Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

Herbage dry matter intake of individual dairy cow using a wireless bite counter for grazing based production system in Ethiopia; a case study

2026-02-16T08:50:15+00:00

Measurement of intake of individual grazing animals remains one of the fundamental challenges to improving efficiency of livestock production. Information about the individual herbage dry mater intake (HDMI) of grazing dairy cow is important for an efficient use of pasture herbage and to ensure the release of adequate nutrients for maintenance and production. However, practical and reliable methods are not available to measure intake of pasture by individual dairy cow particularly for grazing based production system for developing countries. Thus, this research was initiated to estimating HDMI using the wireless bite counter system for individual dairy cow in comparison with other methods. A simple, compact bite counter was used to record dairy cow jaw movements to estimate feed intake. The device is composed of a pendulum, a microcontroller, and a transmitter attached to a collar. The utility of the bite counter recordings in estimating intake was experienced for 16 Dairy cows of which nine Local and seven Holstein Friesian crossbred dairy cows. The experiment was conducted for two consecutive years (2018 and 2019) during the main rainy seasons (June to October) of Ethiopia. For comparison, cage system intake estimation was also conducted using sixteen individual paddocks established in the grazing land of Andasa livestock research enter. The grazing herbage in the paddock dominantly comprised of Cynodon plectostachyus, Hyparrhenia rufa, Paspalum notatum, Setaria viridis and Trifolium species. For the calibration of the bite counter, the correlation between the number of bites measured by personal observation and the values reported by the bite counter was linear with an R² value of 0.74. The average HDMI using the bite counter was 4.2 kg DM/day and 7.7 Kg DM/d for local and crossbred individual dairy cow, respectively. The HDMI could be estimated by applying linear regression to the number of bite counts with R² values of 0.68. In conclusion, the wireless bite counter offer new opportunities for rapid estimation of HDMI. Moreover, the bite counter was easy to attach to the cows using the collar and could be used effectively by farmers in the grazing based dairy production system in Ethiopia.

Genetic Relationships among Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] Lines and Correlation between Genetic Distance and Hybrid Performance

2026-02-03T06:45:42+00:00

In certain cases the improved and released sorghum varieties are not being used by Ethiopian farmers because of lack of farmers preferred traits in the hybrids developed so far. This study was conducted to identify the genetic potential of selected sorghum inbred lines involving landraces, introduced and improved lines and its effect on combining ability and hybrid performance to use for hybrid development. Genetic diversity of 37 inbred lines used for the test hybrids was assessed using 7339 SNP markers. The genotypes were grouped into four clusters, with the Ethiopian landraces depicting clear distinction from the introduced and breeding lines. The result implies that efforts might be needed to bring the best genes from the landraces for the hybrid breeding. Genetic distance between inbred lines estimates based on SNP markers ranged from 0.02 to 0.358 with an average of 0.247, indicating the very narrow genetic distance for this study. The regression analysis indicates that grain yield showed an increment as the genetic distance among parental lines increased. Generally, the genetic distance between lines and regression analysis played vital role in determining which lines showed yield increment. Thus, sorghum lines with desirable trait of interests were properly identified for future sorghum breeding program

Simulation of Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) Phenology, Growth and Yield Influenced by Varying Nitrogen Rates and Irrigation Intervals in Central Ethiopia.

2026-02-03T06:46:12+00:00

Calibration and evaluation of crop model is the first step to use appropriate crop model simulation for researchers to forecast how various factors such as weather, soil and agronomic management practices can affect the crop growth and yield performances. The present study aimed to calibrate and evaluate the CERES model for predicting growth and yield of wheat under nitrogen rates and irrigation intervals in central Ethiopia. The treatments of the experiment were included five nitrogen fertilizer rates (0 kg ha^–1, 46 kg ha^–1, 92 kg ha^–1, 138 kg ha^–1, and 184 kg ha^–1), three irrigation intervals (I₁: application of irrigation water every seven days, I₂: every ten days, and I₃: every thirteen days), and one durum wheat cultivar “Utuba”. The experiments were conducted during the 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24 cropping seasons at Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center (DZARC) in central Ethiopia. The calibration of the CERES model used one year of field data collected during the 2021/22 cropping season. The data used for model evaluation were collected from two years of field experiments conducted during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 cropping seasons. The result of study indicated that the calibrated genetic coefficient of the Utuba cultivar were 10, 20, 380, 11, 79, 0.8, 80 for P1V, P1D, P5, G1, G2, G3 and PHINT, respectively. On the other hand, the model evaluation showed that the strong agreement between the simulated and observed Utuba grain yields, with the percent normalized root-mean-square error (NRMSE %) values ranging from 2.89% to 6.14%, 2.26% to 14%, and 11.6% to 23.01% under seven days(I₁), ten days(I₂), and thirteen days(I₃) irrigation intervals during 2022/23 cropping season and 3.09% to 8.89%, 5.85% to 8.57%, and 7.20% to 22.5% under seven days(I₁), ten days(I₂), and thirteen days(I₃) the respective irrigation water applications during 2023/24 cropping season. Additionally, the error differences (ED) and index of agreement (d-stat) further supported the model's performance. Overall, the evaluation of CERES model demonstrated good accuracy in simulating the growth and yield of the Utuba cultivar in central Ethiopia, highlighting its potential for studying the impacts of various management practices and climate change scenarios.

Impacts of community teff seed production technology adoption on the productivity and income of smallholder farmers in Northwestern Ethiopia

2026-03-11T08:29:31+00:00

To boost output and household livelihoods, improved crop technology must first be disseminated, which requires seed production and distribution. The government of Ethiopia recognizes three different kinds of community teff seed production systems: formal, intermediate, and informal. The formal and informal seed systems have been the subject of several investigations. There was, however, no empirical data on the impact of the intermediate seed system of communal teff seed production by organized groups of farmers. However, the community must increase the supply and production of better teff seed. Thus, in 2021–2022, the study was carried out in the northwest Ethiopian districts of Enemay and Yilmana Densa. 372 responders and six community teff seed producers were selected at random. Focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and a survey were used to gather both qualitative and quantitative data from primary and secondary sources. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data that was gathered. The impact of community teff seed production technologies on household farm income and productivity was examined using an endogenous switching regression model. Accordingly, the model results demonstrated that education, farm clustering, extension contact, contract farming, and household credit utilization all had a substantial impact on the households' farm income and productivity. In addition, relative to their counterfactuals, the adopters' mean treatment effects increased their teff productivity by 257 kg ha-1 and their average farm income by ETB (Ethiopian Birr) 12,425.31 (1 USD is equal to 124 ETB). Overall, the results demonstrated that community teff seed production improved household welfare and provided teff growers with seeds. To improve farmers' knowledge of field-based seed production and seed distribution systems (Regional-Kebele), the agricultural and seed producer sectors should research the market and value chain of community seed production for teff and other crops.

Taxonomy, domestication, and global significance of oats (Avena spp.) with emphasis on Ethiopian production and research: A review

2026-02-18T05:21:29+00:00

Oat (Avena sativa L.) is a vital cereal crop belonging to the Poaceae family, with significant agricultural, nutritional, and economic importance. Taxonomically, oats are classified under the genus Avena, which includes diploid (AA), tetraploid (AABB), and hexaploid (AACCDD) species, with A. sativa and A. byzantina being the most widely cultivated. Oats originated in the Mediterranean and Near East regions, later spreading to Europe and other temperate zones as a weed before domestication around 4,000 years ago. Today, oats serve dual purposes as livestock feed and human food, offering high nutritional value, including protein, β-glucan, antioxidants, and essential minerals. They play a crucial role in reducing cholesterol, regulating blood sugar, and improving digestive health. Globally, oats rank sixth among cereals in production, with Europe leading at 54.4% of total output. In Ethiopia, oats are predominantly grown in highland areas (1,750–3,000 m elevation) for forage and grain, though adoption remains limited due to low extension support and environmental constraints such as waterlogging, soil acidity, and frost. Despite challenges, Ethiopia has released several high-yielding oat varieties, with forage yields ranging from 7.5 to 19.5 t/ha and seed yields between 1.5 and 4.1 t/ha. Research efforts by institutions like the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) have focused on germplasm evaluation, varietal development, and promotion, yet farmer awareness and adoption rates remain low. Enhancing extension services, improving seed systems, and addressing production constraints could boost oat productivity and utilization in Ethiopia’s livestock and food systems.

Profit Efficiency Determinants and Implications for Household Food Security Among Smallholder Wheat Farmers in Ada’a District of Central Ethiopia

2026-02-16T09:12:32+00:00

Wheat is a central focus of the Ethiopian government’s policy framework for achieving food self-sufficiency and food security. Improving wheat profitability is therefore essential for sustainable rural livelihoods and food system resilience. While much research has examined technical inefficiency, little is known about profit efficiency and its nexus with food security, particularly in high-potential locations like Ada’a District. Applying a concurrent, embedded mixed-methods design, this critical case study estimates farm-level profit efficiency, identifies its determinants, and examines implications for household food security among 414 smallholder wheat farmers using a translog stochastic frontier profit function, beta regression, and propensity score matching (PSM). The results reveal substantial profit inefficiency (γ = 0.6003), with an average efficiency score of 0.737, ranging from 0.13 to 0.90, implying that farmers could increase profits by 26.32% without additional inputs. Profit efficiency varied widely across households, with 44% operating below the mean and even the most efficient farms falling short of the frontier by 9.58%. Land, fertilizer, and pesticide use significantly enhanced profitability, while labor, farm capital, and seed costs reduced margins, reflecting input misallocation. Interaction effects revealed both complementarities (e.g., fertilizer × land, pesticide × land, seed × capital) and inefficiencies (e.g., labor × land, seed × land, fertilizer × capital), accounting for 18–22% of variation in profit efficiency. Beta regression identified improved seeds, irrigation, frequent extension contacts, and farming experience as efficiency enhancers, whereas pest incidence and land fragmentation increased inefficiency. PSM analysis showed that profit efficiency had a positive and statistically significant relationship with food security. Households in the lowest efficiency quartile experienced 7.23–8.47-point reductions in food consumption scores, while those in the highest quartile gained 6.88–8.91 points, highlighting efficiency’s role as a channel for transmitting welfare gains. Policies should promote equitable irrigation access, improved seed adoption, timely pest management, responsive extension services, cooperative approaches to land fragmentation, and rural infrastructure development. Targeted support for low-efficiency households, promotion of input complementarities, and improved access to labor-saving technologies and farm capital are critical strategies to enhance wheat profit efficiency as well as the food security of households in Ada’a District. These strategies can enhance profitability, food security, and resilience to climatic and market shocks.

Factors influencing the participation and level of avocado export market: A double-hurdle regression approach from northwest Ethiopia

2026-05-30T07:56:03+00:00

Market participation is essential for enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in developing nations including Ethiopia. While avocado exporting recently emerged in the North Mecha District, participation rates remain low, and the factors influencing this engagement remain under-researched. This study examines the factors influencing of avocado producers' participation in the export market and the extent of that participation. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 305 households through purposive and systematic random sampling. Descriptive statistics and the Double-hurdle model were applied for data analysis. Descriptive results reveal that export market participants were significantly younger (44 years) and better educated (3.4 years of schooling) than non-participants, while also producing nearly four times the quantity of avocados (2,061 kg vs. 562 kg). The double-hurdle model reveals that the initial decision to participate is significantly influenced by the household head's sex, distance to cooperatives, farm size, livestock holdings, cooperative membership, extension contact frequency, market information, and total production volume. Furthermore, the intensity (level) of participation is determined by marital status, credit access, cooperative membership, market information, and production volume. The study recommends policy interventions focused on strengthening cooperative infrastructure, improving credit and extension services, and expanding land allocation for avocado production to strengthen export engagement.

Conformation Traits and Structural Indices of Indigenous Goat Types In Benshangul Gumuz Region, Western Ethiopia

2025-07-29T06:55:40+00:00

The objective of this study was to assess the structural indices of indigenous goats in three districts (Homosha, Kumuruk and Bambasi) of Assosa Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Region, Ethiopia. Quantitative data were collected from 600 head of goats selected to characterize conformation traits and estimate structural indices. The measurement data on conformation traits and calculated structural indices were analyzed separately using the general linear model procedure of R software. Location had a significant effect on rear udder height, rear udder width, udder width and udder circumference of does while age had a significant effect on all udder and teat measurements except udder depth. In addition, location had a significant effect on Body index, Proportionality index, Pelvic index, transversal and longitudinal pelvic indices, dactyl thoracic index, compact index 1, Width slope and over increase index in does. In bucks, location had a significant effect on body index, Pelvic index, Transverse pelvic index, longitudinal pelvic index, Dactyl thoracic index, Thoracic development, relative cannon bone thickness index, compact index 1 and width slope. In both sexes, strong and positive correlations (P<0.001) were observed between over increase index and height slope (r = 0.98, for both sexes), thoracic development and Baron and Crevat (r =0.87 for does; r= 0.82 for bucks),weight 2 and Baron and Crevat index (r = 0.80 for does; r = 0.70 for bucks), areal index and weight 2 ( r=0.77 for does and r = 0.79 for bucks), Baron Crevat and weight 2 (r = 0.80 for does; r = 0.70 for bucks). Conversely, perfect negative correlations (P<0.001) were observed between proportionality index and length index (r=-1.00 in does and r=-0.99 in bucks) and over increase weight and height slope (r=-0.98 in both does and bucks) in both sexes. Besides, strong negative correlations (P<0.001) were observed between body ratio and height slope (r= -0.99 for does; -0.90 for bucks). The structural indices of this study suggest that the goat population possesses characteristics of a dual-purpose production type, with a tendency toward dairy aptitude. Moreover, the results suggest that conformation traits and structural indices can serve as useful tools for the characterization, selection, and sustainable improvement of indigenous goat populations in the study area.