Availability, Utilization, and Chemical Composition of Barley (Hordeum Vulgar L.) Straw in Kofele District, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was carried out to identify available feed resources, with particular focus on barley straw, in Kofele district of West Arsi Zone in Oromia Regional State, southeastern Ethiopia. Information on utilization, feeding practices of barley straw and constraints limiting its use in two kebeles, namely Geremama and Guchi was assessed by interviewing 180 households based on accessibility and straw yields. In evaluating the nutritional values of barley straw, samples of five barley varieties, namely, Ebon, Traveler, Kulumsa, Excel, and Grace were considered. The annual estimated barley straw yield was 11.92 and 9.41 tons/ha in Germama and Guchi respectively. The amount used as animal feeds at Guchi kebele was about (83.48%)of the barley straw produced that was higher than that of Germama kebele 78.75%. Higher proportion of farmers from Guchi kebele utilized barley straw for economical purposes such as feed, as mulch and as the source of income more than that of Germama.Farmers at the study area had an average of 14.97 years of barley growing practices. The firest preference of households in study area to feed their livestock was barley staw compared with available straws of wheat and pulse with the index of 0.94 at Germama and 0.93 at Guchi kebele.The most use of barley straw was to Cattle feed. The most barley straw quality affecting factor at Germama kebele was rain during storage at the index of 0.85 and at Guchi was mold at the index of 0.75. Lack of awareness was the major constraint by all respondents in Germama and Guchi for the use of barley straw as animal feed. The dry matter (DM) contents of all barley straws were above 90%. Traveller variety of barley straw had the highest crude protein content (5.54%). Mean neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of all the varities was (73.19 %) and there was no significant diference(p=0.57) between varities.Mean In–vitro, organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of barley straw varities was(47.59%) and there was no significant diference between varitiea(p=0.69). In general,between barley straws used in the current study there was significant diference in CP ,Ash and ADL containts. Therefore, efficient utilization of barley straw in the study area necessitates for designing appropriate strategies to enhance the feeding value of the straw, along with awareness creation about the availability of the resource as feed.