Ethiopian Livestock Feed (ELF) Project FEAST Field Report - Sheep

By

Beneberu Teferra, Solomon Gizaw, Lemma Yohanis, Shenkute Goshime, Aschalew Tsegahun

Introduction

• Survey Methodology: PRA and Individual interviews

• Name of Kebele: Godino

• Name of Woreda: Ada’a

• Country: Ethiopia

• Number of participants present: 4 males and 1 female

• Date: 14/03/2012

• Start time of PRA: 10:55 a.m

• Finish time of PRA: 12:25 p.m

• Total time: 1:30 hr

General Farming System Description

Landless Small farmer Medium farmer Large farmer0 up to 1 1 to 2 More than 2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Range of land size in hectar

% o

f hou

seho

lds

that

fall

into

the

cate

gory

The average farm size (cultivable land) is 1.5 ha The average household size is 7 persons

83%

11%

6%

Contribution of Livelihood Activities to Household Income

AgricultureLivestockOthersBusinessRemmitanceLabour

• Rainfall pattern scored from 0 (not available) to 5 (highly available)

Months Jan Feb March April May June July Aug. Sept Oct Nov Dec.

Rainfallpattern 1 2 2 2 0 3 4 5 2 1 0 0

Rainfall Pattern

Cropping Seasons at Gudino District

Name of

season Jan Feb March April May June July Aug. Sept Oct Nov Dec.

Belg

(irrigatio

n

X X X X

Mehir X X X X X X X

Irrigation is available to 85% of households through different land acquisition arrangements (rent, share, etc.)

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Tef (Eragrostis tef) Potato (Solanum tuberosum) Sugarcane (Saccharum of-ficinarum)

Onion0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

Crops Grown in the Area Av

erag

e ar

ea p

er h

ouse

hold

(hec

tare

s

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Tef (Eragrostis tef) Potato (Solanum tuberosum)

Sugarcane (Saccharum of-ficinarum)

Onion0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

Average Area (ha) per Household of Dom-inant Arable Crops

Aver

age

area

per

hou

seho

ld (h

ecta

res

Labour

• Labour is available, mostly family labour is used

• Labour requirement peaks during October – January (peak

harvest time)

• Wage rate ranges from 34 to 50 Birr per manday

• About 4% of the household members leave the farm for off-

farm work or education daily

Individual Livestock Holdings

Poultry -

villa

ge co

nditions

Bulls or c

astrat

ed m

ale ca

ttle ( >

2 year)

Donkeys

Local

Dairy c

alves

(<6mths o

ld) – m

aleHorse

Impro

ved dair

y cows –

lacta

ting

Impro

ved Dair

y heif

ers (>

6mths old -

< 1st

calvin

g)01234567

Average livestock holdings (number of head) per household based on wealth

Average

Animal type

Bulls or castrated male cattle ( > 2

year)

Horse Donkeys Improved dairy cows – lactating

Improved Dairy heifers (>6mths old

- < 1st calving)

Local Dairy calves (<6mths old) – male

Poultry - village conditions

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

Average Livestock Holding per Household in Tropical Livestock Units (TLU)

Fattening and draught cattleImproved Dairy cattle Horse Donkeys Local Dairy Cattle Poultry - village conditions0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

Average Livestock Species Holdings per Household in Tropical Livestock Units (TLU)

Fattening and draught cattle Improved Dairy cattle Horse Donkeys Local Dairy Cattle 0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

Average Livestock Holdings per Household - Dominant Species (TLU)

Average Livestock Holdings and Uses PRA Group Discussion

Management of Livestock Species

• Housing: traditional livestock houses• Feeding practice: open grazing in communal areas and stall-

feeding• Feed processing: chopping of maize stover, preparation of

mixed rations composed of molasses, noug cake and atela.  • Management practices vary according to the season; e.g. oxen

are supplemented during Feb. to April

Quantity of Feed Purchased over a 12 month Period

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) - bran69%

Sugarcane (Saccharum of-ficinarum) - molasses

2%

Noug (Guizotia abyssinica) - cake

1%

Linseed (Linum usita-tissimum) - cake

2%

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) - straw 27%

DM Content of Total Diet

Crop residues25%

Cultivated fodder5%

Grazing30%

Naturally occurring and collected30%

Purchased9%

ME Content of Total Diet

Crop residues20%

Cultivated fodder6%

Grazing30%

Naturally occurring and collected33%

Purchased12%

Input and services

• There is no credit service in the area • The local credit and saving cooperative is yet to build its

capacity to give credit services

• There is land shortage due to high population pressure• There is no fallowing practice in the area• More than one cropping per year is practiced

 • Inputs like fertilizer (Urea and DAP), cement and

irrigation equipments are available in the market• However, services are not timely and of standard quality

Availability of Feed Resources

January

March

April May

Ju

neJuly

August

Septem

ber

October

November

December

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Concentrates Crop residues Grazing Green forage Legume residues Others Rainfall Pattern

Avai

labl

ity

Rain

fall

Avai

labl

ity

Fodder Crops Grown at Gudino

Oat (Avena sativa) Lucerne (Medicago sativa) Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum)0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

Aver

age

area

of c

rop

grow

n pe

r hou

seho

ld

(hec

tare

s)

Dominant Fodder Crops Grown at Gudino

Oat (Avena sativa) Lucerne (Medicago sativa) Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum)0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

Aver

age

area

of c

rop

grow

n pe

r hou

seho

ld

(hec

tare

s)

Veterinary Services

• Generally veterinary services are inadequately supplied to the

area

• Only one assistant veterinarian for the Kebele

• Cost of Government Veterinary service is fair

• Private vet services are too expensive for the farmers

Breeding Services

• Availability of AI – not available adequately, serving large population with one technician and few equipments

 • Price of semen and AI service – Gov’t it is 23Birr/cow • Private it is 210 Birr/cow

 • Rate of repeat services – at least 3 times

 • Price of bull services – it is about 100Birr but mostly with free

if the farmer friendship is well recognized and the bull is mostly local

3. Problems, Issues, Opportunities within the Livestock System

Major problems faced by farmers and opportunities:

Problem 1: Artificial insemination service (AI)

Opportunity: • AI service should be available in time and AI technicians need

to be on their work place as they are sometime not available when they are needed.

• AI kit should be provided to farmer AI technicians who are already trained

Problem 2: Improved breeding stock (cow, heifer)

Opportunity:• High blood level of improved cow/heifer from known sources

Problem 3: Feed

Opportunity:• Forage Seed with affordable price• Feed (concentrate) with good quality

Problem 4: Advisory service

Opportunity: • Working with research and extension• Training and experience sharing

Problem 5: Milk market

Opportunity: • Improving the capacity of local cooperative towards working

in provision of input and use as the outlet of outputs• Support from government to alleviate market problems

Pairwise Comparisons of Farmers’ Problems

Pairwise Comparisons Summary

The marketing of milk as considered the most important problem, while livestock feeds was the least of their problems. Advisory service was not considered a problem at all.

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