Appraisal of feed resources and their nutritive values is highly desirable for their efficient utilization and sustainable production. This study was conducted in the coffee–enset‐based agroforestry system of the Gedeo Zone to assess the major feeds for fattening and evaluate their nutritive value. Survey data were collected using household interviews and focus group discussions. Subsamples of major feed types taken from different locations were used for nutritional analysis. Data were analyzed using the multivariate analysis procedure of SPSS. Enset and banana parts, native pasture, and indigenous trees were priority feeds; crop residues, cultivated forage, and wheat bran were intermittently utilized for fattening animals. Nutritional values varied significantly among different feed types ( p < 0.001). Birbira and Girawa had high crude protein (CP) (21.18%–26.32%) and promising IVDMD (62.14%–69.47%). Banana and enset parts had medium CP (10.17%–13.27%), moderate neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (51%–55%), but high acid detergent lignin (ADL) (5.03%–8.33%), which hindered nutrient bioavailability. With low CP (6.9%–7.35%) and IVDMD (47.00%–49.18%), all of the grass and crop residues were characterized as low‐quality feeds. The fiber fractions (NDF, ADF, and ADL) had a positive correlation with each other but a negative correlation with the ash, CP, and IVDMD. Generally, most of the feeds used for fattening are either medium‐ or low‐quality feeds. So, the utilization of nutrient‐dense supplements in fattening operations is highly demanded. Conservation of feed resources in their season of sufficient availability for next season’s utilization and strengthening extension work on dissemination and establishment of cultivated forages to boost their share and sustain the fattening operation were highly recommended.
Hailemariam et al. (Thu,) studied this question.