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Cattle Husbandry practices of Farmers in the Hararghe Zones, Eastern Ethiopia
This study was conducted in the eastern (Jarso, Fodis districts) and western (Tulo district) Hararghe zones of Ethiopia to characterize the cattle production systems and practices. A total of 143 farmers were interviewed using structured and semi-structured questionnaires, with 54 farmers from Jarso, 50 from Fodis 39 and from Tulo districts participating in the study. The data were collected on various aspects of cattle management, including feeding practices, water access and quality, sources of cattle medication, cattle (re)production potential, herd structure, purposes of cattle keeping and farmers’ criteria for bull selection. Qualitative data were analyzed using a chi-square test, considering district as an independent factor. Quantitative data also are analyzed considering district as main factor. Indices were calculated using: index = [3 for rank 1 + 2 for rank 2 + 1 for rank 3] supplied for specific variables, divided by [3 for rank 1 + 2 for rank 2 + 1 for rank 3]. Indexes were generated in Microsoft Excel 2010. Mixed livestock production was the most common type of livestock production, with 58.7% of farmers tethering their cattle during the wet season. Farmers commonly provided supplemental feeds such as hay, minerals, rations, chewing chat leftovers, Enset leaves, and other tree branches to their cattle Streams were the primary source of drinking water for cattle, supplying 80.4% of the water used. The age at which bulls were castrated varied significantly across the study areas (P<0.05). In the Jarso district, the majority of farmers (81.8%) castrated their bulls after the age of three years. The primary reasons for bull keeping were; land cultivating (0.42), income generating (0.31) and milk production (0.51). The calving age, marketing and daily milk yield were notably longer and less productive as compared to advanced cattle breeds globally. Enhancing these and other traits is crucial to optimizing the utilization of this cattle population and increasing farmers interest However, it is equally important to preserve adaptive traits and product preference characteristics when designing alternative breeding programs to ensure the cattle remain well-suited to local conditions and meet market demands.
