International Journal of
Livestock Production

  • Abbreviation: Int. J. Livest. Prod.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2448
  • DOI: 10.5897/IJLP
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 287

Article in Press

Evaluation of Grazing Land Condition and Biomass Production in Gozamen District, East Gojjam Zone, Amhara Regional state, Ethiopia

Alemu Gashe and Awoke Kassa

  •  Received: 28 February 2018
  •  Accepted: 19 July 2022
The study was conducted in Gozamen district of East Gojjam Zone of the Amhara region Ethiopia to evaluate grazing land condition and biomass production. The survey data was collected by interview ingatotal of 120 households by random selectionof two rural-kebeles from three altitudes (high, midandlow). To evaluate grazing land condition, the district was stratified into three altitudes (high, midandlow altitudes). From each altitude, communal and enclosed grazing are as were selected randomly. From each altitude 8 composites and 12 composites from enclosed and 12 composites from communal grazing for herbaceous vegetation and 4 transects from each altitude of communal grazing were selected. Thus, a total of 72 quadrats were used for her baceou sand 12 transects for woody species. For grazing land condition evaluation, analyses of variance (ANOVA) were carried out by the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of SAS. In the district, atotal of 21 her baceous species wereidentified, from these 57, 24 and 19% were grasses,legume sand other species, respectively. Basedondry matter of biomass, Medicagopolymorpha in high and mid altitude sand Eleusine flocci foliain low altitude were the dominant species. Altitudeand grazinghave effectson grazing land conditions and biomass production. The average dry matter yield of grasses,legumes and total biomass hada significant difference among altitude sinen closed and communal grazing areas.The average dry matter yield of grasses, legumes,and total biomass were higher in enclosed area than communal grazing areas in all altitudes. There were a significant (P<0.01)interaction of altitude and grazing on biomass and species composition.There was positive correlation of species composition,grasss pecies composition and basal cover with biomass. Further research and development work is recommended to all eviaterange land condition and biomass through different options such as development of improved forages and alternative means of tree crop sutilization and conservation of feed in the for mmultipurpose tree.

Keywords: Altitudinalrange; Botanicalcomposition, biomass production, Grazingland types