Scientists and staff working over the years at the Animal Nutrition/Analytical Services Laboratories of the International Livestock Centre for Africa and subsequently the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, provided and analyzed thousands of samples of feedstuffs.
Drs David O. Anindo, Abdullah N. Said and A. Lahlou-Kassi compiled the initial dataset (Anindo D. O., Said A.N., and Lahlou-Kassi A. 1994. Chemical Composition and Nutritive value of Feedstuffs for Ruminant Livestock in sub-Saharan Africa, International Livestock Centre for Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 537 pp). Dr Markos Tibbo, who participated in the preparation of the dataset used in this publication, kindly provided the CGIAR Systemwide Livestock Programme with a copy of the original data. Ms Mahlet Mekuria assisted in extensive modifications to meet the requirements of a web-based database. Mr Abate Tedla and Mr Asebe Abdena assisted in identifying plant names and uses. Mr Menkir Girma assisted in formatting documents and images for a software-based version, originally developed by Mr Ephrem Getahun. Messrs Apollo Habtamu, Daniel Haile-Michael and Birru Dori designed and manage the website.
The project was originally coordinated by Dr Salvador Fernandez-Rivera, whose dedication to feeds research in sub-Saharan Africa resulted in the development and design of this searchable web-published database. In 2009 Dr Bruno Gerard took over coordination of the project in his capacity as Director of the Systemwide Livestock Programme. In recent years the database project has been led by Prof Alan Duncan with input from Drs Chris Jones, Michael Blummel, Melkamu Derseh and Jean Hanson.
An extensive refresh of the data in the database including addition of a substantial block of new data was conducted by Mr Michael Bolton in 2020, funded by the CGIAR Livestock Research Program.
The original database development phase was supported by the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (PSP) and Livestock and Meat Marketing Program (Texas Agricultural Experiment Station) in Ethiopia with funding from USAID to the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research and ILRI. Appreciation is expressed to the donors of the CGIAR Systemwide Livestock Programme, as well as its members and partners for past financial support to maintain and upgrade the database.
Citation
2020. SSA Feeds, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: ILRI.