Management and utilization practices of natural pasture in Western Ethiopia

A survey was conducted in highland and mid altitude areas of Horro and Guduru districts of Oromia Regional States, Western Ethiopia with the objective of assessing the management system and status of grazing land. A single-visit multi subject formal survey method was followed to gather data about grassland holding, management systems and livestock holding. A total of 210 respondents, 60 from highland and 150 households from mid altitude were selected and interviewed. Data were collected and analyzed using discriptive stastics. The result showed all households of highland and 89.3% of mid altitude had private grazing land. About 38.3%, 61.7% and 100% of surveyed households of highland and 17.33%, 64% and 98% of mid altitude households respectively have practice of cut and carry, paddock feeding and free grazing systems of grazing. The practice of natural pasture preservation in the form of closure was very common and practiced by 95% of highland and 67.33% of mid altitude surveyed households with overall mean of 75.2%. Only few farmers, about 16.7% of highland and 29.33% of surveyed household of mid altitude have practice of hay making, while the practice of silage making was not known in both agro ecologies.The cause for the decreasing size of grazingland was ranked by the respondents. The major causes were listed as cultivation, expansion of towns (villagizations), investments and land allocation for social services (church, health services, offices). Accordingly the contribution of cultivation, expansion of twons, social services and investments were ranked as 1st,2nd,3rd and 4th respectively in highland, while cultivation,land allocation for social service, expansion of towns and investment ranked as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th cause respectively in mid altitude. The cause for the deterioration of quality of grazing land was ranked similarily in both agro-ecologies. Accordingly disappearance of better and quality species was ranked 1st cause, expansion of invasive plants 2nd and depletion of soil as 3rd cause. Improved herding system like herd spliting in which different species of different feeding habit are kept separately were less known in both agro-ecologies. Therefore improved forage development with good practices of conservation and good livestock management systems should be focus of intervention in both agro- ecologies.