Nutritional characterization of major feed resources under the current climate changing conditions in Lume District of East Shoa Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted in Lume district of the East Shoa Zone Oromai Region, Ethiopia, with the objective to assess the existing status of major feed resource and their chemical composition under the current climate changing and examine chemical composition. Eighteen (18) feed sample from grazing lands (protected communal (PC), protected private (PP) and unprotected communal (UnPC), and Twenty-four (24) major crop residues (CRs) were used for chemical composition analysis from different Rural kebeles. Out of 16 herbaceous species,Andropogonabysincus and Cynodondayctilon were the dominant grass species in Lume district. The mean DMY (ton ha-1) of grass obtained from PPGL (2.62) and PCGL (2.9) was significantly (P<0.001) higher than that from UnPCGL (1.5) in Lume district. The mean value of CP contents of CRs in Lume district ranged 3.99±0.13 for wheat straw (WS) to 5.9±0.40 for haricot bean straw (HCB). The NDF content of CRs ranges 68.89±0.89 for HCB to 74.6±1.15 for maize stover (MS) in Lume district. The ADF contents of CRs varied from teff straw (TS) (41.8±1.63) to HCB (56.04±1.04) in Lumedistrict.Generally, the nutritive values of the evaluated feed resources were lower than the minimum and should supplement with protein and energy source.The analysis of meteorological data of 30 years of study district indicated that; as temperature increase, the annual rainfall decrease and increases the rate of crop water use. This situation of climate change affects directly or indirectly the nutritive values and yields of crop, natural pasture, and production and productivity of livestock and it will suggested that to study the effects of climate on soil and animal feed nutrients.As grazing lands are shrinking from time to time-intensive pasture or forage development strategies especially in areas where dairy and fattening activities practiced should be a crucial.Effects of season and or environmental factors on species variability and productivity of forage and nutrient composition of available feed resource should be evaluated per five year.