Abstract
In the current study area, livestock are an integral part of the mixed farming system, and play very important roles as sources of draught power, nutrition, cash income, employment and poverty alleviation. However, feed shortage, especially during the dry season, is the most important constraint to optimal productivity. This study aimed to investigate livestock feed resources and feeding practices, coping strategies with seasonal scarcity, and to identify major constraints to livestock production in a mixed farming system around the Gilgel Gibe catchment, southwest Ethiopia. Data were collected from 342 households using a structured questionnaire. The results showed natural pasture, crop residues, stubble grazing, and roadside grasses were the main feed resources, in that order. None of the respondents practiced improved forage cultivation due to insufficient land and lack of knowledge on forage production and utilization. Free grazing was the most predominant feeding system. Almost all respondents experienced dry season feed scarcity. Conserving crop residues and hay, purchasing roughages, reducing herd size and renting grazing land were the major coping strategies to feed scarcity. The farmers’ perceived major constraints to livestock production were feed shortage, animal diseases, and low productivity of local breeds. Institutional, technical and technological interventions are suggested to alleviate the constraints to livestock production in mixed crop-livestock systems in the study area and outside with similar settings.
Highlights
Agriculture remains the most predominant livelihood activity and source of income ofSub-Saharan African (SSA) rural households [1]
The results showed that government is the only provider of veterinary services; the farmers had to pay the prices of drugs as the case may arise
Mixed crop–livestock production was the dominant farming system in the study regions practiced for reducing livelihood risks, optimizing the use of limited resources, and diversifying income sources for more security in maintaining household livelihoods
Summary
Agriculture remains the most predominant livelihood activity and source of income of. Sub-Saharan African (SSA) rural households [1]. Livestock play multiple important roles for smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. They provide animal products for sale or consumption, including manure for crop production, used to invest and save capital, and play an important role in socio-cultural events [2]. 50% of cereals production [3]. East and Central Africa rely on mixed crop–livestock systems [2]. Agriculture is the backbone of Ethiopia’s economy and contributes about 34.1% to the domestic gross product (GDP), employs some 79% of the population, accounts for 79%
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