Abstract:
t Inadequate quantity and quality of feed resources
are major constraints limiting milk production and reproductive performance of dairy cattle in Ethiopia. The aim of this
study was to assess dairy cattle feed resources, feeding practices, the farmers’ perceived ranking of feed resources, causes
of feed shortage, and coping strategies to feed scarcity in
smallholder dairy system in selected district towns of Jimma
Zone, Ethiopia. Data were obtained by interviewing 52 randomly selected smallholder dairy farmers using structured
questionnaires and through direct observations. Results
showed that 20 main feed types used by dairy farmers were
identified and categorized into natural pastures, crop residues,
green feeds, hay, agro-industrial by-products, concentrate
mix, and non-conventional feeds. Overall, natural pasture
(mean rank = 0.453), non-conventional feeds (0.307), cut
green feeds (0.086), conserved hay (0.076), crop residues
(0.049), and concentrate feeds (0.029) were ranked as the
main feed resources in decreasing order of importance.
Natural pasture grazing (92.2% of the respondents), hay
(35.6%), and green feeds (29.4%) were the most important
conventional basal feeds used. Wheat bran (11.7% of the respondents) followed by commercial concentrate mix (9.4%),
Noug seedcake (8.3%), grain (7.8%), and molasses (6.1%)
were the concentrate supplements used. Overall, bulule-flour
mill leftovers (67.2% of the farmers), bean and pea hulls
(57.2%) and atella-local brew by-product (37.2%), enset
(Ensete ventricosum, 34.4%), and sugarcane top (32.2%) were
the non-conventional feeds available and used during feed
scarcity. Barley and teff (Eragrostis teff) straws and maize
and sorghum stovers were the main crop residues used in the
dry seasons. Overall, 73.9, 12.2, 12.2, and 1.7% of the respondents practiced free grazing, zero grazing, semi-zero, and a
combination of zero- and free-grazing systems, respectively.
Over 84% of the respondents in the dry season and 50% in the
wet season reported experiencing a shortage of feeds. Poor
feed availability (73.9% of the respondents) was reported as
the main causes of feed shortage followed by shortage of
pastureland (7.8%). Increased use of bulule (55.6% of the
respondents), crop residues (16.1%), non-conventional feed
resources (14.4%), conserved hay (11.1%), purchased green
feeds and concentrates (1.1%), and reducing herd size (1.1%)
were the farmers’ adopted coping strategies to mitigate feed
shortage. It is suggested that technical intervention to improve
the quality and efficient utilization of the existing feed resources is crucial to enable sustainable feed supply and boost
milk production. Technologies that are easy to adopt, feasible,
and low cost are also needed to be developed in participatory
manner
