This study was conducted to identify major available camel feed resources
and determine their chemical composition in Degahbur district. A total of 120
respondents were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data from the
selected actors were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire survey,
focus group discussion and field observations. The study revealed that the
majority (82.5%) of the respondents in the study area were male headed
households. Browsing trees and shrubs were the major available livestock feed
resources both in dry (51.6%) and wet (68%) season, and followed by herbaceous
species (26.6 and 23.7% for dry and wet season, respectively). The study
identified about 20 herbaceous, 24 trees, 11 shrubs, 7 bush and 17 grass
species which are used as camel feed in the study area. Chemical composition
analyses of the sampled feeds indicated that there was a significant difference
in crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber
(ADF) between species in different seasons. The NDF contents in the current
study were above the critical value of 60% which was reported to result in
decreased voluntary feed intake, feed conversion efficiency and longer
rumination time.In general, the findings indicated that the use of improved
forages and agro-industrial by-products as camel was minimal; thus, camels were
fed on available feed resources which are poor in nutritional quality without
any supplementation. Therefore, the study suggests the need for improving camel
feeding practices in the study area to enhance camel productivity.
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