The dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) feed resources and utilization practices in Borana Plateau, southern Ethiopia

Figures & data

Figure 1. Map of the study areas.

Table 1. Description local name for landscapes and classification criteria of feed resources

Local name for landscapes	Description of land use for feed sources by FGD and key informants
Communal browsing land	All residents have free access to the grazing area without limit. It is communally used, and there is no requirement for approval for the usage. It is managed with the consent of all residents and surrounding villages.
Private kalo	It is an individual browsing land or enclosures of land for grazing purposes. It is practiced by wealthy individuals, both in terms of assets and income. The goal of employing during feed shortages that protect during rainy seasons In the current administration, private kalo is limited to a specific kebeles. Individuals have authority, which may be shared with others based on their interests.
Communal kalo	Communal reservoirs or enclosure areas for use during feed shortages and protection during rainy seasons It is managed by the community, and utilization is also based on public consent and decision-making. It has a defined time of closure or opening, with agreement among nearby administrations.
Farm Land	A portion of the land is utilized for crop production and pasture maintenance. It has some extra enclosures of pasture as well. Utilized after crop harvesting. It can be shared among residents; there is no limit for the community to utilize it.

FGD= focused group discussion.

Table 2. Household characteristics of respondents in study area

Variables	Agro-ecology
	Semi humid	Hot lowland	Semi-arid	Overall	χ^2	P-value
	Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)
Sex
Male	99(96.1)	104(93.7)	123(82.0)	326(89.6)	15.93	0.001
Female	4(3.9)	7(6.3)	27(18.0)	38(10.4)
Marital status
Single	4(3.9)	2(1.8)	4(2.7)	10(2.7)	70.62	0.001
Married	99(96.1)	109(98.2)	103(68.7)	311(85.4)
Divorced	0(0.0)	0(0.0)	21(14.0)	21(5.8)
Widowed	0(0.0)	0(0.0)	22(14.7)	22(6.0)
Education status
Never attended	100(97.1)	101(91.0)	133(88.7)	334(91.8)	6.734	0.151
Non-formal	3(2.9)	10(9.0)	16(10.7)	29(8.0)
Secondary	0(0.0)	0(0.0)	1(0.7)	1(0.3)
Tribes affiliations
Borana	81(78.6)	90(81.1)	2(1.3)	173(47.5)	360.59	0.001
Gabra	0(0.0)	1(0.9)	148(98.7)	149(40.9)
Dogodi	22(21.4)	16(14.4)	0(0.0)	38(10.4)
Guji	0(0.0)	4(3.6)	0(0.0)	4(1.1)
Age categories
Mean	46.23	49.6	51.02	49.23	174.05	0.001
Min	20	25	23	20
Max	80	73	81	81

Table 3. Land types and area covered in (ha) unit in the study areas

No	Land types	Semi humid	Semi-arid	hot lowland	Overall (ha)
		(ha)	(ha)	(ha)	(ha)
1	Open grazing land	379949.5	59848	43850	483647.5
2	Communal kalo	85898.52	6816	132702	225416.5
3	Private kalo	20316.61	4109	2419.9	26845.51
4	Farmland	76693.45	14248.8	12240	103182.3
	Total	562858.1	85021.8	191211.9	839091.8

Source: Borana zone Agriculture office (2022).

Table 4. Total number of livestock and total number of livestock units within the study areas

Livestock species	Yabello		Elwaye		Gomole		Overall
	Number	TLU	Number	TLU	Number	TLU	Number	TLU
Cattle	192746	134922	129555	90689	243123	170186	565424	395795
Goat	198935	19894	136559	13656	238235	23824	573729	57373
Sheep	125180	12518	104280	10428	186482	18648	415942	41594
Camel	20042	20042	21354	21354	68926	68926	110322	110322

Source: Borana zone Agriculture office (2022).

Table 5. Diversity of feed types, seasonality, and agro ecology in the study areas

Seasonal	Feed types	Semi-humid	Hot lowland	Semi-arid	Overall	Χ^2	P-value
		Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)
Rainy	Herbaceous and shrubs species	39 (37.90)	67 (60.40)	48 (32.00)	154 (42.30)	30	.001***
	Browsing trees	61 (59.20)	44 (39.60)	89 (59.30)	194 (53.30)
	Others Species	3 (2.90)	0 (0.00)	13 (8.70)	16 (4.40)
Dry	Herbaceous and shrubs species	44 (42.7)	44 (39.6)	32 (21.3)	120 (33.0)
	Browsing trees	52 (50.5)	56 (50.5)	112 (74.7)	220 (60.4)	22.56	.001***
	Others Species	7 (6.8)	11 (9.9)	6 (4.0)	24 (6.6)

Table 6. Seasonality and agro ecology of camel feed sources in study areas (N = 364)

Season	Feed source	Semi- humid	Hot lowland	Semi-arid	Overall	χ^2	P-value
		Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)
Rainy	Communal browsing land	92 (89.3)	98 (88.3)	116 (77.3)	306 (84.1)
	Communal Kalo	10 (9.7)	12 (10.8)	22 (14.7)	44 (12.1)	14.377	0.026
	Private Kalo	1 (1.0)	1 (0.9)	11 (7.3)	13 (3.6)
	Farm Land	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.7)	1 (0.3)
Dry	Communal browsing land	47 (45.6)	37 (33.3)	58 (38.7)	142 (39.0)
	Communal Kalo	49 (47.6)	55 (49.5)	64 (42.7)	168 (46.2)	10.537	.104
	Private Kalo	3 (2.9)	12 (10.8)	20 (13.3)	35 (9.6)
	Farm Land	4 (3.9)	7 (6.3)	8 (5.3)	19 (5.2)

Table 7. Estimated available dry matter production (tonnes), ME (MJ), and DCP (kg) per feed resource in the study areas

Feed sources	Amount of feed nutrients in different districts
	Yabello			Elwaye			Gomole
	TDM	DCP	TME	TDM	DCP	TME	TDM	DCP	TME
Open grazing land	2374.68	60.79	3179.79	374.05	9.57	500.8	274.06	7.01	366.93
Private kalo	126.97	3.25	170.02	25.68	0.66	34.38	15.12	3.87	20.25
Communal kalo	536.86	13.74	718.88	42.6	1.09	57.03	829.38	21.23	111.04
Farmland	479.33	12.27	641.84	89.05	2.27	119.23	76.5	1.96	102.42
Overall	3517.84	90.05	4710.53	531.38	13.59	711.44	1195.06	34.07	600.64

TDM = Total Dry matter; TME =Total Metabolizable Energy; DCP =Digestible Crude Protein. The conversion factors of 1.2 t/ha for wood, bush, and shrubs were used (, Von Carlowitz, 1984).

Table 8. Mean estimated annual TDM (tonnes), ME (MJ), and DCP (kg) available, requirement, and balance per study for maintenance of tropical livestock unit in the study area

Districts	TLU	Nutrients available			Annual nutrient requirement			Annual nutrient balance
		TDM	CP	ME	TDM	CP	ME	TDM	DCP	ME
Yabello	187375.7	3523.49	90.05	4709.99	427.21	10.94	572.3	−856.1	79114.55	4137.69
Elwaye	136126.4	532.24	13.6	711.46	310.36	7.95	415.77	−116.51	5653.706	295.68
Gomole	281583.8	1196.98	30.59	1600.06	642.01	16.44	860.04	−206.04	14149.41	740.01
Total	605085.9	5252.71	134.24	7021.51	1379.58	35.33	1848.11	−1178.65	98917.666	5173.38

TDM = Total Dry matter; TME =Total Metabolizable Energy; DCP =Digestible Crude Protein; TLU= tropical livestock unit.

Table 9. Feed conservation and experiences of feeding from other sources (N = 364)

		Agro ecology			Overall
Parameters	Response	Semi humid	Hot lowland	Semi-arid		χ^2	P-value
		Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)	Frequency (%)
Non-conventional feeding experiences	Yes	10 (9.7)	12 (10.8)	50 (33.3)	72 (19.8)	29.57	0.001
	No	93 (90.3)	99 (89.2)	100 (66.7)	292 (80.2)
Conservation practices	Yes	1 (1.0)	3 (2.7)	29 (19.3)	33 (9.1)	32.82	0.001
	No	102 (99)	108 (97.3)	121 (80.7)	331 (90.9)

Borana zone Agriculture office. (2022). Livestock development unit, un published annual report. Yabello.

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Von Carlowitz, P. G. (1984). Multipurpose trees and shrubs, opportunities and limitations. The establishment of a multipurpose tree data base. ICRAF Working Papers (ICRAF). No. 17.

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