Seasonal feed deficits and low nutritional quality of major feed resources affect ruminant production in Tigray,...

In Ethiopia's mixed crop-livestock systems, livestock productivity is constrained by chronic feed shortages and poor feed quality. This study assessed feed resource availability, seasonal dynamics, and nutritional adequacy in Hawzen, Tigray, by integrating indigenous knowledge with laboratory-based feed evaluation. Household surveys, participatory approaches, and feed sampling were conducted, and feed supply was compared with livestock maintenance requirements in Tropical Livestock Units (TLU). Sampling was conducted during the 2023 post-rainy season; therefore, biomass and feed-supply results reflect the sampling period rather than interannual variability. Crop residues, forest/shrublands, natural pastures, and stubble grazing were the main feed resources, with crop-derived resources contributing 51.3% of dry matter (DM) supply. Major feed resources generally had low nutritional quality, with crude protein (CP: 3.1-7.7%) below ruminant maintenance requirements, high fiber contents (mean NDF, ADF, and ADL of 69.2%, 43.8%, and 6.6%, respectively), and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) ranging from 49.9% to 63.1%. Seasonal shifts between wet-season pastures and dry-season crop residues resulted in a feed supply-requirement gap; based on post-rainy-season measurements, estimated DM supply met about 70.5% of livestock requirements, indicating a 29.5% gap. DCP showed a 14.7% deficit. Farmers' evaluations of indigenous fodder trees, grasses, and shrubs (IFTGSs) based on palatability, availability, biomass production, and multipurpose use showed variable agreement with laboratory-derived nutritional indicators, with strong associations for multipurpose-based assessment. Livestock production was constrained by both feed quantity and quality. Integrating indigenous knowledge with laboratory analyses provides a practical basis for improving forage development, crop-residue utilization, and sustainable rangeland management.