Aregawi et al., 2008. Livest. Res. Rural Dev., 20 (6): 86

The research was conducted in eight representative farmers associations in Abergelle, a semi-arid district of Tigray, Ethiopia. The objectives of the study were to identify the major browse species, their management as well as their utilization by livestock. The information about the browse species were collected using structured questionnaires. Twenty browse species were identified to be most important in the district.

According to the respondents, nearly all the domesticated ruminants in the survey area consumed browse species. Browses were utilized in both wet and dry seasons. Certain browse species are deciduous, while others retained leaves late into the dry season. Leaves, pods, twigs and flowers were the plant parts utilized by livestock. However, leaves were the most preferred plant fraction utilized by livestock. The browse species were found on grazing land, crop land, around homesteads or grown on boundary between farm lands. The mode of utilization of the browse species for livestock feeding did not employ any sort of management for optimum use. Therefore, more emphasis has to be paid to maintain the biodiversity of the browse species as well as to enhance their role in improving animal productivity in semi-arid conditions similar to the study area.