GLOBAL JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH Journal homepage: www.gjasr.com Print ISSN:2345-4377 Online ISSN:2345-4385 Original Article Assessment of breeding practices on dairy cows in west gojjam zone Samuel Shiferaw1, Zeleke Mekuriaw2, Million Tadesse1 and Dilip Kumar3 1Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Ethiopia 2International Livestock Research Institute, Ethiopia 3Bahir Dar University, College of agriculture and environmental science, Ethiopia Abstract The study was conducted in Bahir Dar Zuria, Mecha and Yelmana Densa districts from September 2013 to October 2014, with the objective of assessing breeding practices in dairy cattle in West Gojjam zone. Interviews using pre-tested structured questionnaires administered to 180 households and 9 focus group discussions were used to generate the data on dairy cattle breeding practices in the study area. Data analysis was done using SAS (9.1) and SPSS version 20. One way ANOVA was used for milk production, ranking method and descriptive statistics (means, standard errors and percentages). The most common mating system in all sites was natural control mating. The primary breeding objective of the community was to obtain better milk yield. Milk (Index= 0.169) was the first production preference of the respondent farmers in the study area. About 53.54 % of dairy farmers in the study area preferred AI with synchronization followed by controlled natural mating (30%).Community based breeding program by incorporating indigenous knowledge of farmers is the best option in improving breeding practice of dairy cattle in the study area. Keywords: dairy cattle, breeding practice, breeding objective, West Gojjam INTRODUCTION Livestock is raised in all of the farming systems of Ethiopia by pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, and crop-livestock farmers. According to Tsehay Redda (2001), milk production systems can be broadly categorized into urban, peri-urban and rural. The dairy sector in Ethiopia can also be categorized as traditional smallholders, privatized state farms and urban and peri urban systems (GebreWold et al., 2000) based on market orientation, scale and production intensity. In dairy cattle breeding, most of the dairy farmers in the highland, midland and the lowland areas of Ethiopia used natural mating by using indigenous breeding bull. But crossbred bull in the highland and midland agro-ecologies were used for service. Some farmers used AI Corresponding Author: "Samuel Shiferaw Biresaw" <[email protected]> How to Cite this Article: Biresaw, S., Mekuriaw, Z., Tadesse, M., & Kumar, D. (2017). Assessment of breeding practices on dairy cows in west gojjam zone. Global Journal of Animal Scientific Research, 5(1), 14-29. Article History: Received: 2015-09-25 Accepted: 2015-11-29 Copyright © 2017, World Science and Research Publishing. All rights reserved This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International License. 14 Samuel Shiferaw, Zeleke Mekuriaw, Million Tadesse and Dilip Kumar GLOBAL JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, 5(1), 14-29 along with natural mating in highland and midland areas. Some of the farmers also preferred seasons for mating for their dairy cattle. They mate their cows in such a way that the calving falls during the wet season to take the advantage of abundant feed supply which promotes better milk production and hence a better chance of survival of calf (Tesfa 2009). In Ethiopia, the human and animal populations are very much affected by nutritional problems; primarily due to lack of food of high nutritional value (Gebrekidan et al 2012). In order to address this problem and upgrade the nutritional status of the population, actions should be taken to improve animal production so as to ensure better supply of animal protein of high nutritive value (Ashebir 1992). Among animal protein milk is the one, whose demand continues to increase and plays a very important role in feeding the rural and urban population of Ethiopia (Asaminew 2007). Therefore, in order to meet this demand, improving the potential milk production status of indigenous dairy cattle through selection and breeding of cows by farmer’s preference traits is a practical approach for a country which lacks appropriate and standard performance recording. The objective of the study was, therefore, to assess breeding practice of dairy cattle in West Gojjam Zone, come up with pertinent and workable recommendations that could call upon decision makers and stakeholders to give the utmost attention to the breeding practices operation in the study area. Materials and Methods Description of Study Area West Gojjam is one of the ten zones in Amhara region and lies between 36o 30’ to 37o 5’ Longitudes East and 10016’ to 11054’ Latitudes North. Finoteselam, capital of West Gojjam zone, is located 175 Km from Bahir Dar on the way to Addis Ababa. Bahir Dar, Bure, Finoteselam and Adet are some of the major towns in the zone. The total land area of the zone is 13,280km2. Out of these, cultivated land accounts 11.3%, grazing land 8.2%, natural forest 3.4%, plantation forest 16.5%, and woodland 8.5%, shrubs 2.6% and swampy land 33.2%. Zonal elevation difference accounts about 14% of less than 1500 m a.s.l., followed by 76% between 1500 – 2500. The remaining 9% is an altitude between 2500 – 3500 m.a.s.l. Most of the districts (75%) in the zone have ambient temperature ranges of 15 – 20 0C and the remaining (17%) have 20 – 27 0C. West Gojjam zone is one of food secured zones in the region with the least aid dependency ratio. On the other hand, the zone has suffered from high soil erosion and high soil nutrient depletion; as a result some of the areas are becoming more dependent on inorganic fertilizers. The zone is the origin of 9 prominent rivers such as Blue Nile, Gilgel-Abay, Bir, Fetem, Beles, Debohil, Zema, Ayehu and GilgelBeles. There are also many tributaries of Blue Nile (LIVES base line data; 2013). Bahir Dar Zuria, Mecha and Yilmanadensa districts were selected for four commodity intervention by LIVES project (Figure 3.1). Agro-ecologically, these districts have predominantly ‘Moist Weinadega’ and ‘Wet Weinadega’ zones. The annual rainfall ranges from 1,617-1,791mm from the highest areas of Yilmana Densa and Mecha down to the lowest area of Bahir Dar Zuria district (1,272 – 1,397mm). Of the three LIVES intervention districts, Yilmana Densa is one of undulating topography and mountainous than Mecha and Bahir Dar Zuria. The predominant soil type for Mecha and Bahir Dar Zuria is Chrmic Lumisols. Whereas for Yilmana Densa the major soil type is Eutrivertisols. Eutrivertisols is the least proportion for the two districts. 15 Page Samuel Shiferaw, Zeleke Mekuriaw, Million Tadesse and Dilip Kumar GLOBAL JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, 5(1), 14-29 Source: LIVES base line data; 2013 Figure 3.1: Map of 3 LIVES intervention districts in West Gojjam Zone Source: LIVES base line data; 2013 Figure 3.2: West Gojjam zone cluster Districts Biophysical charters Map Most of the highest (19 – 210C) temperature areas are found in Bahir Dar Zuria following the Blue Nile River down to TisAbay, whereas, the lowest temperature areas are around the other edge of Yilmanadensa district that ranges from 10 -140C. Most of the areas in Mecha district have temperatures ranging from 17-180C (Figure 3.2) (LIVES base line data; 2013) The study sites were selected as per the potential of dairy and which were the focus areas of the LIVES Project 16 Page Samuel Shiferaw, Zeleke Mekuriaw, Million Tadesse and Dilip Kumar GLOBAL JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, 5(1), 14-29 Survey Sampling and Methods of Data Collection Based on their milk shed potentiality and AI practice, 9 rural kebeles were purposively selected from each of the three districts and twenty household per rural kebeles for questionnaire administration. A total of 180 respondents (60 from each district) were randomly sampled for the interview from the selected rural kebeles. Data were generated by administrating a structured questionnaire, group discussions and from secondary sources. Questionnaire Administration A structured questionnaire was prepared and pre-tested before administration and some re- arrangement, reframing and correction in accordance with respondents’ perception were made. The check list was administered to key informants, AI technicians, professionals and group discussions and to the randomly selected household heads by a team of enumerators recruited and trained for data collection purpose with close supervision of the researcher. The relevant information from AI technician data sheet was collected. Information on the farm, management practices, and inseminated cow and AI related services were recorded. Information on the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers, breeding practice (selection criteria, routine husbandry practices), factors like cattle breed, production system, parity, heat detection techniques, milk production, state of lactation, time of AI, distances from the AI center and status of AI technician was assessed A group discussion was held in each of three selected rural kebeles i.e. three rural kebeles in each district and totally 9 rural kebeles. The group was composed of youngsters (3), women (3), village leaders (4) and socially respected individuals (3) who are known to have better knowledge on the present and past social and economic status of the area. Group discussions were focused on the history of the breeding practices of dairy cows, utility pattern of the dairy cows and AI services, current status and major constraints of the AI services, major reproductive problems of dairy cows after AI, production system, indigenous knowledge on management of breeding and husbandry practices. Methods of Data Analysis All the data were fed to Ms-Excel (2010). Analysis was done by using SPSS version 20 and SAS (9.1). The result was summarized and presented by using descriptive statistics (means, standard errors and percentages).