Survey on Livestock Production System Characterization in Bench-Maji, Sheka and Mejenger Zones, South Western Ethiopia

Select Volume / Issue:

• Volume 4,Issue 5, Sept. 2017

Year:

2017

Type of Publication:

Article

Keywords:

Cattle Production, Feed Resources, Cattle Health and South-West Ethiopia

Authors:

Mengistu, Gezahegn; Yadessa, Endale; Tulu, Dereje; Aleme, Melkam; Bogale, Ararsa; Effa, Kefena

Journal:

IJRAS

Volume:

4

Number:

5

Pages:

231-239

Month:

September

ISSN:

2348-3997

Note:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Abstract:

The study was conducted in Bench-Maji and Sheka of Southern Nation’s Nationalities and Peoples’ Regional State and Mejenger Zone of Gambella National Regional State to characterize livestock production system, identify feed availability and major cattle diseases in the study Zones. A total of 200 household heads were selected using multistage purposive sampling method for questionnaire interview. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. The major farming system in the study areas was traditional mixed crop-livestock production system. The study revealed that overall cattle herd size was 8.18 ± 0.44 heads per household and was significantly different (p ving interval, lactation length and age at first calving for local cow were 22.05 ± 6.76, 8.69 ± 2.27 and 50.87 ± 6.68 months, respectively. Blackleg, Ticks, Bloat, Trypanosomiasis, Foot mouth disease and Lumpy skin disease were the most common suspected diseases affecting cattle health in that order of importance. Conservation, proper storage and utilization of crop residues, integrating improved forage to the farming system, strengthening improved veterinary and AI services, provision of strong extension services and training on livestock production and management should be very important

Full text: IJRAS_594_FINAL.pdf [Bibtex]