Journal of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine

This research was conducted to compile a database of available feed resources for dairy cows in the Dairy Development Programme (DDP) areas of Oyo state in order to determine the forages that will be used for a future study. A total of 120 farmers, 20 from each of the 6 milk collection centres were interviewed separately using the Feed Assessment Tool and 3 were purposely selected for a focus group discussion after all the interviews. Results indicated that most farmers are landless, relying mostly on grazing from farms with leftover residues. Agriculture, aside from livestock, contributes 18.32% to the average household income. Wheat bran, palm kernel cake, and groundnut cake are among the top feedstuffs purchased, each contributing to approximately 12, 11, and 10%, respectively. The highest percentage of dry matter intake is attributed to grazing (50%), representing half of the total intake followed by purchased feed (18%), cultivated fodder (13%), collected fodder (12%) and crop residues (7%). On the other hand, while grazing (54%) takes the lead on the source of crude protein intake, purchased feed emerges as the second most substantial source of nutrition, contributing 16%. In conclusion, this database provided valuable insights for feed management practices in the region with a clear significant reliance on grazing as a primary source of both dry matter and crude protein intake, thus reflecting the importance of natural pastures in the region. To build on these findings, it is recommended that stakeholders, including farmers, extension workers, and policymakers, focus on improving access to and the quality of grazing lands and a sustainable feeding strategy for future guidance should be more specific and aligned with management systems, particularly when transitioning from extensive to intensive systems.