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Abstract
A cross sectional study was conducted to assess dairy production system and to identify its common constraints in Abay Choman and Jimma Ganati Districts of Horro Guduru Wollega zone. Multistage sampling technique was used to determine sample size and Districts, peasant associations, villages and dairy owners were sampled sequentially. 63.13% of the respondents had formal education; out of which 40.22% attended only elementary education, 8.94% attended high School, 7.26% diploma graduate and 6.70% were degree graduates. The means ± SD of cattle holding was 8.04 ± 6.72 out of which averagely 3 animals were cows. Of the total of 546 dairy cows, only 9 (1.65%) and 5 (0.92%) were Holstein and Jersey cross bred cows. Housing system of the study area was mainly traditional and unimproved where 91.62% of dairy cows pass the night in earthen floor housing of which 77.09% were not shaded. Only 2.22% were housed in concrete floor housing with shade. The average age at first calving for Horro zebu cattle was 3.61 ±0.59 years where it was shorter for crossbred animals. The average calving interval of endogenous breed was 1.98 year and the average daily milk yield was found 1.1 litre/cow/day. Dairy product in the area was mainly used for home consumption where 131(73.18%) respondent dairy cattle owners use the dairy product at home, 36 (20.1%) of the dairy owners sell dairy product to local consumer and 11(6.15%) and 1(0.56%) respondents sell their dairy product to Hotel and local consumer and only to Hotels, respectively. Based on result, provision of extension services like artificial insemination, distribution cross breed bulls and continuous training were recommended.
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Article Information
Article History:
Received : 12-04-2015
Revised : 13-06-2015
Accepted : 18-06-2015
Keywords:
Dairy product
Horro Guduru
Indigenous Zebu
Dairy Marketing
INTRODUCTION
Agriculture is the most employment industry in the world it employed 42% of the worlds' population and more than 50% of developing countries population (Upton and Otte, 2004). Livestock are the sub sector of agriculture. Like other developing countries, agriculture is main stay of Ethiopian economy. Ethiopian livestock population is estimated to be 55.03 million cattle, 27.35 million sheep, 28.16 million goats, 1.96 million horses, 6.95 million donkeys, 0.36 million mules, and about...