Effect of Ensiling Graded Level of Poultry Litter with Desho Grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum) on Palatability and Nutritional Characteristics of Silage in Case of Bonga Sheep

In tropical region inadequate quality and quantity of feed are major constraints to livestock production sector. Most of feed resources are low in nutrient content to meet nutrient requirement of maintenance, production and reproduction. Therefore this study was carried out to evaluate the effect of ensiling graded level of poultry litter with desho grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum) on intake, preference, fermentative and nutritional characteristics of silage in case of Bonga Sheep. Poultry litter (Pl) and desho grass (Dg) was ensiled by four treatments; T1 (100%Dg), T2(80%Dg+20%Pl), T3(70%Dg+30%Pl) and T4(60%Dg+40%Pl) in three replications for 30 days. Ten Bonga sheep were used to evaluate the free choice intake of silage in a cafeteria style. The experimental design was complete randomized design (CRD). Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance and significant means. Ensiling with poultry litter significantly (P<0.05) increased the color quality in T3 (light brown) which is better than T2 (deep brown), T4(brown) and T4(Dark Brown). The smell of T4 (offensive) and T1 (poor) while T3 is very pleasant. The highest pH was recorded in control (6.2) with the least in T4 (4.4). In current study, the percent preference of sheep significantly varied (P<0.05) from 20.1 – 33.2 % and the order of preference was T3 > T2> T1 > T4. It is concluded that desho grass ensiled within 20% to 30% poultry litter improved Crude protein (CP) content and intake by Bonga sheep when compared with control and 40% poultry level. Keywords: silage, poultry litter, desho grass, palatability trail, Bonga, shee

Assessment of Customers’ Perception towards Service Delivery among Public Service Organizations in Dire Dawa Administration

The issue of service delivery is becoming a global concern that demands continuous reform to fit the turbulent environment and changing customer needs. The purpose of this study was therefore to assess customer satisfaction on service delivery of selected public service organizations in Dire Dawa city Administration. The study employed the cross-sectional field survey method since relevant data were collected via at one point in time at public service organizations by distributing questionnaires to customers. A sample of 870 customers and 206 employees were randomly selected as study respondents in which In combination of a mixed research design was employed to quench the objectives of the study.  Descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation, mean values, frequency distribution and percentages were used to analyze the responses of respondents. The results of the study indicated that the five service delivery dimensions and customer satisfaction were positively correlated; the general level of customer satisfaction and the service delivery dimensions were moderate.  The  major challenges in service delivery such as lack of service mentality and deterioration of employees’ motivation, prevalence of corruption and rent seeking activities and behavior, absence of regular consultation with customers and stakeholders, lack of cooperation and integration among stakeholders, insufficient skilled man power, shortages of equipment and machineries, inefficient and inappropriate grievance handling systems, lack of revision of existing rules and regulations on timely basis, inability/under capacity of the middle managers to monitor and manage employees, and discrepancy between supply and demand were thoroughly identified. Finally, based on the analysis and conclusions, possible recommendations were suggested for alleviating the major challenges of service delivery processes in the study area. Key Terms: Customer Satisfaction, Dire Dawa Administration, Public Service Organizations, Service Delivery DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/10-10-05 Publication date:October 31st 2020

Factors affecting loan repayment performance of floriculture industries to the Development Bank of Ethiopia

This study was carried out to assess factors that influence loan repayment performance of DBE’s floriculture borrowers. The study used data collected from individual farm files of fifty four floriculture borrowers of DBE. The study shows that 52% of the borrowers were defaulters, whereas, the remaining 48% were nondefaulters. Probit model was used to identify variables which determine loan repayment performance. Educational status, sustainable floriculture certification status and farming experience of growers were statistically significant factors affecting repayment offloriculture loan of DBE. The analysis of partial marginal effect shows that sustainable floriculture certification is the most important factor among the other three variables. The policy implications of the study are: educating all floriculture growers on the importance of being certified with a multitude of standards in the form of certification schemes, codes ofpractice and a handful of consumer labels so that they can adopt those standards which best meet customer needs, intensifying supervision work in order to provide information and technical assistance for the established project, and improving customer recruitment system to emphasize on educational status of borrowers and farming experience of project managers deserve special attention. Finally, credit institutions or lending agencies should evaluate the factors that significantly influence loan repayment before granting loans to floriculture farms to reduce loan defaults

Heavy Metals Concentration in Effluents of Textile Industry, Tikur Wuha River and Milk of Cows Watering on this Water Source, Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia

Textile industries contribute immensely to surface water deterioration and are categorized among the most polluting in all industrial sectors. For this reason, the heavy metals profiles of Hawassa Textile effluent along with Tikur Wuha River and their accumulation in milk samples collected from cows watered in this water source was assessed in Chafe and Dato Villages, Southern Ethiopia. In the present study, water samples were collected from the textile factory treatment ponds and Tikur Wuha River at different sampling site. Similarly, fresh milk samples were collected from 15 cows watered in textile treatment pond water and Tikur Wuha River, Chafe and 15 cows from Dato, relatively far from textile industry. Metal levels in both water and milk samples were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer after wet digestion. The result shows the mean concentrations in water samples collected from site S1, S2, S3 and S4 to be 0.72, 0.652, 0.121 and 0.12mg/L respectively for lead metal, 0.135, 0.05, 0.124 and 0.132mg/L for nickel, 0.023, 0.01, 0.014 and 0.02mg/L for cadmium. The results further indicated that the mean concentrations of Pb, Ni, Cd and Cr in milk samples collected from Chafe were 0.8, 1.6, 0.2 and 0.2mg/L respectively while in samples from Dato village to be 0.4, 1.4, 0.1 and 0.8mg/L in the same order. It was therefore implicated that textile effluent entering Tikur Wuha River could cause toxic effects on consumers through food chain like via milk consumption and decreases livestock productivity consuming this water source and grazed around this area. It could also cause toxic effects on aquatic species of the river. It was emphasized that using the water for irrigation and water source for livestock in its present state is unsafe. Keywords: Heavy metals, milk, water, permissible limit

Value Chain Analysis of Fruits for Debub Bench Woreda, Bench Maji Zone

This study was aimed at analyzing value chain of fruits in Debub Bench woreda, Bench Maji zone with specific objectives of describing important marketing channels and actors involved on fruit value chain, identifying the upgrading strategies in fruit value chain, analyzing the governance structure in the fruit value chain, analyzing the value addition and distribution between the different actors, and identify constraints in value chain of the fruit. This is due to fruits are highly perishable product and it is bulky and of relatively small individual value, and requires rapid, cost-efficient transportation to buyers and consumers. Its quality also deteriorates very rapidly and the ability to consistently provide high-quality products depends on the commitment of all players in the supply chain. The data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data for this study were collected from 182 farmers and 20 traders through application of appropriate statistical procedures. To analyze the collected data the Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 was used. Accordingly, the value chain activities in the survey period were production, marketing and consumption. It is also found out that fruits pass through several intermediaries with little value being added before reaching the end users. Therefore, farmers are forced to capture a lower share of profit margin. The highest marketing cost is incurred by wholesalers and the highest market profit is shared by retailers. The governance structure of fruits found in the woreda is hierarchical governance structure. The study result exhibited that fruits producers are faced low supply of fruits seed, low irrigation facility, lack of technical training, lack of credit access, low yield, On marketing side, storage problems, low price of fruits, price fluctuations, and trader give same price and no market. The value chain analysis revealed that the major actors in the Woreda are producers, local collectors, wholesalers, retailers and consumers. Five marketing channels are identified for banana, mango and papaya fruits. The findings of the study have important implication in upgrading the livelihood of smallholder producers, for agricultural research institutions, policy makers and researchers. Infrastructural development is a key to support the fruits sector. In this context, emphasis should be given to improved storage and transportation system, offering credit and other services to improve effective production and marketing of fruits

Effect of Feeding Mineral Soil Licks with Concentrates on Apparent Digestibility of Nutrients and Serum Mineral Concentration in Case of Doyogena Sheep

The study was carried out to study the effect of different mineral supplements with concentrate on dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fat (CF), neutral-detergent fiber (NDF) and acid-detergent fiber (NDF) in local sheep breed. Three treatment mineral supplements are local mineral soil bole, local mineral soil makaduwa and commercial mineral mix. Twenty four male yearling lambs were divided in to four groups of six animals based on their initial body weight in randomized complete block design. The treatments used were; without mineral supplements (MM), bole ad libitum (BM) and commercial mineral mix (CMM) in 50g/day/head were randomly assigned to each group. Apparent digestibility trail was carried out for 15 days after 21 day quarantine and 15 days acclimatization for experimental environment. Apparent digestibility of DM, OM and CP group of all treatments was significantly higher (P<0.001) than control group. Serum mineral concentration is within normal range for Ca, Mg, Cu and Zn for those fed mineral supplement than control group pointing to the need to identify the underlying causes for this difference and adaptation of sheep to mineral soil efficiency athwart the year Keywords: Mineral soil, Digestibility, Serum, Doyogena shee

Value Chain Analysis of Fruits for Debub Bench Woreda, Bench Maji Zone

This study was aimed at analyzing value chain of fruits in Debub Bench woreda, Bench Maji zone with specific objectives of describing important marketing channels and actors involved on fruit value chain, identifying the upgrading strategies in fruit value chain, analyzing the governance structure in the fruit value chain, analyzing the value addition and distribution between the different actors, and identify constraints in value chain of the fruit. This is due to fruits are highly perishable product and it is bulky and of relatively small individual value, and requires rapid, cost-efficient transportation to buyers and consumers. Its quality also deteriorates very rapidly and the ability to consistently provide high-quality products depends on the commitment of all players in the supply chain. The data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data for this study were collected from 182 farmers and 20 traders through application of appropriate statistical procedures. To analyze the collected data the Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 was used. Accordingly, the value chain activities in the survey period were production, marketing and consumption. It is also found out that fruits pass through several intermediaries with little value being added before reaching the end users. Therefore, farmers are forced to capture a lower share of profit margin. The highest marketing cost is incurred by wholesalers and the highest market profit is shared by retailers. The governance structure of fruits found in the woreda is hierarchical governance structure. The study result exhibited that fruits producers are faced low supply of fruits seed, low irrigation facility, lack of technical training, lack of credit access, low yield, On marketing side, storage problems, low price of fruits, price fluctuations, and trader give same price and no market. The value chain analysis revealed that the major actors in the Woreda are producers, local collectors, wholesalers, retailers and consumers. Five marketing channels are identified for banana, mango and papaya fruits. The findings of the study have important implication in upgrading the livelihood of smallholder producers, for agricultural research institutions, policy makers and researchers. Infrastructural development is a key to support the fruits sector. In this context, emphasis should be given to improved storage and transportation system, offering credit and other services to improve effective production and marketing of fruits. Key words Value chain analysis, Fruits, Bench Maji zone, Debub Bench woreda, Governance structure, Value addition, Upgradin

Postharvest Losses Assessment of Tropical Fruits in the Market Chain of North Western Ethiopia

Postharvest loss assessment of tropical fruits Avocado (Persia americana), Banana (Musa spp.), Guava (Psidium guajava), Mango (Managifera indica), Papaya (Carica papaya)   and Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) were surveyed using data collected from 180 fruit producers and 80 traders. The estimated postharvest loss of tropical fruits as replied by the producer ranged from 18% to 28 % and the highest postharvest handling loss occurred during harvesting followed by storage and then transportation and also a total loss from18% to 25 % was recorded at trader level and the postharvest handling loss during storage is higher than both transportation and marketing.  The highest postharvest loss was on Avocado, Tomato and Mango at producer level and March, April and May are the highest loss months of the year for these fruits. The loss at trader level was similar for all the six fruits studied. The major causes of postharvest losses of fruits at harvest as replied by the respondents are harvesting injury caused by dropping of fruits from tall height varieties, finger damage during harvesting, sun burning, harvesting container damage and harvesting immature fruits; At producers storage; mechanical injury, postharvest insects, diseases and physiological disorders; transportation media, sun burning, loading and unloading damage during transport and marketing.  At trader level the major loss contributing factors include mechanical damages, postharvest diseases, physiological disorders and postharvest insects accordingly at storage and overloading, loading and unloading damage, high temperature and sun burning at transportation and marketing. Thus, further research that can reduce postharvest loss of fruits, maintain fresh quality and enhance fruit processing need to be conducted. Keywords: Postharvest, Climacteric fruit, losses, Market chain, Fruit processing

Finding the Dimension Which Minimize Material Cost of Industrial Plastic Products in Ethiopia

The purpose of this study focused on identifying and verifying an effective and reliable dimension of plastic products for minimize the material cost. As the costs of manufacturing product decrease, the way that consumers interact with producers may change. To specify the best optimal dimension, two criteria’s, that has been done using numerical and graphical techniques, were in order to compare and contracts the cost of material. During estimation of non-linear system of equations MATLAB (R2015a) software are used. In many instances, the cost of producing a product using traditional methods exceeds that of mathematical optimization methods. The material cost difference between mathematical optimization and traditional method was presented graphically. Keywords: Mathematical cost optimization, material cost difference, products dimension DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/11-13-03 Publication date:July 31st 202

Farmer’s Preference and Effect of Feeding Selected Local Forages with Concentrate on the Dry Matter Intake and Weight Gain Performance of Bonga Sheep under Alarigeta Farmer’s Management

A study was conducted at Alarigeta kebele which is located in southwestern Ethiopia of Kaffa Zone, Adiyo woreda. In an effort to address feed problem, this study was carried out  with the objective of identifying farmers preference of local forages for sheep and evaluating the effect of feeding selected local forages on the dry matter intake and weight gain performance of Bonga sheep reared under farmers management. Group discussion was conducted to listing and ranking of the preferred plant species was done through a questionnaire that was administered through a reconnaissance survey. Thirty intact male yearling sheep were divided in to six groups of five sheep based on their initial body weight in randomized complete block design (RCBD). Treatments were consist of six different local forages selected by farmers in study area; T1 (Convolvulus kilimandschari Engl.), T2 (Commelina benghalensis L.), T3 (Basella alba L.), T4 (Brugmansia suaveolens Bercht.),T5(Bothriocline schimperi Olivo) and T6(Triumfetta tomentosa Boj.). A daily dry matter intake of T3 (4301 g/day) and T (4400 g/day) are significantly higher (P<0.05) than other groups. The greatest body weight of sheep was recorded in T3(9.6 kg) and T4 (9.4kg) as compared to other treatment groups (P<0.05). Keywords: Bonga sheep, Dry matter intake, local forage Convolvulus kilimandschari Engl, Commelina benghalensis L, Basella alba L, Brugmansia suaveolens Bercht, Bothriocline schimperi Olivo, Triumfetta tomentosa Bo