Advances in dairy Research
Open Access

Abstract

Challenges and Opportunities of Dairy Cattle Production in the Selected Districts of North Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

Fikiru Getaachew*, Bosenu Abera, Alemnesh Yirda, Baradin Aman

The study was conducted at North shewa zone of Oromia regional state, to assess major challenges face the dairy cattle production and opportunities for dairy development in the study area. A cross-sectional survey was used; three districts were selected from the zone and three kebeles were selected purposively based on dairy potentials. Three hundred sixty respondents were randomly selected for a structured interview. Both focus group discussion and depth interview with key informant was conducted to support the data obtained from the farmers. Almost (83.3%) of the dairy cattle owners were male-headed and mostly completed primary school (46.1%). The family size was between 1 and 5(53%) having had scarce (1.81 ± 0.24 ha) land to produce the large size of dairy cattle. Children were responsible for herding and take care of the dairy cattle. Women were controlled milking, cleaning and marketing of the dairy and dairy products. Inadequate animal feed, animal health problems, poor genetic potentials, limited artificial services, limited livestock credit and insurance service, poor dairy market linkage, absence of dairy technology and lack of institutional support were major identified dairy cattle production challenges while suitable environment, high demand for dairy and dairy product and nearest to the centre as dairy production potentials and the study is highly recommended that planning of dairy policy, provision of credit and insurance, motivating of the formal market channel and improving dairy production inputs(feeds, drugs, semen, technologies, technicians and heifers).

Published Date: 2022-09-05; Received Date: 2022-08-01