https://ir.bdu.edu.et:443 The BDU IR system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material. 2026-09-16T07:24:38Z http://ir.bdu.edu.et/handle/123456789/17357 Petrography, and Stratigraphy of Volcanic Rock of Gishe Rabel Area, North Shewa, Central Ethiopia Lema, Awel The study area is a part of the NW Ethiopian Plateau, is presented in this thesis. The study area is located in the North Shewa district, specifically around Gishe Rabel, in central Ethiopia. The main objective of the study is to provide a complete lithostratigraphy of the research area based on a thorough field investigation (mapping and description), stratigraphic sampling, and petrographic (thin section) description of representative samples. Various techniques were used to achieve the research objectives, including field observation, remote sensing, and petrographic description. Furthermore, the study attempts to integrate these data to relate them to regional studies on geochemical, geochronological, and magma emplacement behavior data about the volcanic provinces of Ethiopia and fill the scarce in a detail volcanic history of the study area. Three volcanic lithostratigraphic units, Lower Basalt, Rhyolitic Lava Flow, and Upper Basalt, are identified in this study as part of the Cenozoic continental flood basalt sequence. The basaltic lava flows (fissural flows) are the dominant products, with interlayered ash and tuff; the felsic products dominate the middle part. These stratigraphic units are separated by a considerable time gap marked by an alteration/erosional surface, paleosol, or sediments, which are related to a decrease in magma flux in the system. The petrographic characteristics of basaltic units in the study area display a range of textures, including aphyric, mildly phyric, and porphyritic varieties. In the lower basaltic rocks, the principal phenocrysts are pyroxene and olivine, accompanied by opaque. In contrast, the rhyolitic ignimbrite samples are dominated by alkali feldspar (sanidine), quartz, and lithic fragments set within a glassy groundmass. The predominance of alkali feldspar phenocrysts in the felsic units suggests a relatively low magma flux during their formation. The upper basaltic rock is dominated by plagioclase phenocrysts. The occurrence of plagioclase in the upper basaltic rocks indicates that crystal fractionation took place within the shallow upper crust. Meanwhile, the presence of olivine and clinopyroxene (Olv + Cpx) mineral assemblages in some basaltic lavas suggests that fractionation also occurred at deeper crustal levels or near the crust–mantle boundary. 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.bdu.edu.et/handle/123456789/17356 Production and Marketing of Milk and Milk Products: The Case of North Mecha District, North Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia Degarege, Temesgen Smallholder dairy farmers in in Ethiopia including North Mecha District continue to encounter complicated socio-cultural and religious challenges related to milk production and milk marketing, as well as exposure to price volatility that significantly impacts the dairy sector. Thus, the objective of the study was to analyze value chain of cow milk and milk products at smallholder milk producers at North Mecha District, North Gojjam zone, Ethiopia. Data were collected using multistage sampling techniques. Sample size was determined using standard method and a total of 186 primary producers were interviewed in data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive and econometric analysis. Preference ranking and cow milk production constraints were ranked by calculating index values. The result showed that farmers preferred cross-breed (70.97%) than indigenous (29.03%) breeding types for milking cows due to production of high quantity of milk from cross breed (Mean = 7.30 ± 3.34 lit/cow/day) than local breed type (Mean =1.88 ± 0.99 lit/cow/day). The primary producers sold fresh milk and milk products for the largest proportion for retailers (60%) and consumers (30%). Out of 186 respondents, 40.86% sold fresh milk, 48.39% sold butter, 18.28% sold fresh cottage cheese and 2% sold yogurt. Under the Heckman two stage model (probit model) indicated that farm land size, education level, age of the household head, distance to the market, membership in cooperatives, access to improved forage, and access to veterinary services are significantly determining households participation in to milk marketing up to <10% levels of significance. The OLS result also indicated that farm land size, livestock size, distance to the market, membership in cooperatives, access to improved forage, and access to veterinary services are significantly determining amount of milk supply to the market up to <10% levels of significance. On the basis of the findings of the study, it can be stated that there is a substantial opportunity to raise the cow milk productivity and marketing value chain the study area. Therefore, it is recommended that government agricultural office, NGOs and Livestock research centers and local administrative should provide supplementary fodder resources and critical follow up of veterinary services in the area 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.bdu.edu.et/handle/123456789/17355 Phenotypic and Genetic Parameters for Production Traits of Abergelle Goats in Community-Based Breeding Program Scale Up Villages in Case of Alquzu and Addis Mender Walle, Yeshiwas Abergelle goats are indigenous to northern Ethiopia, and dual purpose animal. Community-based breeding programs enhance its productivity and resilience, supporting farmers and sustainable agriculture. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters for growth and milk production traits of Abergelle goats in community-based breeding program (CBBP) scale up villages. The data used in this study include six years (2018 to 2023) data collected for Abergelle goats community based breeding program scaling up villages in Alquzu and Addis mender. Data have been collected on growth and milk production traits, from the established village of goat community based breeding program area. The traits studied, birth weight (BWT), weight at three months (TMWT), weight at six months (SMWT), weight at nine months (NMWT), weight at one year (YWT), average daily weight gain from birth to three months age (ADG1), average daily weight gain from three month age to six months age (ADG2), average daily weight gain from six months to nine months (ADG3), and from nine months to one year (ADG4), and for milk production traits average daily milk yield (ADMY), milk yield in 84 days (MY84days) along with different lactation length. Direct heritability for growth and milk traits was computed using wombat software. Multivariate mixed animal model was applied to estimate genetic parameters. Multivariate analysis was utilized to estimate correlations between traits. The overall least square mean of body weights ± standard errors (LSM±SE) for BWT, TMWT, SMWT, NMWT, and YWT were 2.25±0.04, 7.5±0.03, 8.8±0.040, 12.1±0.067, and 15.3±0.092 kg, respectively. The overall LSM±SE of ADG1, ADG2, ADG3, and ADG4 were 58.2±2.27, 37.8±2.04, 19.2±0.7, and 10.5±0.12g per day, respectively. The mean values for ADMY, LL, and MY 84 days were 302.6±6.68 g, 9.4±0.23 weeks and 28.003±47.45 kg, respectively. The direct heritability estimates for BWT, TMWT, SMWT, NMWT, and YWT were 0.34 ± 0.070, 0.45 ± 0.062, 0.40 ± 0.040, 0.42 ± 0.07and 0.41 ± 0.14 respectively. Direct heritability for growth traits moderate to high, selection can improve the growth traits. The phenotypic correlation between birth weight and the traits TMWT, SMWT, NMWT, and YWT was found to be low. However, there was a high genetic correlation between TMWT and the other traits—SMWT, NMWT, and YWT—with values ranging from 0.71 to 0.87. The correlations between TMWT-SMWT, SMWT-NMWT, and NMWT-YWT were high and positive, indicating a strong genetic association. The genetic correlation of birth weight was lower but higher correlations were found among the other growth traits (SMWT, NMWT, and YWT), indicating one of these traits increases; the others tend to increase as well. Therefore, birth weight as growth trait had no strong relation with later stages of growth traits in this study for Abergelle goat in scale up community based breeding programs. The direct heritability estimates for ADMY, LMY, and LL of Abergelle goats were 0.08±0.005, 0.16±0.034 and 0.04±0.034.The repeatability estimates for DMY, LMY and LL were 0.50, 0.22 and 0.06. Both, heritability and repeatability estimates for milk production traits indicate the presence of moderate variation within the studied goat population and thus selection could be used as the best tool of genetic improvement of Abergelle goat for milk production 2025-02-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.bdu.edu.et/handle/123456789/17354 Evaluation of Nutritional Value of Korch (Erythrina Abyssinica) and Its Utilization as Livestock Feed in Sekela District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Getachew, Taye This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional value of Korch (Erythrina abyssinica) and its utilization as a livestock feed in the Sekela district, Amhara region, Ethiopia. The experiment was done during the dry season (February to April 2024). Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire interviews, field observations, key informant conversations, and focus group discussions. The study area was divided into two agroecologies: the highlands and the midlands. A total of 357 respondents, 231 from the highlands and 126 from the midlands were chosen randomly and given one-on-one interviews. E. abyssinica samples were collected from two altitudes, and the chemical composition and in vitro digestibility were assessed. Data were gathered and examined using statistical procedure for social sciences (SPSS) version 26 (SPSS, 2011). The results of the study showed that a mixed crop-livestock production system was the dominant farming system in both altitude regions. The mean total land holding was 3.81±0.069 ha per HH. The average livestock holding size per HH was 7.01±0.11TLU and was significant (p<0.01) varied across agroecologies. The major feed resources were crop residues, natural pasture, aftermath grazing, atela, and hay. The major constraints related to livestock production were feed shortage, diseases, poor genetic potential, shortage of veterinary service, and water shortage. The feed utilization practice of E. abyssinica in the area was cut and carrying system. Many farmers appreciate the benefits of E. abyssinica for improving animal performance. According to farmers' perceptions in the study area, E. abyssinica can improve the growth rate and productivity of ruminant animals such as sheep, goats, and cattle. And also, their perception indicates that E. abyssinica can partly fill the deficient nutrients available in low-quality feeds during the dry season. Generally, E. abyssinica is very important for ruminant animal production and productivity if farmers provide timely and properly The DM and CP content is 93.38% and 22.06% respectively and there was no significant difference (p>0.05) among agroecologies. IVDMD (57.09%) and estimated biomass yields (2.85±0.038Kg) were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the highland. Its ME (8.32 MJ/kg) was not significantly different (p>0.05) among agroecologies. In general, due to its high crude protein contents, better digestibility, and low fiber content E. abyssinica is able to be a dry season supplemental feed to increase ruminant performance and to maximize the utilization of low-quality feed resources when feed is in short supply. 2024-10-01T00:00:00Z