop residue, stubble grazing and natural pasture in a decreasing order were the main feedresources; however, they varied with seasons (P<0.05). Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae were the major fodder plant families. The main crop residues were teff straw, maize and sorghum stovers (P<0.05). The Mean annual total utilizable feed supply per HH was 4.53 tDM of which, 4.01 tDM (about 88.5%) was derived from cropping system which comprised of 3.04 tDM utilizable crop-residues and 0.97 tDM stubble grazing. Total utilizable DM production from cropping system per household was significantly varied (P<0.05) between the study districts. The annual maintenance DM requirement per HH for TLU was estimated to be 11.44 tDM. Hence, the existing feed supply can satisfy only 39.59% of the annual maintenance DM requirement of livestock units per HH (P<0.05), pointing to the need to discern adaptation of livestock to feed insufficiency athwart the year. The feed supply can no longer support the existing livestock in the study districts unless possible intervention is made by decision making bodies and channeled to the farming community through extension workers.