Veterinary Epidemiology

Permanent URI for this collection

http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/112

Browse

Browsing Veterinary Epidemiology by Subject "AFC"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    A Study on Reproductive Performance of Crossbred Dairy Cows in Smallholder Dairy Farms in South East Shoa Zone of Oromia Region, Ethiopia
    (2005-06) YIFAT, DENBARGA; Dr. Merga Bekana, Dr. Kelay Belehu
    Retrospective and follow-up studies were conducted from October 2004 to February 2005 to study the reproductive performance of crossbred dairy cows in urban and rural smallholder dairy farms in Adami Tulu Jido Combolcha Wereda, South East Shoa Zone of Oromia Region. A total of 141 rural and 146 urban smallholder dairy farms keeping 2-5 crossbred dairy cows per farm were included in the sample for the retrospective study. The total numbers of animals sampled from the rural and urban area were 244 and 259 dairy cows, respectively. For the follow-up study a total of 128 post-partum crossbred cows (68 cows from urban area and 60 cows from the rural area) from 68 urban and 60 rural smallholder dairy farms were sampled from those cows included in the retrospective study. Retrospective data on reproductive performance indicators (AFC, CI, DO, GL and NSC), cow attributes (age, breed, and parity) and general farm management practices were collected from the farms by questionnaire method and/or individual record. In the follow-up study postpartum dairy cows were followed for about 90 days to collect information on DO and NSC. The over all mean values (n=503) for AFC, CI, DO, GL and NSC were 32.11 months, 411.61 days, 134.77 days, 277.62 days and 1.67, respectively. In the urban areas, the mean values (n=259) of AFC, CI, DO, GL and NSC were 31.85 months, 406.05 days, 129.54 days, 277.59 days and 1.62, respectively. In the rural areas, the mean values (n=244) of AFC, CI, DO, GL and NSC were 32.38 months, 417.52 days, 140.32 days, 277.64 days and 1.71, respectively. Only CI and DO significantly varied between the two production systems (p<0.001). In the urban area, parity status had significant effect on DO (p<0.05) and NSC (p<0.01).DO and NSC decreased as the parity number increased. In addition, season of previous calving had significant effect on CI (p<0.001), DO (p<0.05) and NSC (p<0.05). The best values for CI (403.33 days) and DO (130.46 days) and NSC (1.55) were recorded in the dry season and short rainy season, respectively. In the rural area too, party had significant effect on DO (p<0.05) and NSC (P<0.001). Both parameters decreased with increment of parity number until the 3rd parity. Season of previous calving had significant effect on CI (p<0.001), DO (p<0.001) and NSC (p<0.05) in the rural area. The best values of CI (411.79 days) were found in the long rainy season while the best values of DO (131.15 days) and NSC (1.56) were found viii in the short rainy season. AFC was significantly affected by breed of cows only in the rural areas (p<0.01). None of the factors breed, parity number and season had significant (p>0.05) influence on the length of gestation period of the cows in both areas.