Cross Breeding Effect on the Performance of Indigenous Cattle: Challenges and Opportunities

Addis Getu, Goshu Biru and Derb Arbse

 

Research Paper I Published April,2015

Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Technology  Vol. 1 (2), pp.16-21

ABSTRACT

This cross sectional study was conducted from February 2014 to April 2014. The aim of the study was to evaluate productivity and reproductive performance and identify challenges and opportunities of crossed bred dairy cow in Gondar town, Amhara regional state, Ethiopia. A total of 54 small-scale dairy farm owners were randomly selected using semi-structure questionnaire to obtain information on the productive and reproductive performance of cross dairy cows. Mean daily milk yields for the first, second and third stage of lactations were 7.01±2.73, 5.5± 2.83 and 3.50±1.64 liters per cow per day, respectively. The study indicated that milk yield was lower in the third stage of lactation than that of first and second stage of lactation. Data reveled from the interviewed respondents’ stated that mean milk yield per day/cow as well as per lactation /cow was 5.35±1.23 and 2042.11 litres, respectively. The overall average lactation length was about 11.5 months. The mean age at first service and first calving, days open till conception, calving interval and number of services per conception were 24.5 months and, 3 years, 4 month, 21.5 months and 3, respectively. The respondents reported that age at first calving was affected by shortage of feed (37%), feeding and disease (35.2%) and the season (27.2%). The main constraints which were frequently mentioned by the respondents were shortage of feed, (68.5%) and interaction of nutrition, health, housing and management level (31.5) were major problems affecting milk production. The present study showed that productivity and reproductive performance of crossbred cows owned by small-scale dairy producers in Gondar town was low. Thus, there is a need to improve feed supply, health care and services, access to artificial insemination, proper breeding management and supply of improved genotypes in order to improve the performance of dairy cows in the study area.

Key words: Cross Breeding, Productive and Reproductive Performance, Gondar Ethiopia.

View Full Text-PDF