Breeding Practices of Dairy Cattle in and around Assosa Town

Abstract

The study was conducted on breeding practices of dairy cattle in and around Assosa Town with the aims to assess indigenous dairy cattle Breeding Practices of the communities, and major conformational traits particularly used by smallholders in selecting better dairy cows. Assosa Town (kebele 04 and kebele 02) and surrounding (Amba 5 and Amba 3) were selected purposively because these peasant associations are relatively higher dairy cow owners. Interviews using structured and semi-structured questionnaires were used to general data collection. SAS was employed to analyze the data. The most common mating system in all sites was natural free mating, but natural, controlled and AI also existent in small frequency. The first breeding objective of the community in Assosa town was obtaining better milk yield. The producer trait preference was higher milk yield, faster growth rate and adaptability to local feed condition and disease. In rural villages the first breeding objectives of the respondents was plough purpose. Among the selection criteria of the respondent for dairy cows, udder size, teat size, body length and growth rate were commonly stated and udder size and teat size hold the first and the second ranks in all study sites, respectively. The three main constraints of dairy cattle breeds in the study area were disease, feed, and water shortage respectively.