Assessment of Beef Cattle Fattening and Marketing System and Contribution to Household Food Security in Case of Lemmo Woreda, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted in the Southern Nation nationality and People Regional Government in Hadiya Zone to assess of beef cattle fattening and marketing system in the case of Lemmo woreda. In the present study stratified sampling method was used and a total of 60 households were selected for survey study. To collect the data both primary and secondary data source were used and the collected data were analyzed by using descriptive. The study showed that the main purposes of beef cattle production were for income generation, for asset, and for home consumption (51.66%), (18.33%), (15%) respectively. The common beef cattle selection criteria were health condition, physical appearance, sex, age are 43.3%, 25%, 13.33%, 13.33% respectively. Major feed resources were natural pasture 28.33%, crop residues 21.66%, maize stalker 11.66%, frushika 10%. Beef cattle production constraints were feed shortage 41.66%, lack of management 11.66%, lack of knowledge 11.66%, scarcity of land 10%, drought 10%, and disease 8.33%. The duration of fattening was 1-3 month 71.66%, 3-6 month 23.33%, and 6-9 month 5%. Major Beef cattle production opportunities were market demand 38.3%, comfortable environments 30%, and feed resource and water availability 13.33%. Beef cattle marketing constraints were road problem 31.66%, unequal demand and surplus 28.33% and market distance 21.66%. Therefore based on the result we recommend that the farmers should be well awarded on beef cattle fattening and marketing system, use improved forage for supplementary feed and should be well informed about market condition and further large scale research should be conducted on the area of beef marketing and their contribution to food security in the area .

Keywords: Beef cattle, beef cattle production, fattening system, marketing system.