SUPPLEMENTARY VALUE OF Lablab purpureus CULTIVARS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, FEED UTILIZATION, DIGESTIBILITY AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF HORRO SHEEP FED NATURAL GRASS HAY AS A BASAL DIET

INTRODUCTION Small ruminant production is an important agricultural activity and has a substantial contribution to smallholder farmers in generating income and securing food in developing countries (Kosgey et al., 2006). In Ethiopia, like other developing countries in sub Saharan Africa, small ruminant production is a major component of the livestock sector. According to CSA (2015) report, the total small ruminant population for the country is estimated to be about 58.4 million, out of which about half (29.3 million) of the population is accounted to sheep.CSA (2015) further reported that East Wollega, where the present study was carried, is home to about 240,111 head of sheep population. Reports of Gizaw et al. (2013) indicated that, at the smallholder level, sheep are the major source of food security serving a diverse function including cash income, savings, cash for fertilizer purchase and socio-cultural functions. The authors further reported that, sheep are particularly important for the pastoralists/agro-pastoralists and for farmers in the subalpine highlands where crop production is unreliable.