Abstract:
Livestock play a major role in Ethiopian agriculture. Cattle, sheep anc. goats
produce milk, meat and hides for the farm families of the Ethiopian
highlands.
For the subsistence highland farmer, draught oxen are the most important
animals on the farm.
Currently many livestock are undernourished. They pioduce little meat or
milk for the farmer and his family. Draught oxen are often so poorly fed that
they are unable to work the plough when they are most needed. The provision of increased quantities of high quality forage is urgently
needed to improve livestock performance.
T ie Ethiopian M.inistry of Agriculture is encouraging individual farmers and
cooperatives to pay more attention to growing high quality forage to feed
their animals, instead of allowing the animals to continually overgraze
pastures.
Forage Development is crucial to the success of other livestock activities.
Without a reliable supply of good quality feed, other livestock projects
cannot succeed
