Study on Milk Production and Influencing Factors in Ada'a Dairy Cooperative
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Date
2012-07-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
A study was conducted at the Ada'a Dairy cooperative on Study on milk production and influencing factors in Ada'a dairy cooperative from September 2011 to January 2012.The objectives of the study were to assess milk production system and determine the prevalence of mastitis among lactating dairy cows in Ada'a dairy cooperative smallholder farms. Survey was made using semi-structured questionnaire, farm visit, animal examination and CMT test. A total of 90 smallholder dairy farms and all milking cross bred dairy cows on selected farms were included in the study. From total population (900 members) 10 % was selected for study sample. 76. 7% dairy farms were male headed and 57.8 % of the respondents had> I 0 years dairy experience and 55.6 % of the respondents used dairy farming as a main income source. There was an average herd size of 6.25 cattle per household of which 3.12 crossbred cows. Most dairy activities were done by family members. Animals were permanently housed and stall feeding system was practiced. The first, second and third ranked feed sources were concentrate (63.3 %), crop residue and poultry waste (32.2 %). 51.1 % of smallholders used artificial insemination for breeding. The average age at first mating and calving of crossbred cows were 20.82 and 29.93 months respectively. The average milk yield was 10.67 litre/day. Milking hygiene was generally poor with no milking sequence between mastitic cow and non mastitic once and udder drying and teat dipping practices. Mastitis and lumpy skin diseases were the first (41.1 % and second (22.2 %) ranked diseases. The first (55 .6 %), second (17.8 %) and third (12.2 %) ranked problems of milk production were feed shortage, lack of space and lack of AI service. Prevalence of mastitis at cow level was 60.8 % out of which 15.2 % and 45.6 % were clinical and sub clinical cases, respectively. The quarter level prevalence was 40 % out of this 3.6% (clinical) and 36.4% (sub clinical), respectively, out of 868 quarters examined, 31 was blocked. The quarter level of mastitis prevalence was high in right rear (43.2 %). Prevalence of mastitis varied significantly in (teat lesion, previous exposure to mastitis and udder swelling) (P= 0.000), parity (P= 0.024), age (P= 0.04) and body condition score (P= 0.002). No significant association (P= 0.634) between mastitis occurrence and lactation stage. Generally it can be conclude that milk production is a livelihood source for most smallholders in Ada'a dairy cooperative. However, due to poor husbandry, milking practices and lack of skills on record keeping for accurate decision making on chronically mastitic cows the over all prevalence of mastitis was high.
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Keywords
Ada 'a, Cooperative, Crossbred cow, Dairy, Mastitis, Prevalence, Production, Riskfactors, smallholder and survey