ASSESSMENT OF SMALL RUMINANT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND ON-FARM EVALUATION OF UREA TREATED WHEAT STRAW AND CONCENTRATE FEEDING ON SHEEP BODY WEIGHT CHANGE IN BURIE WOREDA, WEST GOJJAM M.Sc. Thesis YENESEW ABEBE January 2010 Haramaya University ASSESSMENT OF SMALL RUMINANT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND ON-FARM EVALUATION OF UREA TREATED WHEAT STRAW AND CONCENTRATE FEEDING ON SHEEP BODY WEIGHT CHANGE IN BURIE WOREDA, WEST GOJJAM A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Animal Sciences, School of Graduate Studies HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement of the Degree of Master of Science in Agriculture (ANIMAL NUTRITION) By Yenesew Abebe January 2010 Haramaya University ii School of Graduate Studies Haramaya University As Thesis Research advisor, I here by certify that I have read and evaluated this thesis prepared under my guidance, by Yenesew Abebe, entitled: Assessment of Small Ruminant Production Systems and On-farm Evaluation of Urea Treated Wheat Straw and Concentrate Feeding on Sheep Body Weight Change in Burie Woreda, West Gojjam . I recommend that it be submitted as fulfilling the thesis requirement. _____________________ __________________ ____________ Major Advisor Signature Date _____________________ __________________ ____________ Co-Advisor Signature Date As members of the Board of Examiners of the Msc thesis open defense examination, we certify that we have read, evaluated the thesis prepared by Yenesew Abebe and examined the candidate. We recommend that the thesis be accepted as fulfilling the Thesis requirement for the Degree of Master of Science in Agriculture ( Animal Nutrition ). ____________________ ____________________ _______________ Chairperson Signature Date ____________________ ____________________ _______________ Internal Examiner Signature Date ____________________ ____________________ _______________ External Examiner Signature Date iii Dedication I dedicate this thesis to my beloved parents: Abebe Desta and Shashie Ewenetu iv STATEMENT OF THE AUTHOR The author declares that this thesis work is his bonafide work and that all sources of materials used for this thesis have been duly acknowledged. This thesis have been submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for an advanced MSc degree at Haramaya University and deposited at the university library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the library. The author declares that this thesis is not submitted to any other institution anywhere for the award of any academic degree, diploma or certificate. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowed without special permission provided that accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the department of Animal Sciences or the Dean of school of Graduate Studies when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interest of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. Name: Yenesew Abebe Signature: ____________________ Place: Haramaya University, Haramaya Date of Submission: _____________________________________ v ABBREVIATIONS ADF Acid Detergent Fiber ADL Acid detergent lignin AUA Alemaya University of Agriculture ADG Average daily gain BOA Bureau of Agriculture BOARD Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development BOFED Bureau of Finance and Economic Development BW Body weight CP Crude protein DM Dry matter EARO Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization EE Ether extract EPLAUA Environmental Protection, Land Administration and Use Authority g Gram GNC Groundnut cake HH Household ID Identification number ILCA International Livestock centre for Africa ILRI International Livestock Research Institute IPMS Improving Productivity and Market Success of Ethiopian Farmers IVOMD In vitro organic matter digestibility kg Kilogram m Meter masl meters above sea level mg milligram ml milliliter OM Organic matter n Number of observation NDF Neutral Detergent Fiber NSC Noug seed cake vi ABBREVIATIONS ( Continued ) SD Standard deviation SPSS Statistical package for social sciences TDN Total digestible nutrients TLU Tropical livestock unit WB Wheat bran Wt Weight vii BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCK The author was born in 1974 in Gozemin woreda, East Gojjam zone, Amhara National Regional State. He attended his elementary, junior high school and senior secondary school in Debre Markos at Abema Elementary School, Tekele Haymanot Junior Secondary School and Debre Markos Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, respectively. After completing his secondary school education he joined the then Alemaya University of Agriculture (AUA) in September 1995 and graduated from the same university in Animal Sciences in BSc degree in July 1999. After graduation the author was employed by Delanta Dawent Woreda Agricultural Office, North Wollo Zone, as an expert and served there for 1 year. He was then employed by EARO (Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization) in 2001and served at Debre Zeit and Pawe Agricultural Research Centers as a Junior Researcher. The author then transferred to ARARI (Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute) in 2003 and joined Andassa Livestock Research Center as a Junior Researcher. The author served at Andassa Livestock Research Center for almost three years and he then joined Haramaya University in September 2006 to resume his MSc degree study in Animal nutrition. viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to thank ALRC (Andassa Livestock Research Center), ARARI (Amhara Regional Agricultural Research Institute) and ILRI-IPMS project for financing this study. Secondly, I would like to thank my advisors Dr Solomon Melaku and Dr Azage Tegegne for their contributions in reviewing as well as suggesting valuable comments and advices during the research proposal and the draft thesis writing process. I also thank Dr Eshetie Dejenie for his contribution at the planning stage of this study. I would like to express my gratitude to Ato Tekeba Eshetie (former ALRC Center manager) and Dr Yigzaw Dessalegn (Burie Woreda IPMS Coordinator) for their contribution in providing vehicles and giving valuable advice during the study. I am very grateful to all the staff members of Andassa Livestock Research Center who participated in the survey field work and data collection during the study. My thanks go to Ato Mulugeta Alemayehu, Ato Aseresu Yetayew, Ato Ayana Denberu, Ato Eyaya Molla, Ato Tadelle Habetu and Ato Demelash Dagnaw, Ato Mesfin Eshetu, Ato Zelalem Kefelie, Ato Mesafinet Bezabeh and Ato Ewenetu Bezabeh for their priceless contribution during the field work in Burie Woreda. I greatly appreciate Ato Derejie Fekadu, Holetta Agricultural Research Center researcher, for his straightforward and immediate help in doing the laboratory analysis of the feed samples. Without his help the feed samples chemical analysis would have taken several months to finish. The contributions of Ato Amare Mekonnen and Ato Samson T/ Mariyam in providing the necessary data of Burie Woreda is crucial for the success of this study. I finally thank Burie Woreda Agricultural and rural development office workers who participated in this study. I specially thank Ato Sentayehu, Ato Asemare and Ato Yermedachew Fentie for their help during the study. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the farmers in Woheni Durebetie, Woyenema Ambaye, Denbun and Boko Tabo Kebeles for their time devotion and providing the necessary data for this study. Those farmers in Arebesi, Tiya Tiya and Sertekez Kebeles deserve special thanks as they allowed us to use their animals and resources willingly and devoted their time and energy for the on-farm feeding trials. ix TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF THE AUTHOR .............................................................. V ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................... VI BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCK ................................................................... VIII ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................ IX LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................... XIII LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................. XVI LIST OF TABLES IN THE APPENDIX .............................................. XVII LIST OF FIGURES IN THE APPENDIX .......................................... XVIII ABSTRACT ............................................................................................... XIX 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 1 2. LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................... 4 2.1. Farming Systems Assessment ..................................................................................... 4 2.2. Livestock Population, Production Systems and Productivity in Ethiopia .............. 6 2.3. The Concept of Marketing and Livestock Marketing Constraints in Ethiopia ..... 7 2.4. Feed Resources in Ethiopia and Their Nutritive Value ............................................ 9 2.5. Nutrient Requirements and Recommended Rations for Sheep Fattening ........... 11 3. MATERIALS AND METHODS ............................................................. 14 3.1. Description of the Study Area ................................................................................... 14 3.2. Assessment of Small Ruminants Production