Condition of Hide and Skin Production and Major Affecting Factors in Selected Districts of Western Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted in selected districts of West Shoa, Horro Guduru Wollega and East Wollega zones mainly focusing on hide and skin diseases, external parasites and other factors known to affect hide and skin. A Cross-sectional study with purposive and multistage sampling techniques was used to select the sample sites and farmers. Six districts were purposively selected from these zones representing the different agro-ecologies and two peasant associations from each district were selected for the study. The three agro-ecologies addressed were: highland (Horro and Chaliya), mid-altitude (Sibu Sire and Bako Tibe), and lowland (Arjo Gudatu and Wama Bonaya). A total of 127 farmers were interviewed. A semi-structured questionnaire was developed and used for the study. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 14.0).  The result indicated that the mean average livestock ownership of the households in study areas was: 9.06 ±0.68, 5.29±0.55, 4.26±0.62, and 6.47± 0.51 heads of cattle, sheep, goats and chicken, respectively. Diseases (57.5%), land scarcity (25.9%) and feed shortage (12.6%), were major livestock constraints reported. Majority of respondents (93%) in mid and low altitude of the areas indicated that Trypanosomiasis and Pasteurellosis were the most important diseases.  We suggest capacity building for farmers and extension staff in areas of health services, vaccination and feeding of animals, improved production and productivity of hide and skins.

Keywords: Bako; Ethiopia; hide and skin; Oromia; small ruminant