Forage resources, nutritional evaluation, and management practices among smallholder cattle farmers in Buvuma Island, Uganda

Dairy production in Uganda faces persistent challenges of feed scarcity and poor-quality diets, especially among smallholder farmers. The study characterized locally available forage resources, Management practices and assessed their nutritional value in Buvuma Island, Uganda. A cross-sectional design was used, combining household surveys (n = 250), participatory observations, and laboratory analysis of selected forage resources across wet and dry seasons. Farmers mainly relied on natural pastures (58%) and crop residues (36.5%), with minimal use of concentrates (5.5%). Feeding systems were dominated by tethering, and over 80% of the farmers did not conserve feed, resulting in persistent seasonal shortages. Laboratory analyses of browse species revealed significant variation in dry matter (21.51–35.83%), crude protein (15.22–25.53%), fibre fractions, and in vitro organic matter digestibility (24.24–81.18%) between species and seasons. Ficus exasperate consistently showed the highest crude protein and digestibility, while Ficus natalensis exhibited higher lignin content and lower digestibility. Although most browse species provided crude protein above the minimum threshold for rumen function, the absence of conservation practices and minimal supplementation constrained productivity. The study underscores the need for farmer sensitization on feed conservation and target use of high-quality browse species to improve dairy cattle nutrition and productivity on the island.