Available Feed Resources and Nutritive Value of Major Browse Species in East Dembia District, Central Gondar, Ethiopia

This study was conducted to assess the available feed resources, identify the most commonly used browse species as livestock feed and to determine their nutritive value from East Dembia district. Four kebeles (Sufankara, Grargie, Salj Gebeba and Atkilit Teleft) were selected purposively. Stratified random sampling was used for the selection of respondents. A total of 12 plots of 20m *20m (400m2) were established at an interval of 200m along the transect line to identify and record the available browse species. The leaves and petioles of A. abyssinica, C. africana, F. thonigii, F. sycomorus, V. amygdolina, M. arbutifolia, and A. seyal were collected for chemical analysis. General linear model procedure of SAS was used for statistical analysis. The mean CP content of the browse species ranged from 12.13% (F. sycomorus) to 29.74% (V. amygdolina). The IVDMD varied from 38.5% for M. arbutifolia to 71.67% for F. sycomorus. High gas production from immediately soluble component (a) was recorded for C. africana. The gas production from insoluble but potential degradable fraction (b) and production potential (a+b), organic matter digestibility, where high for F. thounigii but low for V. amygdolina. The browse species in the current study could be used as protein supplements to livestock fed on low quality feeds due to their high levels of crude protein, low fiber contents and high digestibility potentials. However, it is recommended that further studies need be undertaken in determining the nutritive value of the other browse components such as pods. Keywords: Browse species, nutritive value, crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/10-13-03 Publication date:July 31st 202

Improved Forage Production in Ethiopia: Utilization, Challenges and Prospects for Adoption: A Review

There are several factors that hinder the productivity of livestock in Ethiopia of which nutrition contributes the largest share. The quality and quantity of feed are poor challenging livestock production. Nowadays, due to the rapid increase of human population and increasing demand for food, grazing lands are steadily declining by being shifted to arable lands for crop production. As a result, food crop residues are providing a considerable quantity of dry season feed in most farming areas of the country. However, the feeding value of crop residues is very poor. One way to alleviate this problem is supplementation of crop residue through the use of improved forage and fodder trees. Research and development agents have been testing and identifying promising forages that are suitable for pasture rehabilitation in a wide range of agro-ecological zones besides animal feeding. The use of forage legumes have a paramount role resulted in increasing soil nitrogen available for food crops because of their ability to fix nitrogen. Moreover, multipurpose browse trees and shrubs serve as fuel wood resource. Improved forage legumes and browse species provides protein which enhances the feed resources available for livestock. The major impediments of improved forages production in different parts of the country are ecological deterioration, overgrazing, land tenure, border conflict, drought, weed and bush encroachment, lack of seed and planting materials. The diverse topography coupled with environmental heterogeneity offers favorable environments for pasture species, herbaceous legumes and browse trees/shrubs. Hence, assessing the conditions, challenges, opportunities and recommendations of improved forage production is very imperative for effective and efficient utilization of these feed resources to boost the productivity of the livestock sector in the country. Keywords: improved forages, nutrition, crop residues, challenges, utilization DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/9-21-02 Publication date: November 30th 201

Evaluation of Replacing Concentrate with Mulato II and Greenleaf Desmodium (Desmodium intortum) Mixed Forages on Intake, Digestibility and Growth Performance of Farta Sheep

This study evaluated the substitution effect of concentrate with Mulato II and Desmodium intortum mixed forages on the intake, digestibility, and growth performance of Farta sheep fed a basal diet of natural pasture hay (NPH) for a period of 90 days. Twenty- five yearling male Farta sheep were blocked based on their initial body weight (18±1.36 kg) (mean±SD) and randomly assigned into the five treatment diets in a completely randomized block design. The five treatment diets were made in such a way that the concentrate mix was progressively replaced by Mulato II and Desmodium intortum mixed forages at a proportion of 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80%. The data on feed intake, digestibility, and body weight change was analyzed using the general linear model procedure of SAS version 9.4. The results showed that total dry matter intake, final body weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion efficiency of sheep were not affected by the substitution of concentrate with Mulato II and Desmodium intortum forages. In conclusion, supplementation of Mulato II and D. intortum forages up to 80% could replace the concentrate in the diet of Farta sheep without any adverse effect on the growth performance

Nutritive Value of Major Browse Species in East Dembia District, Central Gondar, Ethiopia

Background: Regardless of having ample number of farm animals, its contribution to GDP is limited due to insufficient year round livestock feed supply in terms of quantity and quality, particularly during the dry season. This study was conducted to assess the most commonly used browse species as livestock feed particularly during dry period and to determine their nutritive value from four kebeles of East Dembiya district. Methods: Stratified random sampling was used for the selection of respondents. A total of 12 plots of 20m *20m (400m2) were established at an interval of 200m along the transect line to identify and record the available browse species. The leaves and petioles of A. abyssinica, C. africana, F. thonigii, F. sycomorus, V. amygdolina, M. arbutifolia and A. seyal were collected for chemical analysis. General linear model procedure of SAS was used for statistical analysis.Result: The mean CP content of the browse species ranged from 12.13% (F. sycomorus) to 29.74% (V. amygdolina). The IVDMD varied from 38.5% for M. arbutifolia to 71.67% for F. sycomorus. High gas production from immediately soluble component (a) was recorded for C. africana. The gas production from insoluble but potential degradable fraction (b), production potential (a+b) and organic matter digestibility were higher for F. thounigii but low for V. amygdolina. The browse species in the current study could be used as protein supplements to livestock fed on low quality feeds due to their high levels of crude protein, low fiber contents and high digestibility potentials.</jats:p