Ecological Assessment of Lake Hora, Ethiopia, Using Benthic and Weed-bed Fauna

Urbanization and human settlement in close proximity to the Ethiopian lakes are among the potential causes of changes in water quality and quantity. The drastic changes occurred into one of the Bishoftu crater lakes (Kilole) best exemplify this phenomenon. The purpose of this study was ecological assessment of Lake Hora using benthic and weed-bed fauna. Samples of benthic and weed-bed were collected monthly from September 2009 to March 2010 at 3 sampling stations (A, B, C), with a standard Ekman grab. Station A is in front of Ras Hotel, Station B is place of Irecha and station C was to the south crater of the lake. The benthic and weed-bed fauna of Lake Hora included a total of 6958 individuals within 27 taxa belonging principally to Copepod (2812) and Chironomidae (1460) and Ecdyonuridae (735). A high number of organisms were observed mainly at stations B and A (3198 and 2342respectively). The correlation result indicates that oxygen showed strong relation to benthic and weed bed fauna distribution and abundance. There were high number of individuals, taxa diversity, evenness and grate number of rare taxa of benthic and weed-bed fauna at stations A and B, but these stations were affected by the community around the lake area for different reasons (for example washing clothes, boat parking and others).However low density and abundance of macroinvertabrates at station C could be due to: low organic matter load at station C which was free of human interactions; steeply slope geographical setting of the profoundly and its catchment and low vegetation cover. The Family Biotic Index result for all the sampling stations was 7.55, according to Hilsenhoff Family Biotic Index this value is indicating likely severe organic pollution and very poor water quality in all sampling sites. As this research finding indicates Lake Hora needs protection management strategies to maintain its sustainable use.Keywords: Benthic Fauna, Ethiopia, Lake Hora, Specimens, Weed-be

Intensification of livestock feed production in Ethiopian highlands: Potential and experiences of the African Highlands Initiative

Livestock production is an essential part of subsistence systems in the Ethiopian highlands. In this paper we are reviewing the role of existing feed resources, and the potential for improving feed systems and intensification pathways in an integrated way

Assessment of forage production, feed resource utilization and substitution effect of oat-vetch forage for concentrate mix on performance of sheep fed desho grass as a basal diet in Damote Gale District of Wolaita Zone, SNNPR

This study was comprised of field survey and animal performance evaluation. Questioner based survey was conducted in project intervention and non-intervention sites where a total of 160 households participated with objective of assessing the status of improved forage production, feed resource utilization and forage seed and feed marketing in Damot Gale district. Growth and digestion experiments were conducted on 32 yearling ram lambs with mean body weight of 21.08±2.29 kg using RCBD to evaluating the substitution effect of oat-vetch forage for concentrate mix on performance of sheep fed desho grass as a basal diet. The supplementary feed treatments used over the basal diet in the study were T1 (300 g concentrate), T2 (200 g concentrate + 100 g Oat-vetch hay), T3 (100 g concentrate + 200 g oat-vetch hay) and T4 (300 g oat-vetch hay). Feed intake and body weight gain were collected during the 75 feeding days and fecal output data during 7 days of digestion trial. Mean family size (6.56), land holding (0.64) and livestock holding (3.73TLU) were discovered by the field survey. The major feed resource were desho grass (index=0.22), Crop residue (index=0.21) and grazing (index=0.21). Desho grass split was the only marketable forage planting material. Feed shortage was the primary problem (index=0.33) for livestock production. Desho and elephant grass were the dominant forage species adopted in the area. The DM intake under T1 and T2 were similar (P>0.05) but higher (P<0.05) than T3 and T4, and that of T3 was higher (p<0.05) than T4. OM, CP and ME intake were highest (P<0.05) in sheep fed T1 followed by T2 which was higher (P<0.05) than T3 and T4. T4 had lower (P<0.05) OM, CP and ME intake. T2 had highest (P<0.05) DM, OM, and NDF digestibility.. T3 had higher (P<0.05) DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF digestibility than T1 and T4. T2 had highest (P<0.05) ADG and FCE. For 1.0 Birr investment in sheep production, Birr 3.54 and 1.45 could be obtained in T3 and T2 respectively. Hence, sheep feeding on desho grass supplemented with 100g concentrate mix and 200g oat-vetch mixed forage is a profitable business at on-farm

Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among urban dwellers in southwest Ethiopia

No Abstract. The Ethiopian Journal of Health Development Vol. 21 (1) 2007: pp. 12-1