supplementary feed on the performance of small ruminant

Ethiopiäs per capita milk consumption is estimated to be about 19.2 kg/person/year, which is very low as compared to average per capita consumption of Africa, 37.2 kg/person/year (FAO, 2001). Among several factors, feed shortage both in terms of quantity and quality is a major problem hindering the development of livestock industry in Ethiopia. In the highlands of Ethiopia, the feed requirement to maintain the livestock population is estimated to be 55 million tones of dry matter (DM), which is much larger than the 40 million tones of DM estimated to be produced annually (Betre, 1999). This indicates an annual livestock feed deficit of about 22%. The factors contributing to the deficit in DM supply are fast deterioration of the natural grazing land associated with a rise in crop cultivation, over stocking /over grazing and recurrent droughts. This situation requires seeking better ways for utilization of alternative livestock feed resources from agricultural and industrial by-products that are relatively cheaper sources for supplementation of animals on fibrous basal feeds.