ASSESSMENTS OF DAIRY CATTLE PRODUCTIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCES, AND THE MAJOR FEED RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT DIFFRENT AGRO ECOLOGIES OF MESKAN DISTRICT, EAST GURAGE ZONE, CENTERAL ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the productive and reproductive performance dairy cattle, and availiablity of major feed resouces at diffrent agro ecologies of Meskan district, east gurage zone, centeral Ethiopia. The kebeles of the district were stratified in to two agroeclogical zones and representative kebeles were selected from the two agro-eoclogies. .A total of 376 sampled respondents were selected perpesively and data were collected by using semistructure questionnaire interview, focus group discussion, and personal observation. The result of the study showed that the dairy production system in the district was a mixed crop-livestock production system. The overall family size per household was 6.72±0.20, the average cattle population per household was 7.17±0.3 heads (6.84TLU), and the overall land holding was 1.29±0.325 ha per household in this study. About 64.1% and 35.9% of households in the study areas indicated that the producing milk and milk products were used for consumption and sale, respectively.In the highland agroecology of the study areas, the major feed resources of cattle were crop residue, natural pasture, IBP, enset leaf, and leaf midribs, while it was natural pasture, crop residue, IBP, and maize Stover in midland agroecology. Annual feed supply in the district satisfies 68.9%, 79.7% TDM, 44.83%, 39.36% TDCP, and 69.46%, 83.25%TME of the maintenance requirement of livestock in TLU per year in highland and midland agroecologies, respectively. Major dairy cattile constraints are shortage of feed , poor genetic potential of indigenous breed, high-cost feed ,inadequate extension and trainig service,limitation of AI technicians ,Nitrogen and Bull semen , animal disease , reproduction problem and shortage of manpower. The major cattle diseases observed in the district were parasites, mastitis, black leg, lumpy skin disease, and anthrax. It could be concluded that, due to poor husbandry practices, the productive and reproductive performance of local cows was low. Therefore, different intervention strategies are needed to improve the husbandry practices, mainly to improve the feed resource available and the indigenous breed through crossbreeding to increase the milk production and productivity. Cattles feed deficit was serious problem and needs strong intervention and attention by the concerned bodies. Key words: Chemical composition, Constraints ,