Abstract:
The study investigated the availability and feeding value of indigenous browse species in
northwestern Ethiopia. The study comprised three activities that included the survey,
laboratory analysis and feeding experiments. For the survey study, 245 households were
used for data collection from lowland (79), midland (86), and highland (81) agroecologies.
To
determine
the
diversity
and
distribution
of
indigenous
browse
species,
eight
20
m
×
20 m plots were randomly established in each ago-ecological zone and land use
(open grazing and area closure) with a minimum distance of 100 m between any two
plots. Leaf samples from eight selected indigenous browse species were collected at each
agro-ecology for laboratory analysis. For feeding trial, 25 male intact goats with an initial
body weight of 19.1 ± 1.6 kg (Mean ± SD) were blocked and randomly assigned to five
dietary treatments. The treatments were: a control group (T1) fed 100% concentrate mix
(CM), 85% CM + 15% Terminalia brownii (T2), 70% CM + 30% Terminalia brownii
(T3), 55% CM + 45% Terminalia brownii (T4) and 40% CM + 60% Terminalia brownii
(T5).The natural pasture hay was offered as a basal diet. The survey data was analyzed
using SPSS, version 26 and laboratory and feeding trial data were analyzed using SAS
version 9.4. The study showed that 44 indigenous browse species were identified in all
agroecologies. From the identified species Terminalia brownii, Albezia amara and
Cordia Africana in the lowland; Cordia Africana, Ficus vasta, Acacia abyssinica and
Ficus thonnigii in the midland and Cordia abyssinica, Ficus thonningii and Vernonia
amygdalina in the highland were the most preferentially opted for livestock feed. The
midland had the highest species diversity index (2.57) of browse species as compared to
lowland (2.35) and highland (2.31) agroecology. Palatability (0.213) and multi
functionality (0.23) were the main preference criteria for selecting browse species. The
highest CP content was recorded from Vernonia amygdalina (223.4 g/kg DM), Dodonaea viscose (207.7 g/kg DM), and Acacia abyssinica (216.0 g/kg DM) in the highland,
midland and lowland agroecology respectively. In lowland area, NDF, ADF and ADL
contents were highest for Albezia amara leaves (773.7, 330.5 and 101.4 g/kg DM) and
lowest for Acacia brevispica (218.8, 95.9 and 26.4 g/kg DM) respectively. Vernonia
amygdalina (40.66 ml/200mg DM), Stereospermum kunthianum (47.61 ml/200mg DM)
and Ficus vasta (36.95 ml/200mg DM) had the highest gas volume at 24 hour incubation
time in high, mid and lowland, respectively. The estimated OMD, ME and SCFA at 24
hour of incubation were the highest for Vernonia amygdalina (68.48%, 9.01 MJ/kg DM
and 0.91mmol/L), Stereospermum kunthianum (68.88%, 9.46 MJ/kg DM and 1.07 ml/L)
and Ficus vasta (63.33%, 8.26 MJ/kg DM and 0.82 mml/L) in high, mid and lowland
agro ecologies, respectively. At 24 hr of incubation, Albezia amara leaves (0.33
ml/200mg DM), Ficus sycomorus (0.23 ml/200mg DM) and Myrica salicifolia (2.66
ml/200mg DM) had the lowest CH
4
production among the species in the low, mid and
highland study areas, respectively. The feeding trial result showed that goats received T5
treatment had higher DM (779.24 g) and CP (181.06 g) intakes than other groups. The
average daily gain of goats in T4 (59 g) and T5 (63.4 g) were higher than T1 (36.6 g), T2
(34 g) and T3 (41 g). Goats fed T5
recorded significantly highest lymphocytes count
(61%) followed by animals fed T3 (28.17%) while the least lymphocytes count (36.5%)
had observed in animal fed T4 treatment. Besides, the highest neutrophil count (56.9%)
had obtained in T4. Goats fed T5 recorded the highest hemoglobin (10.74 g/dL) levels.
Besides, goats fed T1 diet had the highest cholesterol (1.94 mmol/L) level as compared to
other treatments. CH
4
production yield (P> 0.05) was comparable between goats fed the
Terminalia brownii leaves and those fed a concentrate mix. Overall, indigenous browse
species have a potential as feed supplements to improve feed quality and reduce enteric
CH
4
production in ruminant animals.