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| dc.contributor.author | Fekade, Muluye | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-10-07T12:36:44Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-10-07T12:36:44Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-07 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://ir.bdu.edu.et/handle/123456789/17416 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The use of forages plays utmost role in averting the current livestock feed gap. The study aimed to assess forage production and utilization practices and evaluation of morphological characteristics, biomass yield, and feeding value of Mulato II and Desmodium intortum for rams. The study involved a multifaceted activity which include survey, agronomic, and animal evaluation experiments. For the survey activity, two districts namely, Kalu and Dawa Chefa with a total of 180 respondents, 90 respondents from each district, were purposively selected based on push-pull technology practice and livestock production potentials. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a factorial arrangement with three factors, planting pattern (sole Mulato II, sole D. intortum and intercropped Mulato II with D. intortum), agroecologies (lowland and midland) and harvesting ages (90 and 120 days), was used for the agronomic experiment. The morphological characteristics measured were plant height (PHPP), number of tiller (NTPP), number of leaf (NLPP), leaf length (LLPP), leaf to stem ratio (LSR), root length (LRPP), number of roots (NRPP) for Mulato II, number of branches (NBPP) and number of root nodule (NRNPP) for D. intortum and land equivalent ratio (LER). The chemical composition parameters analyzed were Ash, CP, NDF, ADF, and ADL. Dry matter yield (DMY t/ha), Crude protein yield (CPY t/ha), IVDMD (%) and ME (MJ/kg DM) were also determined. Twenty-five yearling Farta rams were blocked based on their initial body weight (18±1.36 kg) (mean±SD) and randomly assigned into the five treatment diets in a RCBD to examine their growth performance for a period of 90 days excluding 15 days of adaptation. The treatments were T1 (NPH ad libitum+ concentrate only), T2 (natural pasture hay (NPH) ad libitum+ 80% concentrate+ 20% Mulato II and D. intortum), T3 (NPH ad libitum+ 60% concentrate +40% Mulato II and D. intortum), T4 (NPH ad libitum+ 40% concentrate+ 60% Mulato II and D. intortum), and T5 (NPH ad libitum+ 20% concentrate +80% Mulato II and D. intortum). The concentrate comprised of noug seed cake, wheat bran, and ground maize grain. The five treatments were made in such a way that the concentrate mix was progressively replaced by Mulato II and D. intortum forages at a proportion of 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80% on DM basis. Besides, the data on blood profiles and enteric methane emission was collected from all the experimental sheep. The data on blood hematology test (RBC, WBC, PLAT, Hag, HCT, MCV, MCH, and MCHC) was done using automated hematological analyser. Blood biochemical parameters (blood glucose, Total protein, Albumin, Urea nitrogen and Total cholesterol) was done using automated biochemical analyser. Enteric methane emission of sheep was measured using portable hand-held laser methane detector (LMD). The data for the survey was analyzed using SPSS version 26, while the GLM procedure of SAS version 9.4 was used for the agronomic and animal evaluation experiments. The result revealed that the majority of respondents (58.9 and 74.4%) have experience in the production of Mulato II and D. intortum in Kalu and Dawa Chefa districts, respectively. Most of the farmers (63.3 and 74.4%) used cut and carry system to feed their livestock in Kalu and Dawa Chefa districts, respectively. Mulato II and D. intortum were used as crop pest control (Mulato II an attractictive trap plant and D. intortum as a repellent) and livestock feed in both study areas. Land scarcity, shortage of planting materials, and lack of awareness were the major impediments for production. The field experiment showed that, except land equivalent ratio (LER), most morphological characteristics (PHPP, NTPP, NLPP, LLPP, LSR, NRPP, LRPP, NBPP, and NRNPP) were significantly affected (P<0.05) by the interaction effect of planting pattern, agroecologies, and harvesting ages. Similarly, the Ash, CP, NDF for Mulato II, ADF, ADL for Mulato II, and IVDMD values were significantly (P<0.05) affected by the interaction effect except NDF and ADL for D. intortum and metabolizable energy (ME) for both Mulato II and D. intortum. The highest CP content (12.3%) was recorded from the intercropped Mulato II with D. intortum at 90 days of harvesting time in the lowland agroecology. The highest dry matter yield (DMY) (17.04 and 16.7 t/ha) was obtained from both intercropped Mulato II and D. intortum, respectively, harvested at 120 days in the lowland agroecology. Optimum DMY and CP value of Mulato II and D. intortum were obtained from the intercrop, harvested at 120 days in the lowland agroecology. The feeding trial showed that total dry matter intake, average daily gain, and feed conversion efficiency of sheep were not affected by the substitution of concentrate with Mulato II and D. intortum mixed forages. In addition, all the blood profiles tested were not affected by the substitution effect of the supplemental forages (P>0.05) except for red blood cell (RBC) and all the blood variables tested were within the recommended ranges for a healthy sheep. Furthermore, enteric methane emission of the sheep was not varied (P>0.05). In conclusion, the appreciable quantity and quality of Mulato II and D. intortum forages observed could suggest those forages are good alternative and equally important to potentially substitute the concentrate in the diet of sheep without any negative effect on intake, digestibility, and ADG, health and environment. | en_US |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.subject | Animal Nutration | en_US |
| dc.title | Assessment of Forage Production and Utilization Practices and Evaluation of Morphological Characteristics, Biomass Yield, and Feeding Value of Mulato II and Desmodium intortum for Ram | en_US |
| dc.type | Dissartation | en_US |
