Dairy Cattle Husbandry Practices and Coping Strategies Against Feed Scarcity in Buno Bedele Zone, South Western Ethiopia
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Science Research 2021; 9(2): 21-26 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/sr doi: 10.11648/j.sr.20210902.11 ISSN: 2329-0935 (Print); ISSN: 2329-0927 (Online) Dairy Cattle Husbandry Practices and Coping Strategies Against Feed Scarcity in Buno Bedele Zone, South Western Ethiopia Amanuel Bekuma *, Yohanis Addisu Department of Animal Science, Mettu University, Bedele, Ethiopia Email address: *Corresponding author To cite this article: Amanuel Bekuma, Yohanis Addisu. Dairy Cattle Husbandry Practices and Coping Strategies Against Feed Scarcity in Buno Bedele Zone, South Western Ethiopia. Science Research . Vol. 9, No. 2, 2021, pp. 21-26. doi: 10.11648/j.sr.20210902.11 Received : February 17, 2021; Accepted : March 29, 2021; Published : April 23, 2021 Abstract: The study was aimed with to study dairy cattle husbandry practices and coping strategies against feed scarcity in selected districts of Buno Bedele zone, south western Ethiopia. Both purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select kebeles and household respondents. For this study, a total of 384 households were used for an interview. Of the total land size occupied by the respondents, higher proportions (5.07±2.739) were used for communal grazing land followed by land for cereal production (2.86±1.495); land for coffee (1.02±0.965) and land for forest land (0.85±0.585). As the current result indicated majority (42.9%) of the households were used communal natural pasture as the main feed source, especially during the wet seasons; and road and river side and aftermath grazing (15.6%) were also used as feed resource in the study areas. As compared with tethering during wet grazing (27.8%), free grazing (72.12%) remains the major and dominant feeding system practiced in the study areas. In the study area grain leftover (27.6%) were the major supplementary feeds followed by and mill by products (20.3%) and house wastes, atela and common salt (19.01%). River (72.13%), pip water (22.1%) and deep water (5.73%) were the major drinking water in the study areas. Of the total respondents, majority (72.65%) of them housed their dairy cows in open kraal followed by adjoin house (22.92%). As the current study indicated Trypanosomiasis , Mastitis, Foot and mouth disease (FMD) were the commonly occurred diseases of dairy cattle reported by 23.44%, 19.8% and 17.7%, respectively. Changing feed recourse based on availability and cost (26.3%), rent land and grows fodder (23.7%) and reducing herd size (21.4%) were the available copying strategy against feed scarcity, respectively in the study areas. Keywords: Buno Bedele, Copying Strategy, Dairy Cattle, Feed Scarcity, Husbandry and foreign exchange earnings as well as better nutrition. As 1. Introduction income increases with economic development, the share of Ethiopia is one of the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa with the animal products in total food budget increases faster than that largest livestock population, and is ranked 5 th on the world. The of cereals. This occurs because of the relatively high-income total cattle population of the country is estimated to be 61.59 elasticity of demand for animal products Dayanandan [2]. million CSA [1], of which 6,690,662 were dairy cows. The Despite the existing high potential for dairy development, country holds large potential for dairy development due to its the performance of the Ethiopian dairy sub-sector has been large livestock population; the favorable climate for improved lagging far behind that of the neighboring countries with crossbred cows, the relatively disease-free environment, better comparable agro-ecological conditions Lemma et al. [3]; at market opportunity and proximity to international markets. 19 liters per annum annual milk consumption is extremely Dairy sector is a major contributor to economic low and well below the world average of 105 liters and the development, especially among the developing countries, both African average of about 41 liters CSA [4]. This is due to the driving economic growth and benefiting from it. As an engine fact that there are lots of genetic and non-genetic factors that of growth, it provides increased income, employment, food hamper the dairy sector development in the country. The 22 Amanuel Bekuma and Yohanis Addisu: Dairy Cattle Husbandry Practices and Coping Strategies Against Feed Scarcity in Buno Bedele Zone, South Western Ethiopia others milk quality and quantity depends on dairy feeds [5]. Dabo and Gechi) were purposively selected based on their With cattle population of 24,479,280 Oromia National potential in livestock population, particularly dairy cows. Then Regional state stands first in Ethiopia, Buno Bedele Zone has 3 kebeles from each district, a total of 12 kebeles having 437,688 dairy cattle used for milking purpose CSA [1]. Hence, potential for dairy production were purposively selected. By Buno Bedele zone is very well suited for dairy cattle production using simple random sampling technique, a total of 384 because the area is endowed with such enormous cattle household respondents were selected from the targeted kebeles. resources and climatic situations conducive to dairy cattle The total number of households included in the study was production. There is also high demand for dairy and dairy determined according to the formula given by Cochran (1977). products and there is no a cultural taboo or prejudice towards ()() (.)(.)(.) milk consumption in this area like other parts of the country. n = = =384 (.) Even though dairy production is a source of nutritious food, income and job opportunities to the dairy producers; there is low Where: n = the sample size, production and productivity due to poor management practices z = value for selected alpha level of 0.025 in each tail such as feed and feeding system [6]. From the researchers point 1.96, of view, the existing dairy cattle husbandry practices and coping (p) (q) = the probability estimate value at 0.5 or (maximum strategies against feed scarcity during seasons of the year is need possible proportion (0.5) to be considered Amsalu [7] and and Belay Duguma and Geert *1-maximum possible proportion (0.5) produces maximum [8]. During the long period of dry season dairy producers should possible sample size), be practiced coping strategies against feed scarcity through d = acceptable margin of error for proportion being reducing herd size and conserve forage [9]. In fact Buno Bedele estimated =0.05 zone is not outside this circumstance. Moreover, these is no systematic research and development activities undertaken in the 2.3. Sources and Methods of Data Collection areas either by national government, regional or non- The required data according to the objectives of the study government organization to know the current status of dairy were collected by using primary and secondary data sources. husbandry practices, nutritive value of major dairy feeds and Pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and field coping strategies against feed scarcity during dry period. observation were used to collect the primary data. To Therefore, in order to implement dairy sector development strengthen the survey data, focus group discussions were held strategies in the area, it is essential to know details the overall with individuals who have knowledge and experience on dairy husbandry practices and investigation of coping strategies dairy production. In addition, key informant interviews were against feeds scarcity. Thus the current study was aimed with made with Districts’ Livestock and Fishery Resource studying dairy husbandry practices and coping strategies against Development Office experts and Development Agents (DAs). feed scarcity in the study area. Then, secondary data were collected from zonal and districts agricultural offices, published journal articles, reports and 2. Material and Methods other relevant documents. 2.1. Description of Study Area 2.4. Methods of Data Analysis The study was conducted in selected districts (Bedele, All the collected data were coded and entered into the Didessa Dabo and Gechi districts) of Buno Bedele Zone. The computer Excel software. The Statistical Package for Social zone was located at a distance of 481km to south western of Sciences (SPSS) software (version 23.0) computer programs Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. Currently, zone was used for data analysis using descriptive statistics (means, covers 1,633,156.56 hectares of land and contains 10 frequencies and percentages). Wherever ANOVA test was districts. Astronomically it is located at latitude and longitude employed, the following two factorial ANOVA model was used. lies between 8° 27` - 8°45`N and 36° 21’ - 36°35` E, respectively. The agro-ecological setting of the zone Yijk = µ + α i + β ij + e ijk comprised of 10% high land, 67% mid land and 23% low Where: Y ijk = production parameter land. The altitude of the zone ranges from 500-2,575 meter µ = Overall mean above sea level. Annual precipitation ranges from 1500- th αi = the effect of i districts (i=1-3) 2200mm with 6 to 9 months of rain fall Buno Bedele th βij = the effect of j nutritive feed of dairy cattle at dry and Agricultural Office [10]. The livestock potential of the zone wet seasons (j=1-2) is 437,688 of cattle, 117,052 of sheep, 94,377 of goats, eijk = random error 11,836 of horses, 568 of mules, 25,465 of donkeys, 250,379 of poultry and 100,662 of Beehives CSA [1]. 3. Results and Discussion 2.2. Sampling Procedure and Sample Size 3.1. Characterization of Dairy Production With the consultation of the Zone Livestock Resources and Fishery Development Office, four districts (Bedele, Didessa, In the study area, based on integrated with other Science Research 2021; 9(2): 21-26 23 agricultural practices, proximity to the urban center and also non-conventional feed were identified. The finding of the market-oriented, dairy cattle production systems were present study with regard to identified feed resources was in characterized into mixed-crop dairy production (78.5%), agreement with previous work of Sintayehu et al.