Pre-Scaling out of Urea Cactus Block and Urea Treatments Feed Technology for Enhance Dairy Production: In the Case of Raya-Azebo and Enda-Mekoni Woreda

摘要

Feed shortage is one of the constraints for livestock production in Ethiopia and it is major focus of the livestock theme in the target areas of the project. In this line, different types of demonstration trials were conducted in Southern Tigray. In the study area, local practice and local practice plus supplementation of improved feed were considered as control and treatment, respectively. Carry-over effect design was used to collect feed intake and milk yield over 90 days. The data collected from the experiment were subjected to analysis of variance using the General Linear Model Procedure of SAS (SAS 1998). Significant treatment means were separated using Turkey HSD. On farm supplementation of urea cactus block and urea treatment had increased milk production by 1 and 1.8 L/day/cow, respectively. Across all feed technologies, animals without any supplementation gave significantly (p<0.05) lower milk yield compared to supplemented. The marginal rate of return of urea cactus block (3.8 birr/day/cow) and urea treatment (2.2 birr/day/cow) were higher compared to non-supplemented cows. Farmers participated on feeding urea cactus block and urea treated straw observed improved milk productivity on their cows. Generally, the performance of feed technologies interventions on milk and body weight gain was generally positive with promising economic return.