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<p>The aim of this study was to assess management practices and constraints of indigenous cattle production across the highland (HL), midland (ML), and lowland (LL) agro-ecological zones (AEZs) among farmers in the mixed farming systems in the Gera district, southwest Ethiopia. Data were collected from a total of 190 cattle owners using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics procedures of SPSSversion 20 were followed to analyse the collected data. The results of the present study revealed that all respondents (100%) practiced a mixed crop-livestock farming system. The average cattle herd size per household was 7.3 ± 0.16. Respondents in the HL kept a significantly higher (P &lt; 0.001) number of cattle than in ML and LL AEZs. Cattle were mainly kept as a source of draught&#xa0;power. Natural pasture, crop residues, indigenous browse trees and shrubs, and cultivated forages were the main feed resources available for cattle. Natural pasture was ranked as the major source of feed in both the wet season (mean index = 0.68) and dry season (0.39). Grazing was the dominant cattle feeding system (54.5%) practiced by farmers. Natural service was reported as the predominant method of breeding (85.6%). Most respondents (93%) used rivers as the main source of water for cattle. The majority of respondents (77.4%) provided no housing for their cattle but kept them in open residential compounds at night, with only a few (22.6%) providing closed sheds with soil floors. The top ranked cattle health problems were parasites in HL, blackleg in ML, and trypanosomiasis in LL AEZs. The major constraints to cattle production across the AEZs were feed shortage, grazing land scarcity, and disease.</p>

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Management practices and constraints of indigenous cattle production among smallholder farmers in Gera district, southwest Ethiopia

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月7日

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  • Hassen Abazinab,
  • Belay Duguma,
  • Eyerus Muleta

摘要

The aim of this study was to assess management practices and constraints of indigenous cattle production across the highland (HL), midland (ML), and lowland (LL) agro-ecological zones (AEZs) among farmers in the mixed farming systems in the Gera district, southwest Ethiopia. Data were collected from a total of 190 cattle owners using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics procedures of SPSSversion 20 were followed to analyse the collected data. The results of the present study revealed that all respondents (100%) practiced a mixed crop-livestock farming system. The average cattle herd size per household was 7.3 ± 0.16. Respondents in the HL kept a significantly higher (P < 0.001) number of cattle than in ML and LL AEZs. Cattle were mainly kept as a source of draught power. Natural pasture, crop residues, indigenous browse trees and shrubs, and cultivated forages were the main feed resources available for cattle. Natural pasture was ranked as the major source of feed in both the wet season (mean index = 0.68) and dry season (0.39). Grazing was the dominant cattle feeding system (54.5%) practiced by farmers. Natural service was reported as the predominant method of breeding (85.6%). Most respondents (93%) used rivers as the main source of water for cattle. The majority of respondents (77.4%) provided no housing for their cattle but kept them in open residential compounds at night, with only a few (22.6%) providing closed sheds with soil floors. The top ranked cattle health problems were parasites in HL, blackleg in ML, and trypanosomiasis in LL AEZs. The major constraints to cattle production across the AEZs were feed shortage, grazing land scarcity, and disease.