Data on forage mass production, crude protein yield and methane emission reduction potential of tropical forage options for crop-livestock systems in Ethiopia

Tropical forages have the potential to enhance livestock productivity and simultaneously limit the growing enteric methane emissions from ruminant livestock in countries in eastern African countries where emission per unit livestock product is high largely due to poor nutrition. This dataset was compiled from field experiments and laboratory analyses conducted at 2 sites representative of highland crop-livestock farming systems with contrasting edapoclmatic conductions in Ethiopia from 2021 to 2023. The study compared the effect of different tropical forage crops on forage production (quantity and quality) and methane production. These forage crops were selected based on their performance at other sites with similar environmental conditions, and international and local experts’ opinion. The data provide information on seasonal herbage yields and cumulative forage mass production; chemical composition and crude protein yield. The dataset also includes methane production (g/kg incubated dry matter) and proportion of methane to total gas production potential of the tested crops. It consists an excel file in raw format. This dataset can be valuable for extension officers, policy makers and researchers seeking to develop new source of feed to balance livestock productivity with environmental sustainability in Ethiopian highlands.