Abstract:
The study was carried out in Bona Zuria District, Sidama Zone, and southern Ethiopia to
assess the artificial insemination (AI) efficiency services, reproductive performance of
cross breed dairy cows and to identify major challenges associated with AI services in
four selected kebeles. In this study a structured questionnaire was used and 181
respondents were interviewed. According to the study result 61.3% have been using AI
service regularly without interruption and 38.7% didn’t get the service regularly due to
discontinuation of service on weekends and holidays, due to shortage of AI technician,
shortage of input, long distance to get the service. About their level of satisfaction, more
than half of the respondents were unsatisfied with the overall AI service in the study area
due to different problems including: availability of semen and liquid nitrogen doesn't
come on time (28.7%), AI technician problem (22.1%), heat detection problem (9.4%),
conception failure (13.3%), discontinuation of services in weekend and holiday (12.2%),
insufficiency support from concerned body (10.5%) and disease (3.9 %). The mean age at
first service, age at first calving, calving interval and number of inseminations per
conception were 26.4±6.7 months, 35.33±11.73 months, 18.15±6.81 months and
1.56±0.71 months, respectively in highland areas. The corresponding values for mid
altitude were 25.31±4.3 months, 32.44±11.58 months, 17.41±6.6 months and 1.49±0.67
months, respectively. Retrospective data were obtained from AI service recording book
from year 2014-2018 was 1421 animals were found pregnancy diagnosis test (PD) out of
2523 inseminations and this value accounted 56.32 percent of the total. The average
number of AI application per technician per year was found to be 126. The proportions of
animals inseminated during long, short rainy and dry season were 25.08, 54.6 and 20.32
percent, respectively from 2523 total inseminations. Therefore, regular training should
be given to animal owners and AI technicians about technical and organizational
facilities for AI and Awareness about AI should be created to improve reproductive
performances of crossbreed dairy cows
