Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the forage production and farmers preference as livestock feed under farmer’s conditions in West Hararghe Zone of Oromia region, Ethiopia. Four improved Napier grass cultivars (ILRI cultivar number: 16801, 16800, 16798, and 16840) and local check were planted in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with six replications during the main cropping season of 2018/19. The dry matter (DM) yield, fresh biomass yield, plant height, leaf length and leaf-stem ratio and other agronomic data were measured at harvest. Farmers preference of the Napier grass cultivars as livestock feed was collected through visual and hand evaluation of the multiple ranking criteria of the cultivars based on phonological nature. The results shows that, ILRI cultivar no. 16800 was higher (P 3), as an indicator for livestock feed. From this study, it is concluded that Napier grass cultivars No. 16800, 16840 and 16801 were found promising in terms of agronomic traits, DM yield and fresh biomass yield than others during main rainy season (July to September) that needs further evaluation during dry season to demonstrated and popularized as an alternative feed resources under smallholder conditions in the study areas and other places of east and West Hararghe zones of Oromia region with similar climatic and edaphic conditions.
Highlights
Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa, about 59.5 million head of cattle, 30.7 million sheep, 30.2 million goats, 8.4 million donkeys, 2.03 million horses, 0.4 million mules, 1.2 million camels, 56.5 million poultry and 5.9 million beehives [9]
Livestock production in Ethiopia contributes about 45% agricultural output, 25% of total agricultural growth domestic product (GDP), 15 - 17% the overall growth domestic product (GDP), [4], above 21% of all the national growth domestic product (GDP), 34% and 32% milk and meat contribution at smallholder farmers level Shapiro et al [30] and about 80% used for traction to plough their fields [6]
Livestock has many roles in the household and national economy of the country, current contribution of this subsector is below its potential due to various technical and non-technical problems
Summary
Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa, about 59.5 million head of cattle, 30.7 million sheep, 30.2 million goats, 8.4 million donkeys, 2.03 million horses, 0.4 million mules, 1.2 million camels, 56.5 million poultry and 5.9 million beehives [9]. Livestock production in Ethiopia contributes about 45% agricultural output, 25% of total agricultural growth domestic product (GDP), 15 - 17% the overall growth domestic product (GDP), [4], above 21% of all the national growth domestic product (GDP), 34% and 32% milk and meat contribution at smallholder farmers level Shapiro et al [30] and about 80% used for traction to plough their fields [6]. Abdi et al [1] reported that inadequate supply of feed in both quantity and quality are a problem responsible for the low production of the livestock in West Hararghe. Fekede et al [12] and Fikadu and Asfaw [14] reported that livestock production reduced from time to time due to various factors like shortage of grazing land, drought, lack of improved animal breeds for all livestock type and grazing land conflict among tribes. Some of the constraints such as the frequent occurrence of drought, overpopulation, and cropland expansion account for the major causes of feed resource shortage in West Hararghe
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