Browse Plant as a Supplement for Small Ruminant Production in Ethiopia

Legume crop residues have better feeding potential than their cereal counterpart residues. Even though vetch is produced at high level in the western part of Oromia (Ethiopian), farmers are not using vetch haulm as livestock feed resources rather used as organic fertilized due to their wrong perception on the feeding value of vetch haulm. To change the perception of the farmers towards vetch haulm (Lathyrus sativus haulm), feeding trial was performed using a yearling lambs. This book, therefore, provides relevant information on the feeding value of sole vetch haulm as well as vetch haulm supplemented with meal of locally available browse plant (Acacia albida) in sheep. In this book, it was highlighted that farmers can keep their animal at a least for a period of four months only by feeding vetch haulm where such successes cannot be achieved by feeding reside from cereal crops. Moreover, ad libitum feeding with vetch haulm supplemented with protein source from A. albida was suggested as fattening ration for sheep.