Introduction and Capacity Building on an Innovative and Improved Small-Scale Concentrated Feed for Goat Fattening in Ellele Woreda, SRS, in Ethiopia

Feed and water inadequacies in both quality and quantity are recognized as significant production obstacles throughout the value chain. The production of feed adequately meets requirements solely during years of favorable conditions; however, deficits can reach 35% during normal years and escalate to 70% during adverse years. The technologies and knowledge that have been developed to date have predominantly been restricted to on-station experimentation and have lacked participatory evaluation, thereby impeding the transfer of technology or knowledge within this Ellele kebele, Ellele woreda. The objective of the project was to introduce goat fattening technologies specifically for yearling breeds of the long-eared Somali goat, aimed at achieving the requisite market weight of 30 kg, while simultaneously equipping the community with practical training regarding these goat fattening methodologies. The study encompassed 10 goats per pastoralist, culminating in a total of one hundred goats being included in the analysis, which were then randomly allocated to two treatment groups through a lottery system: a control group and a finishing group. The feed formulation utilized for the experimental goats consisted of Wheat bran (49.5%), Noug cake (49.5%), and common salt (1%). The responses of the goats to the feed supplementation indicated that the average initial body weight was 17 kg, whereas the average final body weight was recorded at 23.00 kg, resulting in an average total weight gain of 8.14 kg in terms of goats’ fattening performance. Moreover, the implementation of supplementary scaling-up initiatives for this technology is anticipated to encourage private investors to acknowledge the latent opportunities present within the region.