ASSESSMENT OF SMALL RUMINANT PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN HADERO TUNTO ZURIYA WOREDA IN KEMBATA TEMBARO ZONE OF SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA AND ON-FARM EVALUATION OF REPLACEMENT VALUE OF COWPEA (Vigna Unguiculata) HAY FOR CONCENTRATE MIX ON PERFORMANCE OF SHEEP FED NAPIER GRASS (Pennisetum Purpureum) AS BASAL DIET M.SC. THESIS MEKEYA BEDRU HAWASSA UNIVERSITY Collage of Agriculture Hawassa, Ethiopia November, 2018 ASSESSMENT OF SMALL RUMINANT PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN HADERO TUNTO ZURIYA WOREDA IN KEMBATA TEMBARO ZONE OF SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA AND ON-FARM EVALUATION OF REPLACEMENT VALUE OF COWPEA (Vigna Unguiculata) HAY FOR CONCENTRATE MIX ON PERFORMANCE OF SHEEP FED NAPIER GRASS (Pennisetum Purpureum) AS BASAL DIET MEKEYA BEDRU KEDIR MAJOR-ADVISOR: AJEBU NURFETA (PROFESSOR, PhD) CO-ADVISOR: ADUGNA TOLERA (PROFESSOR, PhD) CO-ADVISOR: MELKAMU BEZABIH (PhD) A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF ANIMAL AND RANGE SCIENCES, HAWASSA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ANIMAL AND RANGE SCIENCES (SPECIALIZATION: ANIMAL NUTRITION) Hawassa, Ethiopia November, 2019 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES Hawassa University Advisor's Approval Sheet (Submission sheet -1) This is to certify that the thesis entitled “Assessment of Small Ruminant Production System in Hadero Tunto Zuriya Woreda in Kembata Tembaro Zone of Southern Ethiopia and On Farm Evaluation of Replacement Value of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) Hay for Concentrate Mix on Performance of Sheep Fed Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) As Basal Diet” Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for The Degree of Master with Specialization in Animal Nutrition, the Graduate Program of School of Animal and Range Science, and has been carried out by Mekeya Bedru Kedir, under our supervision. Therefore, we recommended that the student has fulfilled the requirements and hence hereby can submit the thesis to the department. Approved by Advisors: Ajebu Nurfeta (Professor,PhD) _______________ __________ Name of major advisor Signature Date Adugna Tolera (Professor, PhD) _______________ ___________ Name of co-advisor Signature Date Melkamu Bezabih (PhD) _______________ ___________ Name of co-advisor Signature Date DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to my beloved parents, W/ro SERBELE BEDRU, NEJMIYA BEDRU, ABDI BEDRU, NASIR AMEDIN, TOFIK SHEMUSEMA, and TOFIK AMAN, for nursing me with affection and love and for their dedicated partnership to ensure my success in life. Name……………………………………… Signature……………………….. Date…………………………………………. iv STATEMENT OF THE AUTHOR I declare that this thesis is my genuine work and all sources of materials used in the thesis have been duly acknowledged. This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillments of the requirement for Msc degree at Hawassa University and is deposited at the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. I solemnly declare 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 allowable without special permission provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Request for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the materials is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. Name……………………………………… Signature……………………….. Place: Hawassa University College of Agriculture, Hawassa, Ethiopia Date…………………………………………. v ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ADF Acid detergent fiber ADL Acid detergent lignin ANOVA Analysis of Variance CF Crude fiber CP Crude Protein CSA Central Statistical Agency CV Coefficient of variance DE Digestible energy DM Dry Matter EE Ether extract g Gram GLM General linear model Ha Hectare ILRI International Livestock Research Institute Kcal Kilo calorie Kg Kilo gram m.a.s.l Meter above sea level ME Metabolizable energy MJ Mega joule Mm millimeter N Nitrogen NDF Neutral detergent fiber vi NFE Nitrogen free extract NIRS Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy OM Organic matter P Phosphorus RCBD Randomized complete block design S Sulfur SAS Statistical analysis system SE Standard error SEM Standard error of mean SIMLIESA Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume Systems for Food Security in Eastern and Southern Africa SL Significance level SPSS Statistical Package for Social Science IVOMD In vitro organic matter digestibility TLU Tropical livestock unit vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost the author thanks Almighty Lord for his hidden, but timely revealed genuine and planned guidance and encouragements. Earthly words cannot and will never express the internal feelings of the author in giving thanks to the lord. This work was made possible through the coordinated efforts and willingness of many large hearted individuals. A few of them are mentioned below. My Special thanks and heartfelt appreciations goes to my major advisor, Professor Ajebu Nurfeta for spending his precious time and provided me genuine and regular advice, comments and encouragement from the beginning of research proposal writing to the very end of this manuscript preparation. I am very much indebted to my co-advisors, Professor Adugna Tolera and Dr. Melkamu Bezabih for the valuable efforts they made in my thesis work through this encouragement, sincere guidance, supervisions, useful comments and excellent cooperation starting from the research idea generation, up to the last minute of this thesis preparation. My special thanks and appreciation also goes to my ILRI supervisors and SIMLIESA project Coordinator Ato Abera Adie and Dr. Enkalkachew W/Meskel for their commitment in budgeting this thesis research as well as constructive comments, suggestions and continuous follow up and supervision of the work. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Interaid France teams; Mr. Getamesay Demeke for his invaluable cooperation and facilitation of the work throughout the study period with tireless communication with partner institutes; Mr. Abebe Tilahun, Mr. Tsegaye Yohanise, Mr. Niguse Anito and Mr. Gizachew Hanisebo for their kind help and assistance from the beginning of preliminary application of the fellowship to the end of the work. I would like to express my deepest acknowledgment to South Agricultural Research Institute for allowing me to pursuit my master study. My thanks also special for ILRI-SIMLIESA project for viii sponsoring my thesis work with require budget and necessary facilities. My deepest gratitude also directed to Dr.Mulgeta , Dr. Daniel, Mr. Tsegaye , Mr. Mehertu, Mr. Aklilu, Mr.Ageghew Assefa and Mr. Tsegaye Tamerat for their useful cooperation and helps in the survey work and on farm Feeding trial, farmers facilitation and data collection. My gratitude also extends to ILRI Animal Nutrition Laboratory Teams, Mr. Yonas Asmare, Mr. Degsew and Mr. Alemeshet Zewde for their unreserved assistance and helps during laboratory works. My special thank goes to my fellow friends Mr. Yusuf Kedlla, Mr. Mohamed Sitot, Miss Genet Simion, Miss Tigest Shiferaw, Mr. Melse Alemu, Mr. Billeligh Mekonen ,Mr. Melkamu Tilahun Mr. Hailu Dukako, Mr. Shimelse Mengistu and Mr. Nenko Balie for their precious moral support and encouragement in various aspects during my study and thesis work. Finally, my deepest gratitude goes to all members of my family who offered me comprehensive moral support and treatment that enabled me succeed throughout my academic life. I owe them more than a mere expression of thanks. ix TABLE OF CONTENTS Content Page DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... iv STATEMENT OF THE AUTHOR ................................................................................................ v ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... xiii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... xiv LIST OF TABLES IN APPENDICES ......................................................................................... xv ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................. xvi 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Population and genetic diversity of sheep and goats in Ethiopia .......................................... 5 2.2 Importance of sheep and goat in smallholder systems .......................................................... 5 2.2.1 Special features of sheep and goats ................................................................................ 6 2.3 Description of smallholder sheep and goat production system ............................................. 7 2.3.1 Small ruminant production