ASSESSMENT OF FEED RESOURCES, HUSBANDRY PRACTICES, PRODUCTIVITY OF CROSSBRED DAIRY COWS AND MICROBIAL QUALITY OF BUTTERMILK IN DAMOT PULASA DISTRICT, WOLAITA ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study was conducted in Damot Pulasa District of Wolaita zone to assess feed resource, crossbred dairy cows husbandry practice, productivity and evaluation of microbial quality of butter milk. Multistage purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used for this study. The study district was selected purposively based on crossbred dairy cattle production potential. The district was stratified into two based on the distance from the district town. These were area close to district town (≤ 5 km) and far from district town > 5km). From total of twenty three kebeles in district, six representative kebeles were considered. From the selected kebeles, 100 smallholders (50 from each residence areas) were randomly selected. Twenty five buttermilk samples were taken from household level (15) and selling point of open market (10) randomly. The primary data were collected through semi-structured questionnaire, focus group discussion and field observation and microbial quality analysis at laboratory. For the analysis descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation and test statistics such as chi-square and independent sample-test was used. The result indicated the major available feed resources for crossbred dairy cattle in study area were natural pasture, crop residues and non-conventional feed resources ranked 1first, 2nd and 3rd respectively. Feeding practices were grazing with supplementation (69.0 %) and stall feeding system (31.0 %). Pond, river, wells and pipet were major water source. Most of farmers housed their crossbred dairy cattle commonly with family (67.0%) followed by separate house (33.0 %). Natural mating and AI was common for crossbred dairy cattle breeding. Feed related problems, land shortage, capital shortage, lack of awareness were the major constraints in the study area. Suitable agro ecology (climate condition), interest of farmers, milk demand urbanization and government policy were opportunities for crossbred dairy cattle production. Overall mean age at first service, age at first calving, calving interval, day opens, lactation length and daily milk yield were 32.62 ± 3.81 months, 42.06±3.83 months, 16.27±1.86 months ,6.63±1.86 months ,9.01±1.35 months and 4.32±0.9 l/day respectively. The overall mean total bacterial count, entrobacterecea, yeast and mold and pH were 6.26±1.19 log10 cfu/ml, 4.42±0.66 log10 cfu/ml, 5.01±0.78 log10 cfu/ml and 4.33± 0.25 respectively. The result of the study revealed that the performance crossbred dairy cows in the study area was found to be generally low. Improved management practices should be implemented to support the productivity of crossbred dairy cow and the livelihood of dairy farmers in the study area. Butter milk collected from household level and open market, was subjected to bacterial and yeast and mold contamination and does not meet the requirements of international and national milk and dairy product quality standard. Therefore, awareness creation and strict quality control is recommended to protect public health of the consumers.