Distribution Rate and Economic Importance of Forage Trees in Three Woreda (Abay Choman, Jimma Geneti and Jimma Rare) of Horro Guduru Wollega Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was carried out in three woreda (Abay Choman, Jimma Geneti and Jimma Rare) of Horro Guduru Wollega Zone of the Oromiya National Regional State. With the objectives of assessing the role of forage trees in nutritional requirement of livestock and economic importance of Forage trees in land holding capacity. The condition rating used for the herbaceous vegetation assessment was based on the herbaceous layer (grasses, legumes and other herbaceous species). The data collected from three woredas was summarized and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, 1996). Very few peoples have given attention to livestock fattening, dairy or others specifically rather 88.6% of the respondents said the populations of livestock were decreasing due to Reduction in grazing land, Animal disease and Feed shortage with 49.6%, 19.5% and 12.2% respectively. Natural factors (92.7%) contributed significantly for progressive reduction of livestock productivity. The introduction and integration of ruminant livestock feed in the study area were natural pasture (45.5%), Natural pasture and Crop residues (28.5%). From this point of view the 95.9% of the respondents of the study area were facing difficult of feeding animal during summer'' Ganna'' and autumn'' Bona'' with 26.8% and (73.2%) when quality and quantity of feed is low. Respondents (71.5%) were not using improved forage due to Lack of seed, Lack of money, Lack of land and Lack of concern (14.6%) and lack of seed (11.4%). Forage availed in the study area were 36.6%, 35.0%, which distributed well in moderate and high altitude in the study area. Woody trees are primarily used for fuel and occupy (20.3%) of energy need.

Keywords: feed, forage, land, animal