Abstract: Agroforestry is a sustainable land management system which integrate production of crops, forest trees and animals at the same time on the same unit of land and put on management practices that are friendly with local population. Population growth and continuous use of agricultural land are the major causes of soil fertility reduction in rural Ethiopia and also in the study area. Existing land suitable for agriculture or crop production, grazing or forestry is decreasing while human populations are gradually increasing. As the population continues to grow, the gap between supply and demand for agricultural land continues to expand. Such a situation is leading to severe land use conflicts between the crop production and other type of land use such condition leading to reduction of 4 agroforestry practice. Despite this, one of the solutions to meet diverse people’s requirement with fixed land is through the application of agroforestry which is more advantageous than mono cropping. Agroforestry practices play important role so in order to strengthen and make the existing practice effective. This study was conducted to assess adoption of agroforestry practices in assosa woreda. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that most of the sampled house hold heads 89 (64.5%) are not practicing agroforestry technology in the study area. Some of the major Agroforesty practices that have been commonly implemented include alley cropping, homegardens, and tree on crop land. The attitude of farmers towards agroforestry practice is positive and is well understood that agroforestry increase farm income, soil fertility, decreased complete crop failure and helping resolving fuel wood demands. Agroforestry technologies are not very well practiced so far in Assosa destrict due to different reasons. The government and other concerned organization should try to reduce the independent factors that affect adoption of agroforestry practice significantly through providing the necessary materials and creating awareness to farmers.Abstract: Agroforestry is a sustainable land management system which integrate production of crops, forest trees and animals at the same time on the same unit of land and put on management practices that are friendly with local population. Population growth and continuous use of agricultural land are the major causes of soil fertility reduction in rural Ethi...Show More
Abstract: A study was carried out at urban and peri-urban areas of Nekemte and Ijaji towns to evaluate the effects of formulated concentrate feeds on feed intake and milk yield of upgraded dairy cows kept by smallholder dairy keepers. Twenty four lactating dairy cows within their 2nd months after calving and with similar status were selected from smallholder dairy keepers under zero grazing system whereby feed intake, BCS and milk yield data were recorded for a period of 90 days. The cows were randomly allocated to four feeding groups (T1, T2, T3 and T4) in a completely randomized design (CRD). Cows in T1, T2, T3 and T4 were fed commercial dairy feed, recommended concentrate feed of ATRC, recommended concentrate feed of HARC and recommended concentrate feed of BARC, respectively. Basal diet for all dietary treatments were natural grass hay adlibtum. The average CP (%) and IVDMD % of the natural grass hay and recommended concentrates of BARC were (8.2, 7.95) and (25.88, 10.59), respectively. The daily concentrate DM) and CP intakes were significantly different (p<0.001) among the dietary treatments with highest values being registered for T4 (8.2 and 2.12 kg/d, respectively) and for T1 7.55 and 1.77kg/d respectively while the lowest values being registered for t T2 (6.28 and 1.3 kg/d, respectively) and for T3 (5.83 and 1.12 kg/d, respectively). The daily mean milk yields were higher (P<0.001) for cows in T4 (16.42 liter/day) and in T1 (15.10 liter/day) than those for those in T2 (12.55 liter/day) and in T3 (11.66 liter/day). Milk yield was also affected by location (P<0.001) with the highest milk yield being obtained at Nekemte town (15.15 liter/day) and the lowest at Ijaji town (11.49 liter/day). The largest change noted in variable costs was birr 120.79 per day and the change observed in net income was birr 361.24 per day, resulting in a marginal rate of return of 76.69% for T4. Among the concentrates recommended different research centers and the commercial concentrate, concentrate recommended at BARC and the commercial ones increased milk production and profitability of the dairy enterprise. Therefore, Feeding these concentrate types for upgraded lactating cows under smallholder dairy keepers is profitable both biologically and economically.Abstract: A study was carried out at urban and peri-urban areas of Nekemte and Ijaji towns to evaluate the effects of formulated concentrate feeds on feed intake and milk yield of upgraded dairy cows kept by smallholder dairy keepers. Twenty four lactating dairy cows within their 2nd months after calving and with similar status were selected from smallholder...Show More
