ASSSESSMENT OF AVIALABLE FEED RESOURECES, FEED MANAGMENT AND UTILIZATION PRACTICE IN DAWURO ZONE, LOMA DISTRCT, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

A study was conducted in Loma district in Dawuro Zone of South Nation Nationality People Region to assess the avialable feed resources, feed management and utilization practice. Primary and Secondary data sources and field observations, structured questionnaire and group discussions were employed to generate data. The study district was stratified into highland, midland and lowland agro ecology. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents. Atotal of 385 respondents (highland=110, midland=110 and lowland=165) were purposely selected based on those having minimum 3 livestock species and interviewed individually. The results indicated that both crop and livestock farming were the main farming activity in the study area. Shortage of feed and disease were the major livestock production constraints in all agro ecology of the area. The major feed resources available in dry season were crop residues , natural pasture , and crop after math, hay and fodder tree in the study area. During the wet season, majority of the respondents feed their animal natural pasture, fodder tree and crop residue crop after math and hay. Fodder tree was the dominanted feed next to natural pasture in both lowland and mid land agro ecology. Continuous grazing system was practiced highly in low land where as zero grazing (cut and carry) system were practice highland agro ecology. Indoor feeding was highly practiced in highland respondents compared with midland and lowland. Majority of respondents in lowland agro ecology had Common grazing land compared with other agro-ecology respondents.Crop residues and purchased concentrate feeds were used to alleviate feed shortage in all agro ecology of the study area. Majority of respondents could not produce, improved forage for their animals due to land shortage,shortage of rain fall and shortage of land were the main reason that affects production of improved forage in lowland and other agro ecology respectivily.The major crop residue used for livestock feeding in both midland and lowland were teff, maize and sorghum and also wheat and barley straw was the dominant crop residue in high land agro ecology. Most of the crop residue was stocking under the shed in the study area. Most highland and midland respondents stock crop residues in open air and stocked under the shed was used by lowland agro ecology respondents. Majority (69.6%) of respondents were utilizing crop residue for livestock feeding in the three agro ecologys. Only 19.2% of respondents were providing chopped crop residue for their animals. With lack of molasses all of the respondents were not treat crop residue in the study area. 26% of respondents in the study area were practice hay production. Spring water was the major sources of water in the highland and midland agro ecology whereas rivers are mainly used by the households of lowland agro ecology. Most of respondents were providing of water for the animal twice in a day with group and individually in the study area. Development and demonstration of improved forages that can be integrated with the dominant farming system, efficient conservation and utilization of crop residue via different treatment options and maximizing the productivity of available individual and communal grazing pasture land using proven improved technologies needs attention.