Characterization of Dairy Cattle Husbandry Practice and Performance under Smallholder Systems and Analysis of Milk Value Chain and Quality in Bishoftu and Akaki Towns, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia
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Date
2017-04
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Abstract
The study was conducted from March, 2014 to June, 2016 in Bishoftu and Akaki town’s
smallholder dairy farms to investigate the dairy cattle performance, husbandry practice,
milk value chain, raw milk quality and major constraints. Totally, 130 randomly selected
smallholder farmers from two towns were included in the study. Data were collected
through questionnaire, observation, focused group discussion and milk quality analysis.
Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used to analyze the data. About 74.6% of the
respondents used stall feeding and 25.4% stall feeding with limited grazing. Major
sources of feeds were natural pasture, crop residue, conserved hay, industrial byproducts
and forages. The housing system was permanent enclosure with roofed kraal. For calf
feeding, 68.8% of farmers used bucket feeding, 24.2% used partial suckling and 7% used
both methods. Shortage of feed (52.3%), inadequate water supply (20.8%), space
limitation (4.6%) and diseases (2.3%) were identified as major constraints in both
Bishoftu and Akaki smallholder dairy farms. The mean of age at first service, age at first
calving, calving interval, daily milk yield, total lactation milk yield and lactation length
was 18.7±3.7months, 27.0±3.7months, 13.0±2.1months, and 11.6±3.1liters per d/cow,
3208.56±108.81litres and 276.6±35.1days, respectively in Bishoftu. The mean of age at
first service, age at first calving, calving interval, daily milk yield, total lactation milk
yield and lactation length was 18.7±3.5 months, 26.9±5.4 months, 13.8±1.9 months and
10.8±2.4 liters per d/cow, 3031.56±46.32 litres and 280.7±19.3 days, respectively in Akaki town. Overall mean of raw milk quality for pH, freezing point, density, added
water, acidity, fat, protein, SNF, total solid, lactose and ash contents were 6.66±0.04,-
0.55±0.03, 1.028±0.002, 2.80±3.60, 0.176±0.01, 3.60±0.53, 3.27±0.15, 7.78±0.41,
11.38±0.78, 3.93±0.25 and 0.62±0.05, respectively in the value chain points. The quality
of raw milk obtained from the study areas were significantly different (P<0.05) except fat
and lactose. Total bacteria count/ml of raw milk from milk producers (MP), milk
collectors (MC) and milk processing plants (MPP) were 7.01±1.02 log10 cfu/ml,
7.50±0.51 log10 cfu/ml, and 8.16±0.68 log10 cfu/ml, respectively and it was statistically
different (P<0.05). The coliform counts/ml of raw milk found from MP, MC and MPP
were 5.66±1.71, 6.81±0.81 and 6.75±0.96 log10 cfu/ml, respectively. The somatic cell
count found from MP, MC and MPP were 4.90±2.04, 5.64±0.57 and 5.71±0.55 log10
sc/ml, respectively. Acidity percentage from MP, MC and MPP were 0.176±0.02,
0.175±0.01 and 0.175±0.01, respectively. Value chain actors identified include input
suppliers, producers, milk collectors, processors and consumers. About 48.5% farmers
deliver their milk to collection centers, 13.1% to hotels, restaurants and cafes, and 12.3%
to processing plants, 11.5% to retail shops, (12.3%) neighborhood customers and (2.3%)
consume at home. Low milk price, lack of access to adequate markets and lack of
infrastructures hindered them from channeling their milk. It can be concluded from this
study that crossbred dairy cattle kept by smallholder farmers in Bishoftu and Akaki towns
contributes to the household welfare in terms of income generation. To reach a
conclusive dairy husbandry practices, value chin and quality analysis estimates, it is
recommended to conduct research in multidisciplinary and controlled experiments.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the College of Veterinary Medicine and
Agriculture of Addis Ababa University for the fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Production
Keywords
Dairy cattle, production systems, smallholder farmers, milk value chain