CHARACTERIZATION OF PRODUCTION PRACTICES, ASSESSMENT OF VALUE CHAIN AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF ARSI-BALE SHEEP SUPPLEMENTED WITH DIFFERENT PROTEIN SOURCES

Abstract

mixed crop livestock production system was dominated by uncontrolled mating, but about 50% of the agro-pastoral employed variable practices of controlled mating. The sheep value chain analysis identified core functions of the sheep value chain (input supply, production, marketing, processing and consumption), market routes (Addis Ababa, Assela, Modjo, Adama and Methara), and market channels (Small traders, Big traders, Butchers and Hotels, and Consumers). About 75% and 72% share of the final price reach producers for hotel and butchers, respectively. Major market constraints include over tax, inconsistence supply of sheep, inhibition of live animal export due to disease and informal cross-border export. Dietary treatments for the 3rd study were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous. Treatments were ad libitum feeding of teff straw and supplemented with rations consisting of 36% noug seed cake + 22% maize +42% wheat bran (T1), 40% Linseed cake + 20% maize + 40% wheat bran (T2), 29% cotton seed cake (CSC)+ 24% maize + 47% wheat bran (T3) and 22% soybean cake+26% maize + 52% wheat bran (T4). The basal diet, total DM and OM intake and dressing percentage per metabolic body weight were higher (p<0.001) in T2 and T3 as compared to T4 and T1. NDF and ADF intake were declined (p<0.001) in the order of T3<T1<T2<T4. Crude protein intake was higher (p<0.001) in the order of T4>T2>T3>T1. There were no significant differences in final body weight (FBW), total weight gain (TWG) and average daily gain (ADG) among T2, T3 and T4 (Table 4), but T1 recorded lower values for all body weight traits. Sheep in T2 and T4 had higher (P<0.05) FCE than sheep in T1 and T3. Carcass characteristics measures showed that greater (p<0.001) slaughter, empty body, hot carcass weights and rib eye-muscle area and more (p<0.001) total non-edible offal components were recorded for T2, T3 and T4 than T1. In conclusion, the survey studies revealed the presence of diverse production and husbandry practices that are constrained by feed limitations, disease and parasite problems, recurrent drought, shortage of water and market, which need to be considered while designing and implementing sustainable sheep production improvement programs in both production systems. Results of the experimental study highlighted the need for supplementation of teff straw to Arsi-Bale sheep. The supplements considered in this study could be recommended in the order of: cotton seed cake > soybean cake >linseed cake > noug seed cake. Based on the results of the 3rd study the three protein sources (SBC, CSC and LSC) had a comparable nutritional xvi value. The 3rd study highlighted that CSC due to its effect of lowering production cost, to be a good input in buffering the increasing cost of production on relatively lower capital owning farmers. Therefore, CSC could be concluded that to serve as alternate supplement in teff straw based feeding of Arsi-Bale sheep