Valuation of livestock population and national feed security to enhance livestock productivity in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Feed is a major input in the livestock industry and covers about 60%-70% of the total cost of producing meat, milk and eggs. Inadequate feed supply in terms of quality and quantity leads to lower production performance in livestock. However, the development of an appropriate livestock production strategy through efficient utilization of existing feed resources could raise the production and per capita consumption of livestock products. Efficiency of feed resource utilization can be measured as the ratio between input to production activities and output (e.g. kg of protein used per unit of meat, milk and eggs produced or hectare of land used per unit of milk produced). METHODOLOGY: This study was designed with the objective of evaluating the livestock population and national feed security to enhance livestock productivity in Ethiopia. To achieve this objective, data were collected from the websites of the Ethiopian Central Statistical Agency from 2007 to 2021, FAO publications and websites, books and journals. The data obtained on different feed resources, livestock population and livestock feed requirement and balance were entered into an MS Excel spread sheet (Excel, 2010) and analysed using the general linear model (PRO GLM) procedure of SAS (2014) and multivariate analysis of covariance. RESULTS: The study results revealed that the livestock population had increased from 58.31 million tropical livestock units (TLU) to 81.10 million tropical livestock units (TLU), and the emission of entericCH4 had increased from 2511.08 Gg/year to 3661.74 Gg/year from 2008 to 2021. The study results also showed that the major available feed resources for ruminants are natural pasture and crop residues, which account for 56.83% (87.56 × 106 ) and 37.37% (57.57 × 106 ) of total feed production in the country, respectively. The contribution of concentrate and improved cultivated pasture and feed from permanent crops used as feed sources is very insignificant (3.05% and 1.96%, respectively). The estimated quantity of these feed resources was sufficient to meet the livestock feed requirement in the country in terms of dry matter (DM), digestible crude protein (DCP) and MEJ, which estimated about 153.31 × 106  t, 4.56 × 106  t and 1203.97 × 109  MJ DM, DCP and MEJ, respectively. The estimated livestock feed requirements were 134.62 × 106 , 4.52 × 106 , and 918.83 × 109 in DM, DCP and MEJ, respectively. The supply covered about 114.33, 100.04 and 131.33% of the DM, DCP and MEJ total annual feed requirements of livestock in the country. Hence, the current feed surplus obtained on feed requirements of ruminants and equines can support the nutrient requirements of 500 × 106 broilers, about 5 × 106 bulls, about 50 × 106 small ruminants or 3 × 106 crossbred lactating dairy cows, yielding 10 L of milk per day. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of study indicated that natural pasture and crop residues cover a major proportion of the annual feed supply in the country. Therefore, proper grazing management, feed conservation practices, improving grazing land vegetation through clearing invasive species, replacing the grazing land with an improved grass and legume mixture, effective collection, conservation and proper utilization of crop residues, and other alternative options such as the use of chemical, physical and biological treatments to improve the nutritive value of fibrous feed should be practiced. More effective extension services and farmer training are also required to increase feed productivity and, hence, human development.

Evaluation of trait preferences and effect of parity, season and lactation stage on production performance of indigenous dairy cow in kaffa zone, southwest Ethiopia.

The current research focused on the effects of parity, season, and lactation stage on the milk yield of indigenous dairy cows in selected districts of the Kaffa Zone of southern Ethiopia. The districts of Gesha and Chena were purposefully chosen. The study design for the 384 household surveys was a cross-sectional survey with a simple random sample approach as the sampling method. Following the survey, 192 lactating cows were chosen for a monitored investigation to track nighttime and morning milk supply. In addition to key informants and focus group discussions, primary and secondary data were obtained via a semi-structured questionnaire, interview, and field observation. The most favored features functioning as selection criteria were those favored for production, reproduction, physical appearance, physiological function, and temperament, in that order. Evening milk yield (EMY), mornning milk yield (MMY), daily milk yield (DMY), lactation length (LL) and lactation milk yield (LMY) were 0.91 ± 0.033 L, 1.22 ± 0.037 L, 2.125 ± 0.07 L, 6.36 ± 0.116 months, and 427.10 ± 20.678 L, respectively, with significant difference (p < 0.01) amongst districts, parity, and season. However, there was no significant variation between studies in EMY, MMY and DMY. Significantly higher values of production performances were recorded for interaction among districts, parity, and season. The study also revealed that interaction between district (Gesha) and parity (third), which were signficantlly higher for EMY, MME, DMY, LL, and LMY 1.50 L, 2.00 L, 3.50 L, 8.10 months, and 850.50 L, respectively. The same trend also observed for interaction among district (Gesha), season (wet), and parity (third), which were obtained to be highly significant values of EMY, MMY, DMY, LL, and LMY were 1.35 L, 1.75 L, 3.10 L, 7.65 months, and 716.80 L, respectively. The study region has a large population of indigenous dairy cows and produces higher yields than the national average. However, it falls short of the worldwide production benchmarks, and the trait preferences used as a selection criterion were based on the farmers' indigenous knowledge. Measures to enhance production abilities must be incorporated and selection criteria must be modernized.

Evaluation of breeding objectives, breeding practices and reproductive performance of indigenous dairy cows in selected districts of Kaffa Zone, South West Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Breeding objectives are designed to achieve targeted dairy cow production goals, which can be affected by production type, farmer preferences, environmental factors and genetic factors individually or in combination. Breeding practices, such as both controlled and uncontrolled, and artificial insemination (AI) are the tools used to obtain the desired breeding objectives. The lower reproductive performance of indigenous dairy cows affects the total milk production and calf crops that are produced during their lifetime. Designing appropriate breeding objectives and breeding practices can improve the reproductive performance of dairy cows and their overall production performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The current study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the breeding, practices and performance of indigenous dairy cattle in the south western part of Ethiopia. The districts of Gesha and Chena were purposefully chosen. The study design for the 384 household surveys was a cross-sectional survey with a simple random sample approach. Data analysis was carried out by MS-Excel (2010) and the general linear model procedure of SAS of 2008. RESULTS: The current study revealed that methods of breeding were predominantly natural-controlled mating, followed by natural-uncontrolled mating and AI in descending order. Breeding objectives were input function, output function, sociocultural and economic functions and assets and security functions in decreasing order of rank. Reproduction performance indexes of indigenous dairy cows age at first service (3.72 ± 0.05 years), age at first calving (AFC) (4.71 ± 0.07 years), calving interval (CI) (1.58 ± 0.03 years), days open (DO) (4.26 ± 0.11 months), services per conception in natural mating (1.4 ± 0.08) and AI (2.73 ± 0.14), age of bull at maturity (4.17 ± 0.74 years), interoestrus interval (23.18 ± 0.61 days), calves crop (7.53 ± 0.22) and the life span of indigenous dairy cow (11.94 ± 0.26 years) were significant (p < 0.01) between two districts, whereas the values of age of bull at maturity and number of services per conception in natural mating were significant (p < 0.05) between districts. CONCLUSIONS: Using AI and major reproduction performances, such as AFC, CI and DO of indigenous dairy cows in the study area, were very low. Therefore, concerned bodies should intervene to improve reproduction performance through the utilization of AI techniques, with the integration of forage development activities and improvements in livestock health care.

Morphometric traits and structural indices of indigenous cattle reared in Bench Sheko zone, southwestern Ethiopia.

This study was carried out with the aim of applying morphometric traits and structural indices in assessing the type and function of indigenous cattle in the Gidi-Bench (GB) and Debub-Bench (DB) districts of the Bench-Sheko zone. The study included two hundred forty (240) households (120 from each district). About 660 matured cattle (60 male and 600 female) were selected for morphometric measurement, from which 14 structural indices were computed. For cattle linear body measurement, 15 characters were assessed, whereas 16 traits were considered for qualitative observation. The finding indicated that, except for tail length (TL), cattle in DB had higher (p < 0.05) values for Body Weight (BW), chest girth (CG), head length (HDL), height at wither (HW), Body length (BL), Horn length (HL), height at rump (HAR), height at rump (RL), RW (rump width), Neck Width (NW), Neck length (NL) Chest depth (CD), ear length (EL) and neck circumference (NC) than those of GB district. GB bulls had higher (p < 0.05) Body Index (BI), cephalic index (CI), and Balance (Ba) than DB districts. Conversely, the Height Index (HI), Rump Length Index (RLI), Body Index (BI), Body Weight Index (BWI), Body Ratio (BR), and Height Slope (HS) of DB bulls were higher (p < 0.05) than those of GB districts. The HI, RLI, BWI, Ba, and BR values were higher (p < 0.05) for cows of DB than those of GB districts. However, cows in GB had higher (p < 0.05) Length Index_1 (LI_1), CI, Pelvic Index (PI), Over increase Index (OVII), Length Index_1 (LI_2), and HS values compared to DB district. Therefore, morphometric features and body indices revealed that cattle reared in DB could be categorized as a small-sized and angular-shaped body frame with the ability to graze in rough terrain. In contrast, cattle in GB were categorized under small-sized animals whose morphology corresponds to dual-type, specifically bulls with the light draft.

Assessment of indigenous Shaka cattle structural indices reared in Shaka zone, south west Ethiopia.

The study encompassed quantitative traits of the Shaka cattle reared in Shaka zone, Anderacha and Masha weredas of south western, Ethiopia. The study covered quantitative parameters which were taken from 240 cows and 120 bulls from randomly slected120 households. The means for the quantitative traits were compared using Duncan's Multiple Range test, the values were considered significant at P < 0.05 and P < 0.01. The results of morphometrical measurements of bulls reared at Masha wereda had wider (P < 0.05) values for their pelvic width and the Chest Depth for the bulls aged ≥7 years was higher (P < 0.01). While the canon bone circumference was also wider when compared to the bulls reared at Anderacha wereda. Contrary the bulls aged ≤5 years and reared at Anderacha wereda had higher (P < 0.05) for Body Weight, Height at Withers and Chest Depth. Morphometrical measurement for cows ≤5 year age group and reared at Masha wereda have longer (P < 0.05) Neck Length and for cows ≥7 years have wider (P < 0.05) Hock Bone Circumference and Pelvic Width. Contrary the cows aged ≤5 years raised at Anderacha wereda has wider (P < 0.05) for Cannon Bone Circumference, and (P < 0.01) for Chest Girth, higher Body Weight, Rump Length, Ear Length, Neck Circumference and Chest Depth. Among the cows aged ≥7 years have longer (P < 0.01) face length and deeper (P < 0.05) Chest. There is a significant difference in the length index (LI2) and body ratio (BR) (P < 0.05) throughout the research locations, with Anderacha wereda having the higher result, and Masha wereda having the higher depth index (DI) and transverse pelvic index (TPI) (P < 0.05).The results of body indices of both sex indicate that, the cattle is suited for grazing in the forest areas and are of dual type.