Assessment on Dairy Production System and its Constraints in Horoguduru Wollega Zone, Western Ethiopia
A cross sectional study was conducted to assess dairy production system and to identify its common constraints in Abay Choman and Jimma Ganati Districts of Horro Guduru Wollega zone. Multistage sampling technique was used to determine sample size and Districts, peasant associations, villages and dairy owners were sampled sequentially. 63.13% of the respondents had formal education; out of which 40.22% attended only elementary education, 8.94% attended high School, 7.26% diploma graduate and 6.70% were degree graduates. The means SD of cattle holding was 8.04 6.72 out of which averagely 3 animals were cows. Of the total of 546 dairy cows, only 9 (1.65% and 5 (0.92% were Holstein and Jersey cross bred cows. Housing system of the study area was mainly traditional and unimproved where 91.62% of housing of which 77.09% were not shaded. Only 2.22% were housed in concrete floor housing with shade. The average age at first calving for Horro zebu cattle was 3.61+ 0.59 years where it was shorter for crossbred a endogenous breed was 1.98 year and the average daily milk yield was found 1.1 litre/cow/day. Dairy product in the area was mainly used for home consumption where 131(73.18% respondent dairy cattle owners use the dai the dairy owners sell dairy product to local consumer and 11(6.15% and 1(0.56% respondents sell their dairy product to Hotel and local consumer and only to Hotels, respectively. Based on result, provision of extension se distribution cross breed bulls and continuous training were recommended Copyright@2015 STAR Journal