COMPARATIVE PRODUCTION AND REPRODUCTION PERFORMANCE OF DAIRY CATTLE IN LARGE, MEDIUM AND SMALL SCALE FARMS: THE CASE OF ADDIS ABABA MILK SHED IN NORTH SHEWA ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess productive and reproductive performance of dairy cattle in large, medium and small scale farms in Debra Libanos, Wuchale and Degem districts in North Shoa Zone Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. A total of 180 dairy farms dairy holding households were randomly selected from each of large, medium and small scale farms of the study areas. From each districts three sample sites or kebeles were purposively taken based on dairy potential and availability of different dairy farm scale. The survey study was conducted on randomly selected of 42 dairy farmers that have large farms (> 30 cows), 63 dairy farmers who have medium scale dairy farms (> 5 ≤ 30 cows) and 75 dairy farmers who have small scale farms (≤ 5 cows). The survey results showed that, the average daily milk yield for local and their crossbreed of different exotic blood level of 50% ,75% and >75% was 3.05±0.55, 15.56±1.17, 20.56±2.23 and 25.64±1.78 liters per days respectively. The average lactation length (months) for local and cross breeds cows with 50%, 75% and >75% blood levels were 6.57±1.80, 8.17±0.63, 8.98±0.78 and 9.49±0.83 months. The Age at first services (AFS) for local and cross breed with 50%, 75% and >75% blood level was 46.53±0.95, 20.18±0.93, 19.10±0.30 and 18.12±0.32 months. The Age at first calving (AFC) for local and exotic crossbred cows with 50%, 75% and >75% blood levels were 54.55±0.62, 28.61±0.53, 27.79±0.36 and 27.26±0.29 months respectively. The Days Open (Days) for local and crossbred cows with 50%, 75% and >75 % blood levels were 122.86±8.01, 83.13±5.63, 67.43±2.95 and 60.63±2.99 days respectively. The Calving interval (months) for local and crossbred cows with 50%, 75% and >75% blood levels were 36.31±0.63, 17.04±1.06, 12.20±0.59 and 11.35±0.51 months respectively. The Number of service preconceptions (NSC) for local and crossbreds cows with 50%, 75% and >75% blood levels were 1.46±0.49, 2.52±0.29, 2.06±0.18, 1.67±1.78 respectively. Generally, the productive and reproductive performance of all types of crossbred and local dairy cows indicated good at farm level, districts and blood levels. Therefore, the dairy sector of the study area should plan technical and institutional improvement strategies to improve management practice of dairy farms (feeding practices, health care and housing), and regularly supplying dairy inputs to improve dairy productivity and sustain the dairy industry.