ASSESSEMENT OF DAIRY CATTLE BREEDING PRACTICES AND EFFICIENCY OF ARTIFICAL INSEMINATION IN MARIMANSA WOREDA, DAWURO ZONE, SOUTH WESTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The study was conducted in Mari Mansa woreda, Dawuro Zone aimed to investigate dairy cattle breeding practices and efficiency of artificial insemination. One hundred and forty seven respondents were selected from four kebeles of the woreda who have dairy cattle by using a purposive sampling technique and interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. All data were analyzed by using a general linear model procedure of statistics in Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 21.0) by fitting breed and agro ecology as main effects. The most commonly breeding practice was natural mating system (66.6%) and Artificial inseminationcontributing(33.3). As common in most areas of Ethiopia, scarcity of breeding bulls and uncontrolled mating practices at communal grazing lands were reported from the study farmers. Indigenous knowledge of farmers to select their breeding animals, culling of ones, breeding bull sharing among farmers and higher desire towards using crossbred cows were observed breeding practices in the study district. Body sizes, growth rate, production history of animals, adaptation to harsh production environment, and recent production potential and visual physical appearance of animals were used by farmers as selection criteria of their breeding animals. Age at first service of local and cross breed heifer was 43.43±19 and 36.13±.41 months, respectively.The mean age at first calving, calving interval, days open and number of services per conception of local and cross breed was reported as 48.60±.07and43.38±.07, 21.26±.08 and16.83±.02 ,148.85±.21and146.08±.2 days,1.69±.04and1.65±.04, respectively. The reported average daily milk yield of local cattle were 2.21±.03 liter and cross breed 4.5±.0311liter. In high land agro ecology both local and cross breedaverage daily milk yield is 3.24±.02 and midlandboth local and cross breed average daily milk yield 4.27±.06 liters. The mean lactation length (month) and lactation milk yield of local and cross breed cows was, 7.16±0.13and 327.5±2.93,6.19±0.23and 704.69±2.93respectively.About 70% of the respondents faced failure in artificial insemination and the main reason for this was absence of an artificial insemination technician at a time.The most common challenge fordairycattle breeding across the study area were uncontrolled mating (72%),shortage of grazing land (71%) and other extensive management practices. High price of milk and milk products, high demand for milk, good market access and facilities, conducive agro ecology were reported as good opportunity for dairy cattle production by the most respondents. In general, the current uncontrolled and extensive breeding system of cattle and shortage in AI services should be addressed to improve the poor efficiency of AI in terms of low reproductive efficiency.