Assessment on Dairy Production Potential and Challenges in Eastern Zone of Tigray, Northern, Ethiopia

  Hailemichael Nigussie Bahita,  Aregawi Hailay

Ethiopia holds large potential for dairy development due to its large livestock Population; the favorable climate for improved, and the relatively disease-free environment for livestock are the considerable potential for smallholder income and employment generation from high-value dairy products. Thus development of dairy in Ethiopia can contribute significantly to poverty alleviation and increased employment opportunity in the country. This study was carried out in eastern zone of Tigray region to generate baseline information on dairy production potential, challenges and opportunities. From purposively selected three districts 114 small and micro enterprise dairy farmers were interviewed and focus group discussions were conducted to gather valuable information. Descriptive statistics and PROC GLM of SAS, version 9.2 was employed to analyze data. Figure and tables were used to present results. Majority of the small and micro enterprise dairy producers were using AI service (60%) to breed their cows. The average numbers of dairy cattle at starting and current time were 3.06 ± 0.27 and 2.27 ± 2.52, respectively. The average milk productions at starting and current time were also 22.9 ± 1.52 and 9.43 ± 0.55 liters per day per household. The most common dairy cattle health problems were mastitis, pasteurellosis and hypocalcaemia. The average lactation length of dairy cows in Hawzen, Agulae and Wukro were 9.08±0.2, 8.33±0.33 and 6.9±0.28 months, respectively. The average age of heifers at first service was also 1 9.7±1.66, 15.9±0.92 and 17.1± 0.68 in Hawzin, Agula and Wukro, respectively. Regarding the number of service per conception 66.7% and 23.68% dairy cows were conceived at the first and second service, respectively. The primary purpose of milk production in most of small and micro enterprise dairy producers was for marketing. The major challenges of dairy production system were land, shortage of feed (both in quality and quantity), AI service which is related with the lack of adequate number of AI technicians, gaps in their skill and unwillingness, and lack of market linkage during fasting period. The survey indicated that the number of lactating cows and the milk production potential was increasing from time to time. However, there is less market demand of milk during fasting times as a result a considerable amount of milk is being disposed, hence milk processing plant is necessary to solve these problems.

Keywords- dairy production, small and micro enterprise, breeding system, survey, challenges

Unique Identification Number - IJEDR1802072
Page Number(s) - 420-429
Pubished in - Volume 6 | Issue 2 | April 2018
DOI (Digital Object Identifier) -   
Publisher - IJEDR (ISSN - 2321-9939)

  Hailemichael Nigussie Bahita,  Aregawi Hailay,   "Assessment on Dairy Production Potential and Challenges in Eastern Zone of Tigray, Northern, Ethiopia", International Journal of Engineering Development and Research (IJEDR), ISSN:2321-9939, Volume.6, Issue 2, pp.420-429, April 2018, Available at :http://www.ijedr.org/papers/IJEDR1802072.pdf