Pre Scaling Up of Urea Molasses Block Technology to Fatten Arsi Oxen in West Arsi and East Shewa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Pre scaling up of urea molasses block fattening technology was undertaken in two kebeles of Adami Tulu Jido kombolcha and one kebele of Arsi Negele districts, Anano shisho,Desta Abjeta and Gembelto ,respective with the objectives  to convince the merits and increase confidence on the technologies, thereby to facilitate dissemination and adoption of the technology, to collect farmers’ opinion on the performance of the technology,to improve farmers’ knowledge and skill of application of the improved technology through training and to increase local capacity for future scaling-up or out of the technology. It was conducted on farm condition by using Urea molasses block as a supplement to Arsi oxen during the dry period (December-May).The block were made up of different ingredients such as Urea, wheat bran, Molasses, Cement, Mineral (boji), salt and noug cake .Those ingredients were purchased from local market. A total of forty two farmers and development agents (DAS) were getting practical training about the block manufacturing and method of feeding. Farmer training center (FTC) was used as sites of training and demonstration during technology was conducted. Thirty one oxen were used for this study from all selected kebeles. Biological and economic data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. The end result of the study revealed that daily weight gain of animal was 0.45 kilo gram per day with net return of 1173 Ethiopian birr per animal in ninety days. The result of the study shows that Urea molasses block improves body condition of animals, increase body weight gain and makes farmer profitable. Therefore, this technology should be further scaled up by stakeholder in area where at molasses and crop residues are available.

Keywords -Arsi oxen, crop residues, peasant association, pre scaling up and urea molasses block