Physiological Adaptation of Holstein Frisian Dairy Cattle in Ethiopia: Review Article

This article was planned to summarize available information's on physiological adaptation of Holstein Frisian dairy cattle in Ethiopia. The literature was reviewed for presence of such adaptations. Although a temperate type, Holstein Frisian is the most common and predominate exotic dairy cattle breed in Ethiopia. The reason behind is, its ability to adapt a wide range climatic environments and the world's known high milk production potential. Above 70% livestock production in Ethiopia is on the hand of Smallholders and pastoralists who often lives in harsh environments which may be hot and dry, hot and humid, or cold and can be characterized by scarce feed and water resources and high disease pressure with large seasonal and annual variations. Adaptation to these factors is largely based on genetics, but animals like HF are a special breed that can “learn” to live under such stressful conditions. It seems like Lowering of its metabolic requirement and sweating to keep the internal body environment in ''steady state'' when external environment is changed, hormonal activities and vasoconstrictions of muscle to cold stress are some of the desirable physiological attributes or adjustments helped them better to fit and survive. Years of research have shown that environmental stress is a huge problem for dairy cattle in tropics. However breeds like Holstein withstand better than other exotic dairy cattle through their unique physiological mechanisms but no such research have so far been done in Ethiopia. Keywords: Adaptability, dairying, physiology, environmental stress, Literature, productivit

Top Dressing of Fertilizers: A Way Forward for Boosting Productivity and Economic Viability of Grasslands

Grasslands in the Ethiopian highlands have been degrading with grazing loads. Fertilizers like nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur improves the soil fertility and species composition of the grazing lands. This study justifies, evaluation of top dressing nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers on biomass yield of grass lands for market-oriented livestock production studied at Chosha kebele, Southern Ethiopia in 2017. Three fertilizer levels ((T1), 150 kg ha−1 urea (T2) and combination of 110 kg ha−1 urea and 100 kg ha−1 NPS (T3)) were laid out in randomized complete block design with 6 replications in summer and winter cropping seasons. Dry matter yield was significantly (P<0.001) different among treatments and higher results were obtained for combination of urea and NPS, followed by urea and the control one. Higher grasses species composition between application of combination of urea and NPS than urea alone. Net revenue is higher in nitrogen alone application than nitrogen and phosphorus. Therefore, better marginal rate of return (MRR=828%) recorded in Urea application for grazing land improvement in Gamo highland areas. It is recommendable to apply 150 kg/ha urea fertilizer to bring optimum yield of grazing land in Southern Ethiopian Highlands

Yield Dynamics and Nutrient Quality of Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) Varieties under Consecutive Harvests

Negative feed balance in terms of dry matter and forage quality has been affecting animal production in Ethiopian livestock system. Yield dynamics and forage quality assessment of ten Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.) genotypes to assess the yield and nutritional quality of the grass was conducted in the field of Chano Mille Research substation from September 2018 to November 2019. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. All growth parameters showed significant (P&lt;0.01) variation among genotypes that were contributing either to yield or quality. Depending on the weather condition of growing months, dry matter yield was varied among genotypes and harvesting months significantly (P&lt;0.01). Dry matter yield varied from 4.87 to 17.35 t/ha for weather variation in growing months and from 9.57 to 18.4 t/ha for genotype variation. Leaf to stem ratio was not varied significantly among genotypes. Stem and leaf quality variation among genotypes for calcium, phosphorus and crude protein was significant while not for neutral and acid detergent fibers. Zehone_02 and ILRI_16835 genotypes could be of optimum dry matter yield and quality to be used as a feed option in a study area and similar agro-ecological zones. Assessing silage and hay quality and animal preference warranted with the production of the crop under irrigated condition