Mesay Guyo

1. Ethiopia has the largest goat population in Africa, with 52.5 million (CSA (Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Central Statistical Agency), 2021). They contribute substantially to smallhold...

This study was aimed at evaluating the phenotypic characteristics of indigenous goats to guide community based conservation and breeding initiatives. Survey data was collected on demography of keepers, current husbandry practices, challenges and opportunities in routine‐management practices. Morphological traits were measured and evaluated from 630 goats among three districts in East Bale Zone, Ethiopia. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, whereas morphological data were evaluated using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis, and multivariate techniques. Results showed that all keepers relied on traditional breeding, posing risks of inbreeding and genetic loss, besides feed scarcity, disease prevalence, and limited market access. Despite challenges, goats possess key genetic advantages such as heat tolerance, resilience, disease resistance, broad forage feeding, and high mobility for extensive grazing. The study revealed qualitative diversity ( p < 0.001), with notable variations in horn shape (HS), body size, coat color, and ear orientation (EO). Except for a few, all morphometric traits showed significant ( p < 0.05) variation among districts, age ( p < 0.05), and sex. Morphometric traits like heart girth (HG), body length (BL), wither height (WH), and rump height (RH) show strong correlations with body weight as key traits for selective breeding to boost productivity. Multivariate analyses also revealed considerable within‐population variation but only modest differentiation among districts, indicating substantial phenotypic dissimilarity among populations. Therefore, keepers’ participatory approaches are essential for selection, sustainable breeding, and climate resilience to support conservation and community‐based breeding programs in goat populations of East Bale Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.

This study evaluated the effect of nitrogen fertilizer application rates on desho grass (Pennisetum glaucifolium) morphology, dry matter accumulation and nutritive values across three harvests. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha-¹ nitrogen (N) rates across 90, 120, and 150 days of harvests. Average plant height (PH), number of tillers per plant (NTPP), number of leaves per plant (NLPP), and leaf length per plant (LLPP) were recorded. Leaf-to-stem ratio (LSR), fresh forage mass (FFM), dry matter accumulation (DMA), and nutritional contents were assessed. Average PH, NTPP, NLPP, LSR, and DMA were significantly higher across N rates and harvest days. The interaction effect was significant for LLPP and FFM. At 150 kg ha-¹, the highest DMA value was recorded at 150 days, whereas crude protein (CP) content, in-vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and metabolizable energy (ME) were at 90 days of harvest. N rates and harvest days had a significant effect on phosphorous and calcium contents. However, higher acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL) values were obtained with low fertilizer rates and later harvests. Therefore, greater than 100 kg ha-¹ N rates and above 100 days of harvest resulted in higher DMA, CP, IVDMD, and ME of desho grass, which should be recommended to obtain feed with optimum nutritional value.

Enhancing feed resource availability and nutritional qualities with healthful soil management practices is a decisive intervention for future livestock husbandry in developing countries. However, there is a need for sound recommendations on agronomic practices and fertilization due to local differences in the climate and soil profiles. Therefore, this study evaluated the intercropping effects of desho grass ( Pennisetum glaucifolium ) with vetch ( Vicia villosa ) variety of Var‐Lalisa on soil fertility, forage accumulation (FA), and nutritional compositions among seeding rates across harvest days. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design for intercropping of the desho grass with vetch at the seeding rates of 12 kg/ha (T1), 9 kg/ha (T2), 6 kg/ha (T3), 0 kg/ha or sole desho grass (T4), and sole vetch (30 kg/ha) (T5) with three replications. Data on soil profile in depths, plant height, biological compatibility and yield advantage, FA by forage type, and chemical compositions were studied across harvesting. The intercropping effect was substantially greater ( p < 0.05) on plant height and FA than sole sown desho grass at all harvests. Moreover, T1 had the highest total forage accumulation (TFA), crude protein (CP), and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD). However, lower CP and IVOMD were obtained in T4 across the harvests. The sole desho grass yields significantly ( p < 0.05) higher ash, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent lignin contents. Therefore, the intercropping effect of T1 at higher sowing rates of vetch can maximize the TFA and soil nutrient utilization efficiency, and this can be suggested for further accession study in a range of agroecologies for adoption.

Background: Ruminants mostly rely on crop residues for extended periods, often lacking essential minerals. Enhancing these low‐quality feeds with supplements is a key intervention to improve feed intake, digestibility and animal performance. Thus, this study evaluated the effect of mineral soil (MS) and dicalcium phosphate (DCP) mix supplementation on feed intake, weight change, digestibility and carcass characteristics of Hararghe highland sheep fed on urea‐treated maize stover (UTMS). Methods: The experiment was undertaken in a randomized complete block design in 5 groups using 25 male yearling lambs (initial body weight of 16.65 ± 0.18 kg). The treatments were UTMS ad libitum + 300 g dry matter (DM) concentrate mixture (75% wheat bran and 25% noug seed cake) (T1, control), T1 + 2.5% MS (T2), T1 + 2.5% MS and DCP mix at 75:25 (T3), T1 + 2.5% MS and DCP mix at 50:50 (T4) and T1 + 2.5% MS and DCP mix at 25:75 (T5). The trial took 90 days of feeding and 7 days of digestibility trials. Results: The intake of UTMS on a DM basis was higher ( p < 0.05) for the mineral‐supplemented group (434.56–486.83 g/day) than for the non‐supplemented group (366.93 g/day), except for T3 (379.16 g/day). Total crude protein (CP) and DM feed intake were higher ( p < 0.05) for the mineral‐supplemented (734.56–786.83 g/day) than for the non‐supplemented (666.93 g/day), except for T3 (679.16 g/day). Total intakes of DM and CP were not affected ( p < 0.05) by adding DCP compared to MS alone. Supplementation with MS and its mixture with DCP improved ( p < 0.05) the digestibility of DM, CP, organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF), except at T3. Supplementation with MS and its mixture with DCP improved ( p < 0.05) the average daily gain, slaughter weight and empty body weight. At the same time, the effect was non‐significant ( p > 0.5) on hot‐carcass weight, dressing percentage and rib eye muscle area. Conclusions: The result of the study showed that MS supplementation is crucial for improving productivity by enhancing intake and digestibility, whereas replacing different proportions of MS with DCP did not improve the performance of sheep.

Background: The quality of livestock feed resources enhances yield performance and plays a significant role in keeping production sustainable. However, today's climate forces the usage of crop residues as primary feeds due to soil degradation and the shortage of natural feed resources. Moreover, crop residues have low mineral content, requiring treatments to increase quality. This study evaluated the effect of the mineral soil (MS) supplement on in vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDDM) and in vitro organic matter (IVOMD), and in sacco dry matter degradation (ISDMD) of urea‐treated maize stover (UTMS). Methods: The in vitro experiment was done after the first stage of the Tilley–Terry method using three replicates of all treatments. The rumen cannula‐equipped Boran × Holstein Friesian steers were used to measure the ruminal degradation rate of dry matter (DM). The diet includes 70% urea‐treated maize stover (UTMS) and 30% concentrate mixtures (wheat bran and noug seed cake at a 2:1 ratio). Treatments were UTMS + concentrate alone (T1); UTMS + concentrate with 1% MS (T2); UTMS + concentrate with 1.5% MS (T3); UTMS + concentrate with 2% MS (T4); and UTMS + concentrate with 2.5% MS (T5). Results: The concentrate DM and crude protein (CP) content were 90.94% and 23.8%, respectively. Urea treatment increased the content of CP (15.49 [treated] vs. 4.97 [untreated]) and ash (7.14 vs. 6.37) and reduced the content of DM (86.40 vs. 92.53), NDF (70.12 vs. 84.63), ADF (33.93 vs. 41.58), and ADL (12.64 vs. 20.11) of maize stover. The highest ( p < 0.05) DM and OM digestibility were recorded in supplements compared with the control group, while differences among the supplemented group followed the order of DM (T4 = T5 > T2 = T3) and OM (T3 > T2 = T4 = T5). The degradation of DM increased ( p < 0.05) with increasing incubation time and level of mineral soil. Supplement levels of mineral soil improved ( p < 0.05) the slowly soluble fraction ‘b’, rate of ‘b’ fraction degradability ‘c’, and effective degradability of urea‐treated maize stover. Conclusions: It can be concluded that mineral supplementation enhanced the fermentability and degradability of the diet.

Background: Morphometric traits discrepancies are associated with production, reproduction, adaptation and behaviours in horses. It also determines the design of harnessing implements, physical injury level and working performance of the native horses. Thus, the study was conducted to evaluate morphometric traits and body conformation indices of horse ecotypes reared across four districts of Bale Zone, Ethiopia.Methods: Data of croup height, croup length, hip height, mid‐back height, wither height, hip width, thoracic depth, chest width, body length, sternum height, thorax perimeter and cannon perimeter were measured in 500 horses (294 male and 206 female). Using those traits, 17 body conformation indices were calculated to define the horses for multi‐faceted performances.Results: The study revealed that croup height, hip height, wither height, hip width, croup length, body length, thorax perimeter and sternum height were significantly (p < 0.0001) different among the studied districts. The district effect was also significant at p < 0.05 for mid‐back height, thoracic depth, chest width and cannon perimeter. The sexual dimorphism effect was statistically significant for all measured traits; however, females were inferior to males except for cannon perimeter. Body conformation indices of pelvic index, body index, transversal pelvic index and weight were highly significant (p < 0.0001) among the studied districts. The sex dimorphism effect was significant (p < 0.001) for dactyl‐costal index, pelvic index, longitudinal pelvic index, transversal pelvic index, weight, tare index 1 (trot or gallop), tare index 2 (walk) and riding comfort degree, while non‐significant (p > 0.05) for the remaining indices. The studied horses were classified as mediline, elipometric, light, small and suitable riding ecotypes with a medium‐conforming body structure and good capacity for carrying loads on carts and backs for functional effectiveness. The correlations of body conformation indices ranged from very high to low, with positive and negative associations for functional capabilities.Conclusion: Therefore, selection for improvement needs to rank morphometric traits and body conformation indices in correlation to developing racing and modern sport horses in the highlands of the Bale eco‐regions. Further, molecular studies will be essential to determine whether the predominated phenotypic multiplicity is genetic or environmentally progressed.