On-Farm Phenotypic Characterization of Arado Cattle Breed in North West Zone of Tigray ,Ethiopia
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Date
2009-06
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Debre Zeit
Abstract
The study was conducted in North West zone of Tigray (Asgede-Tsimbla, Medebay-Zana and
Tahatay-Koraro districts) which is the main tract of Arado cattle breed in Northern Ethiopia from
October 2008 to March 2009. To study the probable distribution pattern, husbandry practice, to
characterize morphologically and to characterize in terms of productive and reproductive
performance of the Arado cattle breed. Smallholders and Arado cattle breeds kept by them were
represented the study population. This research was basically a retrospective and cross-sectional
survey focused on the selected area. A total of 279 households were taken for the study using
simple random sampling procedures and all Arado cattle owned by the 279 households were
included in the morphometric study. Formal surveys were carried out with the help of standard;
questionnaire, group discussions field observation, morphometric measurements and secondary
data collection were employed to obtain data. Statistical procedures for social sciences (SPSS)
software were applied to analyze the data. In the studied woredas, farmers follow extensive
mixed farming system (crop and livestock production). The colours observed were: red, followed
by red and white and black and white. The female Arado cattle linear body measurements; height
at withers. body length. chest girth, hom length, peh'ic width and neck length were 107, 103,138.
19.6. 31.6 and 38.4 cm respectively. Dewlap width. canon bone circumference. tail length, and
ear length were 20.4,13.4.71.2, and 18.7cm respecti\'e1y. The naval flap and teats average mean
yalues were 2.5cm and 2.9cm. respectively. The estimated overall mean values for chest girth.
body length. height at \\ither and calmon bone length of the male cattle breed were 144.6. 108.4.
115.6. and 20,S cm respectively. Pelvic width. ear length. face length. hom length tail length. and
dev,lap \\"idth found to be 32.4. 20.1. 40.5. 22.2. 72.--+ and 21. 7 cm respecti\'ely. Almost all the
\'ariables had not significant (p > 0.05) difference e:\cept chest girth and hom length. Chest gil1h
and horn length were significantly (p < 0.05) different among the woredas. The o\'erall average
milk yield from Arado cows v,as 1.7±0.03 liters/head/day. The estimated average lactation milk
yield per cow was 3 n liters O\'er an a\'erage lactation period 7.3 months. The oyerall mean calf
crop number for the Arado cows was 4.6±0.06 heads and had not significant \'a riation among the
\\oredas. The average repol1ed lactation length of Arado cow v,as 7.3±0.05 months with
sign ificance difference (P < 0.05) among the woredas. The lactation length of animals in the
study area depends mostly on the feed 3\'ailability. The estimated oyerall mean (±SE) age at
puberty was reported to be 41.2 and 39.8 moths respectively in female and male cattle. The mean
were significant (P ~ 0.05) variations among the woredas in age at puberty (AP) in male and
female. Overall mean age at first calving was 56.9±0.37months and calving interval (el) was
21.6±0.25 months. There were also significant (P ~ 0.05) variations among the woredas age at
first calving and calving intervals. The study revealed further, molecular characterization of
Arado cattle to determine their genetic constitution.
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Keywords
Arado, Breed, Production system, Tigray.