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Demonstration of Dairy Technologies in Peri-urban areas of
Nekemte, Bako and Gimbi towns, Western Oromia, Ethiopia
Habtamu Abera
Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Ethiopia
Conference on Policies for Competitive Smallholder Livestock Production
Gaborone, Botswana, 4-6 March 2015

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Out line of presentation
•Introduction
•Materials and Methods
•Results
•Recommendation and Conclusion

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Introduction
The total livestock population of the
country is estimated to be 53 million cattle
98.8 % are indigenous breeds while hybrid
and exotic breeds accounted for about
0.94% and 0.11%, respectively (CSA,
2013/14).

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 Indigenous cattle breeds of Ethiopia have a
reputation for milk yield, long calving interval,
and late age at first calving
The demand in consumption of milk and milk
product is steadily increasing in the country
 increasing urbanization,
increase income,
improving infrastructure,

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 Favorable enabling environment
 globalization and marketing opportunities
 Existing high potential for dairy development
due to huge livestock resources and vast
climatic conditions, the performance of the
dairy industry in Ethiopia has not been
encouraging

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• The effort done by OARI, Bako Agricultural
Research Center in demonstrating these
dairy technologies played a significant role in
changing the overall dairying scenario in
wetern Oromia, Ethiopia.

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Objectives
To Introduce crossbred (50%) cows in peri-
urban agriculture of Nekemte, Bako and Gimbi
tows.
To generate and diversify the income of
individuals through marketing surplus liquid
milk and improving family nutrition

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Materials and Methods
Study area
The study was conducted in Nekemte, Gimbi
and Bako towns of Western Oromia.
The area is known to be mixed crop-livestock
producers and reported to be the origin of both
Horro sheep and Horro cattle.

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Heifer production and management
One hundred and twenty fertile Horro cows
were used for crossbred (Holstein Friesian-
Horro) heifer production.
Considering the conception rate, calving rate,
mortality rate and 50:50 sex ratios, the number
of cows required was increased.

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• The heifers were reared on cow-calf
management system assuming better
performances than weaning system.
• Starting 15 months of age or when they
weigh around 200 kg the heifers were
closely be observed for service (AI or
natural).
•
• After confirming pregnancy at 3 month the
calf heifers were sold to the selected dairy
farmers.

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Farmer selection
A total of 25 dairy farmers from Nekemte,
Gimbi, and Bako were selected based on
willingness/interest,
Capability to pay the initial cost of the inputs
Allocate at least ½ a hectare for improved
forage production,
Experience in dairy production,
Tendency to pass on the technologies and
capable for record keeping (education)

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• In all sites the female candidates were at
least 50%.
• This is because of the fact that dairy is the
most gender related agricultural sector and
also for the empowerment of the female
households.

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Training and visit
The training was given
•Economics,
•Extension,
•Animal feeds,
•Animal health, production and
management).
•Animal Breeding

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Data collection and analysis
Monitoring and evaluation were a continuous
process, at three months of interval, three
year.
Data were collected daily milk yield, milk
price and milk consumed by house hold and
the calves
Data were analysis by using General linear
model SAS, (2004), descript statistics and
excel.

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Results
The results were revealed that the total daily
milk yield improved by five fold through
improving the gene of Horro breeds
The overall mean Holstein Friesian-Horro of
daily milk yield was 12.4, 6.9 and 7.8 l/day at
Nekemte, Bako and Gimbi, respectively

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•Higher altitude and more temperate areas of
Sub-Saharan Africa crossbred cattle can out
yield indigenous stock four fold, provided that
modest improvement are made in their
management and nutritious

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The utilization of the dairy technology
benefited farmers not only increased daily
income of household but also assisted in
diversifying the source of incomes.
In addition to improved daily income, economic
and social benefits also accrued to
participating farmers.
These included enhanced food security,
improved investment opportunities and change
the life standard of the participating farmers.

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Recommendation and Conclusions
The results were showed that crossbred
(Holstein Friesian-Horro) cows (50% ) are
benefited , which improve milk production and
income of the participating household.
Increased the demand of farmers to have more
number of crossbred cows and initiated the
demand of non-project farmers, AI service to
produce F1 heifers (Estrous synchronization),
dairy investment and F1 heifer’s multiplication
center.

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Therefore, it is seemed concluded that the
daily milk and income of small scale farmers
improved through crossbreeding of
indigenous with exotic breeds with
reasonable management of the animals.

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Horro Sheep
(Rams) Horro cattle (Bull)
Rhodes grass