Estimation of major livestock feed resources and feed balance in Moyale district of Boran Zone, Southern Ethiopia

The study was conducted to assess the major livestock feed resources and estimating annual feed production and feed balance in Moyale district of Boran Zone, Southern Ethiopia. A simple random sampling technique was employed to select the household’s (HHs) and 96 representative households were selected. Data were collected using group discussions, structured questionnaire, secondary data and personal observations. As it was identified in the study district, natural pasture, crop residues and agro-industrial by-product were major feed resources for the livestock. An average of 129,461.0156 tons of feed dry matter (DM) per year was produced in the district from the major available feed resources, and the demand for maintenance requirement of the livestock population in the district was 190,054.416 (tons DM/year) and this showed that a deficit off 60,593.4004 (31.88%) tons of DM per year in the district. Drought, feed shortage, water scarcity, disease and parasite, market and theft and predator were assessed to be the major livestock production constraints. Generally, the results from this study confirmed that the total dry matter produced from different feed resources in to the study  area was not enough to satisfy the dry matter requirement of livestock to support the livestock production in to the study area, which suggest that the main focus needs to be refining the existing feed resources through restoration of tainted grazing areas, introduction compliant feedstuff production, improving feed utilization practices  and introduce and promote the crop residue feed improvement. Key words: Feed availability, feed balance, feed requirement, feed resources.