IDENTIFICATION AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE ASSESSMENT OF MAJOR BROWSE SPECIES AS LIVESTOCK FEED IN KURFA CHELE DISTRICT OF EAST HARARGHE ZONE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

A study was conducted in Kurfa Chele District of East Hararghe Zone with the objective of identifying major browse species as livestock feed and evaluate their herbage biomass yield, chemical composition and IVDMD in wet and dry season. Six rural Kebeles were purposively selected for the study. A total of 90 farmers, 15 from each rural Kebeles were randomly selected as respondents. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Survey data were analyzed by SPSS software, while data obtained from laboratory were analyzed by the General Linear Model (GLM) of SAS software. Major cereal crops grown in the study area includes sorghum, maize, wheat, barley and beans. Vegetables like onion and pepper, and fruits like banana and papaya were grown in limited amounts in some parts of the study area. Cash crops like Khat (Catha edulis) and coffee are grown as cash crop. Livestock species including cattle, goat, sheep and donkey were kept for the purposes of draught power, source of cash income and to provide manure. Average livestock holding per household were cattle 4.66±0.016, goat 5.03±0.0153, sheep 2.80±0.041, and donkey 1.17±0.035. Shortage of feed (86.7%) especially during dry season was the major constraint of livestock production followed by health problem (74.6%), poor breed (60.0%) and scarcity of water (52.4%). Livestock feed resource includes natural pasture, crop residue, crop aftermath, sorghum and maize seedling, browse fodder and agro-industrial byproduct. Thirteen indigenous browse species used as livestock feed resource were identified. The top 5 were selected for evaluation of potential herbage biomass yield, analysis of chemical composition and IVDMD. The herbage biomass yield ranged from 1388 Kg DM/Plant to 102 Kg DM/Plant and which was significantly different (P<0.05) among species. Chemical composition except DM was significantly (P<0.05) different among species and season. The higher Ash, NDF, ADF, ADL and the lower CP was observed in dry season, the opposite was observed in wet season. IVDMD were significantly (P<0.05) different between species and season. The IVDMD value during wet season with in the ranged 63.92%DM to 46.23%DM while during dry season it ranged 56.84%DM to 39.43%DM. The nutritive values of the selected browse species like Cordia africana and Grewia bicolour were indicators of a good quality forage and thus can be used as alternative protein and mineral source supplement to poor quality roughage feeds like crop residues to improve the nutritive value of the entire feed. Therefore, farmers can be advised to grow such browse species as potential livestock feed resource and properly manage to alleviate shortage of feed and thereby improve livestock performance. Further animal feeding experiment like in-sacco DMD and anti-nutritional factor should be recommended on the selected browse species to verify their nutritive values and importance.