Challenges and Opportunities of Dairy Cattle Production in Selected Districts of Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted to deal dairy production constraints and opportunities in Sidama Zone Aroresa Woreda districts, Southern Ethiopia. Multistage simple random sampling method was used; 45 households were selected from each agro-ecology (lowland, midland and highland) thus a total of 135 households were selected for the study. The primary data were collected through pre-testing semi-structural questionnaires, discussions and field observations. The obtained data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and compare means method. The study showed that respondents’ perception of other livestock effect on dairy cattle production was variable and not consistency some had said it has advantage while other had said disadvantage and some other had said it has no effect. Even though, however, cattle were accounted first, followed by sheep and goat but donkey, horse and poultry were found in a few numbers. The most respondents (93.4%) were kept local cattle breeds and the rest were also kept cross breed. The study also showed that all of the respondent farmers practiced mixed farming system; different cereal crops produced such as maize, teff, wheat, enset, barley, sweet potato, potatoes, coffee, banana, mango, and cassava. More ever, the  study showed that the statistical values of  chi square among major challenges were significantly vary across agro-ecology at less than 5% significance level, according to feed was the first major constraints which accounted for a large proportion in dairy cattle production and followed by health problem, water and labour scarcity, respectively. The major diseases that hinder production in the study were mastitis (38.5%), Foot and mouth disease (33.3%) and Anthrax (28.2%). However, the study area had some opportunities to increase dairy production and the major opportunities were significantly associated with the types of agro-ecology at P< 5%; market access (56%) was found highest, followed by veterinary and AI service (21.5%) and infrastructure (22.2%). In improving the incomes and standard of living of the smallholder cattle keeper in the study area, introduction of improved genetic material (diseases tolerance animal) and high quality improved feeds should be done.

Keywords: Cattle, Challenges, Dairy, Districts, Ethiopia, Opportunities, Southern