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Volume 6 • Issue 2 • 1000269
J Fisheries Livest Prod, an open access journal
ISSN: 2332-2608
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ISSN: 2332-2608
Hidosa and Tesfaye, J Fisheries Livest Prod 2018, 6:2
DOI: 10.4172/2332-2608.1000269
Research Article Open Access
Journal of Fisheries &
Livestock Production
*Corresponding author: Hidosa D, Departments of Livestock Research, Jinka
Agricultural Research Center, Jinka, Ethiopia, Tel: +251 46 775 0881; E-mail:
denbelahidosa@gmail.com
Received March 20, 2018; Accepted April 30, 2018; Published May 05, 2018
Citation: Hidosa D, Tesfaye Y (2018) Assessment Study on Livestock Feed
Resource, Feed Availability and Production Constraints in Maale Woreda in South
Omo Zone. J Fisheries Livest Prod 6: 269. doi: 10.4172/2332-2608.1000269
Copyright: © 2018 Hidosa D, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and
source are credited.
Keywords: Agro pastoralists; Feed resource; Feed availability, Feed
constraints
Introduction
Ethiopia is home, excluding some non-sedentary area of country
such as pastoral areas of Afar and Somali regions, to approximately
56.71 million of cattle, 29.33 million of sheep, 29.11 million of goats, 1.16
million of camels, 56.87 million of chickens, and 2.03 million of horses
7.43 million of donkey and 0.40 million of mules [1]. e livestock have
served for rural communities as sources of food, traction, manure, raw
materials, investment, cash income and social and cultural identity
[1]. Despite of these merit functions, the productivity has generated
from the livestock is in generally low [2] due to both socio-economic
and technical limitations [3]. Among the technical constraints,
shortage of feed is the major one that contributed to low productivity
performance in Ethiopia [4]. In to the study area, in general, South
Omo, livestock production system is entirely having depended on
the feed from range forages [5]. However, the productivity generated
from these feed resource is under extensive deterioration along with
ever-increasing deforestation for agriculture, fuel wood gathering and
recurrent drought [5,6]. is is recalls that the research approach may
need to focus on those areas due to currently, the information’s are
lacking mainly on livestock feed resource availability, feed productions,
feed utilization and feed production constraints. Furthermore,
understanding the existing situation regarding to the feed production
status, feed production constraints and opportunities in the study
area is one of the appealing strategies in order to call policy makers,
pastoralists and other relevant stake holders in order to diagnose
the problems and suggests interventional measures to alleviate the
problems. erefore, this study was designed to assess feed resource,
feed resource availability and feed production constraints (Table 1).
e Study Methodologies
Descriptions of the study area
Maale Woreda is one of the eight Woreda located in South Omo
Zone which covers an area of 1,432 square kilo meters. e altitude of the
Woreda ranges between 600-1500 m above sea level and astronomical
located at 5.08N-6.01N attitudinally and 36.30E-370E longitudinally.
It had comprised 40% mid-altitude which ranging from 1000-1400 m
a.s.l and whereas, 60% is low lands which has been ranging from the
605-999 m a.s.l. e mean annual rainfall which ranging from 800-
1200 mm with mean annual temperature has lain between 18-35°C.
e agro-pastoral production is the farming system has prevailed in
the study area for the last four decades. e male Woreda have 363,291
cattle, 82,916 sheep, 462,280 goats, 226,904 poultry, 12,256 equines
and 2870 donkeys [7-9].
Abstract
The study was carried out in Maale Woreda, in South Western Ethiopia aimed to assess feed resource, feed
resource availability and feed production constraints. Six Kebeles per Woreda were selected and one focus group
discussion which comprised 12 pastoralists per kebele were identied and interviewed. For the key informants’
interview, two livestock production experts from Woreda Livestock and Fisher Resource development Ofce and six
livestock developmental agents from representative kebeles were interviewed. The focus group discussion and key
informants interview was used to collect primary data on feed resource, feed resource availability, feed conservation
practices and feed resources utilization and major livestock feed constraints. The study results shown that grass from
the open grazing land, indigenous browse species and crop residues were major feed resources for the livestock in
to study area. The open grazing land had poorly managed and the biomass productivity generated from open grazing
land has been retreated. The major livestock feeding system was free grazing and Agro pastoral communities had
no trends of conserved feed and provided concentrate supplements to the livestock. There were lack of low quality
feed improvement and trends of growing the cultivated fodder species production practices. The 83,783.60 tons of
dry matter was produced from different feed resources in the Maale Woreda with decit of 623,333.40 tons of dry
matter per year. The climate change, expansion of cropping land, increments in human populations, lack of inputs
and training were identied as livestock feed production constraints in to study area. The migration, supplementations
and purchasing available feed were important coping strategies toward feed shortage in to study area. Generally, the
results from this study demonstrated that the total dry matter produced from different feed resources in to the study
area was not enough to satisfy the dry matter requirement of livestock to support the protable livestock production
in to the study area, which suggest that the primary focus needs to be improving the existing feed resources through
rehabilitation of degraded grazing areas, introduction adaptable fodder production, improving feed utilization practices
and introduce and promote the crop residue feed improvement technologies.
Assessment Study on Livestock Feed Resource, Feed Availability and
Production Constraints in Maale Woreda in South Omo Zone
Hidosa D1* and Tesfaye Y2
1Departments of Livestock Research, Jinka Agricultural Research Center, Jinka, Ethiopia
2Department of Socio Economic Research, Jinka Agricultural Research Center, Jinka, Ethiopia
Volume 6 • Issue 2 • 1000269
J Fisheries Livest Prod, an open access journal
ISSN: 2332-2608
Citation: Hidosa D, Tesfaye Y (2018) Assessment Study on Livestock Feed Resource, Feed Availability and Production Constraints in Maale Woreda
in South Omo Zone. J Fisheries Livest Prod 6: 269. doi: 10.4172/2332-2608.1000269
Page 2 of 5
Key informant interviews
Pertaining to key informant’s interview, 14 key informants
(Two livestock production experts from Woreda and 12 livestock
developmental agents from interviewed kebeles were identied and
interviewed. e livestock feed resource, livestock feed resource
availability, major livestock feed constraints, opportunities for livestock
feed production existed in to the area, feed shortage mitigation
strategies, new livestock feed technologies, adoption and dissemination
rate of new feed technologies by pastoral communities, alternative
livestock feed and extension services on livestock feed production to
pastoral communities were also an important issues that had been
discussed during the discussions with key informants in study Woreda.
Field observations
e eld observation was made by the researchers to enrich the data
about livestock feed available and communal grazing land conditions
and management of communal grazing land were monitored and
observed during their eld data collections.
Methods of Data Analysis
e qualitative information gathered from focus group discussions
on livestock feed were triangulated and analyzed. Furthermore, during
focus group discussions, proportional pilling method was used by using
piles of local materials such as stones and seeds in order to represents
the percentage shares of major livestock feed and Bar graphs used to
presented the proportional shares.
Result and Discussions
Major livestock feed resource
Agro pastoralists that the natural pasture, crop residues and
browsing species are the major livestock feed resource in to the
study area reported. e crop residues come from maize stover,
sorghum straw; te straw and nger millet stover. Furthermore, agro
pastoralists and key informants reported that Banana leaf, Banana
stem, Pumpkin and locally produced brewery called atella are also
alternative feed resource has used in to area as supplementary feed
resource for fattening purpose. Agro pastoralists ranked 45%, 32% and
21% of major livestock feed were come from the open grazing land,
crop residues and indigenous browse species respectively. In support
to present study, the study [5] in pastoral areas of Bena-Tsemay, had
shown that 80-90% major feed resources for livestock feeding was
comes from open communal grazing land. Moreover, the crop residues
have been used as the second major feed resources in to study area.
e study [11] indicated that the crop residues contributed major feed
resource next to communal grazing area which similar to idea reported
by agro pastoralists from the current study. e indigenous browse
species have donated the valuable tons of dry matter in to the study
area as being major feed resources during dry seasons. In support with
present results, the study made in Dassench Woreda [6] had shown
that the most of the Dassech pastoralists have been utilized browse
species as important feed resource next to natural pastures during dry
seasons (Figure 1).
Feed resource availability
During the focus group discussion and key informants interview,
respondents reported that there was occurrence of feed shortage for the
last 5 years. According to the respondents frequent climate variability,
deterioration in grazing land due to over grazing, expansion of farming
land and increments in human and livestock population are a major
identied shocks that has laid low availability feed to their livestock.
Study design and data collection methods
e focus group discussion (FGD), key informants interview
and eld observations were used to collect the primary data on feed
resource, feed resource availability, feed and production constraints.
Pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, local leaders, administrators, livestock
production experts and livestock extension workers were used as source
for primary data collection in this study. Moreover, the researchers also
had observed the conditions of communal grazing land in to the study
area during their eld data collection periods in to study area. e
secondary data on livestock population, feed resource and feed resource
availability were collected from Woreda Livestock and Fisher Resource
development Oce. Secondary data on annual and perennial crops
and the amount of crop residues in the selected area was also collected
from which the amount of crop residues that are used as a source of
animal feed were estimated using established conversion factors [7].
e quantity of feed DM obtained annually from dierent land use
type was determined by multiplying the hectare under each land use
type according to the recommendation of by using the conversion
factor of 2.0, 3.0, 1.8 and 0.7 t DM/ha/year were used for communal
grazing land, private grazing land, fallow land and indigenous browse
respectively. e livestock population per household was converted
to tropical livestock unit (TLU) [9] for local breed livestock. e DM
requirement was calculated based on daily DM requirement of 250 kg
(an equivalent of one TLU) for maintenance [10] recommendations for
tropical cattle (Table 2).
Focus group discussion (FGD)
Six kebeles such as Boshikoro, Woyiynsa, Tikiboko, Lemo kalendo,
Gudo and Ganto were selected in consultation with Woredas’ Livestock
and Fisher Resource Oce and BRACED project, Farm Africa of Jinka
Coordination Oce for focus group discussion. One focus group
discussions which was consisted twelve pastoralists (8 Men and 4
Women) was held at each study kebele and totally 72 pastoralists who
have better experience in livestock and feed production were selected
and interviewed. e livestock feed resource, feed resource availability,
feed conservation practice, feed conservation methods, livestock feed
resources utilization, major livestock feed constraints and opportunities
for livestock feed production existed in to the area and feed shortage
mitigation strategies were an important issues discussed during the
focus group discussions.
Grazing Land Area covered
in (ha)
Productivity t/ha Total dry matter
production
(in tons)
Private 4,948.00 3 14,844
Open grazing 15,938 2 31,876
Road Side 2948 2 5,896.00
Fallow Land 1939 1.8 3,490.20
Total Land Covered 25,773.00 - 56,106.20
Table 1: Total grazing land (ha) and estimated tons of dry matter from different
grazing land in Maale Woreda.
Crop Species Area (ha) Total DM (tons)
Maize 7,840.7 15,681
Sorghum 4,147.60 10,369
Teff 200 300
Haricot Bean 500 600
Finger Millet 193 482.5
Banana leaf 98 245
Total 12,979 27,677.40
Table 2: Total cropped land (ha) and estimated tons of DM from major crops in
Maale Woreda.
Volume 6 • Issue 2 • 1000269
J Fisheries Livest Prod, an open access journal
ISSN: 2332-2608
Citation: Hidosa D, Tesfaye Y (2018) Assessment Study on Livestock Feed Resource, Feed Availability and Production Constraints in Maale Woreda
in South Omo Zone. J Fisheries Livest Prod 6: 269. doi: 10.4172/2332-2608.1000269
Page 3 of 5
Furthermore, elders were reported that the shortages of livestock
feeds are more serious during the dry seasons which have started from
November to end in March. In supports to ndings from the current
study, the studies made from Ethiopian [5,12] indicated that the quality
and quantity of the available livestock feed resources had declined
drastically during the dry seasons due to frequent drought occurrences.
Furthermore, the conversion of communal grazing area in to cropping
farm also another hindering factor that leads the low feed availability
to the livestock feed is increments in human populations. Similar
research funding [13] conrmed that the conversion of grazing land in
to cropping land in Southern Ethiopia rangelands had a major impact
on increased forage scarcity during dry seasons.
Feed conservation and feeding practices
According to focus group discussions with elders regards to feed
conservation technologies, respondents replied that there are no any
feed conservation technologies in to the area when livestock feed
production is surplus. However, there is only trend of collection and
storages of crop residues aer grain harvesting for further use as basal
diet. is is due to lack of awareness and shortage of land to produce
the sucient feed to conserve. Regards to the feeding practices,
elders revealed that majority of agro pastoral communities had no
supplemented their livestock with supplements due to poor awareness
and lack of availability of modern inputs like commercial concentrate
in to study area. However, in some area the model agro pastoralists have
been traditionally fatten their indigenous cattle with locally available
feeds such as pumpkin aer grazing for six months. e research facts
[14-16] have demonstrated that Hamer and Dassench pastoralists do
not supply concentrate supplements to livestock which is in line with
ndings from the current study.
Feed quality improvement practices
With regard to feed quality improvement practices, the elders from
group discussions reported that the majority of communities in to the
study area have not used low quality feed improvement technologies
in order to enhance the low quality feed. However, some elders had
reported that some agro pastoralist communities have started quality
improvement techniques such as chopping, soaking with water and
cooking maize stover for 5 minutes during critical feed shortage seasons.
e lack of low quality improvement technologies in to study area is
due to having large number of livestock which made them impractical
to feed their livestock and lack of awareness toward the technologies.
Improvements low quality feed are imperative to improve feed intake
and digestibility of dry matter. As results of this study report had
indicated that generally low quality feed improvement practices are not
commonly utilized by the small holder farmers in Ethiopia due to lack
of awareness, skill gap and lack of inputs [15,16].
Improved forage production practices
During the focus group discussions, the elders reported that
majority of agro pastoral communities have no trends of growing
improved forage species. is is due to shortages of land, lack of
knowledge, lack of forage seeds, cuttings and splitting. However, in
to the study area, some agro pastoral communities has been starting
growing of improved forage species such as Rhodes, Elephant and
Sudan grass species on their backyard, around their boarder area
and on their farmland and have provided as supplements. According
to them, inputs like forage a seed provision has carried out by the
dierent non-governmental organizations. For example Farm Africa,
Jinka Branch had provided Elephant grass cutting, Sudan grass, Rhodes
grass and Cowpea seeds for Boshkoro kebele and also the established
improved forage development site for demonstration of technologies
by organizing agro pastoralists in to cooperatives. Mekoya et al. [17]
reported that improved forage species are not well developed under
the present Ethiopian conditions which are agreed with present study.
Moreover, the contribution of improved forage crops to livestock
supply in Ethiopia less than one percent which calls for further
eorts from governments, research institutes and non-governmental
organization in promotions of developing improved forage species
through lling awareness gap and input provisions [1].
Dry Matter Production and Feed Nalance
Dry matter from grazing land
According to Livestock and Fisher Resource Development oce
(2016) report indicated that around 25,773 ha of the area land is
covered by grazing land. From this area of land, the higher tons of dry
matter (31,876) are produced from open grazing land and whereas,
approximately the lowest tons of dry matter (3,490) feed is produced
from fallow land. Adapted from Livestock and Fisher Oce of Maale
Woreda.
Dry Matter from crop residues
According to the Crop and Natural Resource oce of Maale
Woreda (2016) reports had demonstrated that 12,979.30 ha of land
which covered by the cropping land. e agro pastoral communities in
to study area currently has been produced crop residues from maize,
te, haricot bean, nger millet and sorghum. e crop residues are the
second dominant feed resource in Maale Woreda next to open grazing
land with supply of 27,677.40 tons of dry matter to feed livestock.
Adapted from Crop and Natural Resource Oce of Maale Woreda
Feed balance
e open grazing land, private grazing land, indigenous browse
and crop residues were used to calculate feed supply for livestock in to
the study area. e total of 83,783.60 tons of dry matter per year was
produced (Table 3).
Based on 2015/2016 Fisher Resource oce livestock population
data Maale Woreda had on average 308,823.30 Tropical Livestock
Unit (TLU) which comprised (254,303.70 cattle, 8,291.60 sheep and
46,228 goats) in Table 4. Assuming that dry matter requirement for
maintenance of one TLU is 6.25 kg/day (2.28 ton/year/TLU) and the
total yearly requirement by the dominant livestock species (cattle, sheep
and goats) is about 704,117 tons of dry matter per year per Woreda
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
45 34 21
Figure 1: Major livestock feed resource in Maale Woreda.
Volume 6 • Issue 2 • 1000269
J Fisheries Livest Prod, an open access journal
ISSN: 2332-2608
Citation: Hidosa D, Tesfaye Y (2018) Assessment Study on Livestock Feed Resource, Feed Availability and Production Constraints in Maale Woreda
in South Omo Zone. J Fisheries Livest Prod 6: 269. doi: 10.4172/2332-2608.1000269
Page 4 of 5
Shawn in Table 4. As it had been calculated the total DM produced in
the Woreda from dierent feed resource is 83,783.60 tons in Table 3
which has been showing that a decit of 623,333.40 tons of dry matter
per year per Woreda. In generally, the feed balance data shown that
the dry matter produced in to the study area per year is imbalanced
with the minimum maintenance requirements of dominant livestock
species. is is further recalled that there is need to introduce the feed
improvement interventions in to the study area in order to save the
livestock.
Livestock feed production constraints
Climate variability: e climate change is one of the non-technical
livestock feed production constraints in to the study area which has
been aected livestock production through induce decline in pasture
availability. Agro pastoralists and experts reported that before last 10
years back there is surplus feed production due to sucient rainfall
with normal distribution and however, in this century, communities
have been faced shortage of livestock feed in to study area due to greater
variability in rainfall patterns. e pasture availability from the grazing
land is currently expected to decline due to climate change an induced
eect which corresponds to reports from the current study [18].
Expansion of cropping land: e expansion of the cropping land
was another factor that reported by the communities in to the study
area. e expansion of cropping land had put pressure on grazing land
by facilitating the shrinkage in grazing and damaging water sources.
is conversation of grazing area in to cropping land in to study area
is due to the increases human populations at alarm rate and this forced
to cultivate land to provide food to the family. In support to results
from the current study, the study [19] shown that currently shortage of
grazing land has occurred small holder communities due to expansion
of crop lands.
Lack of inputs: Agro pastoral communities in to the study area
reported that absence of any agricultural inputs which will be promoted
feed production such as forage seed, cutting and splitting materials are
identied as an important livestock feed constraints that increase the
livestock feed scarcity in to the area.
Coping Mechanism to Ward Livestock Feed Shortage
Supplementation with locally available feeds: Agro pastoral
communities in study area have supplemented cattle such as farm
oxen, milking cows and calves with locally available materials such
dierent leaf of indigenous species, Banana stems and leaf, pumpkins
and locally produced brewery called atella. study made from the South
Omo demonstrated that pastoralist in dierent parts of South Omo
supplementing their livestock such as lactating cow, sick animals,
kids and lambs with grasses, leaves of and pods of browse species as
coping strategies toward the feed shortage during dry seasons as coping
mechanism to ward feed shortage [5,6,14].
Utilization of crop residues: Agro pastoral communities have
developed trends of collecting the crop residues from maize stover,
te straw, sorghum straw, haricot bean haulms and nger millet stover
and stored for the further used to mitigated critical feed shortage by
provided either mixed each other or presented lonely as basal diets to
animals.
Migrations: Agro pastoralists’ communities have practiced
herd mobility as coping strategies toward the feed shortage. e
communities had reported that they have trends of moving their
cattle to the area where surplus pasture available such as Daramalo in
Gamgofa zone and Maze Park and back to their home when the pasture
conditions will be secured. e study [5] indicated the Hamer and Bena
pastoralist have mobilized their cattle toward the Mago Park during
the recurrent drought and deterioration of grazing lands Moreover,
Worku and Nigatu report indicated that pastoralists from Dassench
communities mobilized their livestock toward the Island (Desset) as
coping mechanism toward the feed shortage to the area during the
frequent drought occurrences.
Purchasing livestock feeds: Agro pastoralists and experts had
reported that in to the study area, the communities purchased livestock
feeds such as grass hay, straws and maize grain in order to save their
cattle populations during critical feed shortage from the local market.
For example they reported that during the 2015/20016 drought
occurrence due to Elino eect, agro pastoralists had purchased one
bale of grass hay and Te straw by the 80-160 ETB from the Senegal
kebele of South Ari Woreda. e study [16] demonstrated that small
holder farmers in Lemo and Soro woreda have trends of purchasing the
locally available supplementary feeds during the dry seasons as coping
strategies toward the feed shortage which corresponds to ndings from
the current study.
Conclusions and Recommendations
e open communal grazing land, indigenous browse species
and crop residues are major feed resources in to the study area. e
productivity generated from this open communal grazing area has been
retreated. ere were lack of low quality feed improvement and trends
of growing the cultivated fodder production strategies in to the study
area. e total dry matter produced from dierent feed resources in to
the study area was not enough to satisfy the dry matter requirement
of livestock. e climate change, expansion of cropping land, lack of
inputs were identied as livestock feed production constraints in to
study areas and whereas, migration, supplementations and stored the
crop residues were important coping strategies toward feed shortage.
Based results from the current study the following recommendation
were made.
A) e study described that the contribution of the open grazing
area is retreating from time to time and livestock may not fulll the dry
matter requirements. erefore, this is calls interventions that improve
the productivity of retreating grazing areas such as rehabilitations
of retreated grazing area through the introduction and promoting
area closures, over sown with locally adaptable legume forages and
fertilization with livestock dungs and droppings.
B) In this study it was indicated that there is no trends of growing
cultivated fodder species in to study area. erefore, it is recommended
Grazing Land Area (ha) Productivity t/ha Total DM (tons)
Private Grazing 4,948 3 14,844
Open Grazing 15,938 2 31,876
Road Side grazing 2,948 2 5,896.00
Fallow Land 1,939 1.8 3,490.20
Crop Residues 12,979 - 27,677.40
Total Land 38,752 - 83,783.60
Table 3: Total feed supply in Maale Woreda.
Livestock
Species
Livestock
population in TLU
DM requirement/h/year Total DM
(tons/year)
Cattle 2,54,303.70 2.28 579,812.44
Sheep 8,291.60 2.28 18,904.85
Goat 46,228 2.28 105,399.84
Total 308,823.30 - 704,117.10
Table 4: Annual dry matter requirement (tons) per livestock species in Maale
Woreda.
Volume 6 • Issue 2 • 1000269
J Fisheries Livest Prod, an open access journal
ISSN: 2332-2608
Citation: Hidosa D, Tesfaye Y (2018) Assessment Study on Livestock Feed Resource, Feed Availability and Production Constraints in Maale Woreda
in South Omo Zone. J Fisheries Livest Prod 6: 269. doi: 10.4172/2332-2608.1000269
Page 5 of 5
that the development and promotions of adaptable cultivated fodder
species is one appealing strategies.
C) To improve livestock feed supply by using dierent
interventions; it is also imperative in upgrading pastoralists’ skill through
the provisions of training on proper feed resource management, feed
conservation techniques and feed quality improvements techniques.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the Farm Africa, Building Resilience
and Adaptation to Climate Extremes and Disasters Project in South Omo Zone,
Coordination Ofce for nancial and Vehicle supports. Finally, authors also,
grateful acknowledged the Maale Woreda Livestock and Fisher Ofce Experts and
developmental agents for their supporting and providing secondary information.
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