FEAST FOR DAIRY PRODUCTION

Presented by

Liyusew Ayalew, Gezahegn Kebede, Getu Kitaw, Fekede Feyissa

INTRODUCTION

• Name of a village: Gudino Jitu• Name of district: Ad’a Woreda• Country: Ethiopia• Number of households in survey area: approx 800• Household size- Range 4 - 15 (Average 9.5)

• Number of participants: 3 males and 2 females• Date: 14/3/2012 • Duration of FEAST survey : 3h 45m

LAND SIZE AND PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSE HOLDS IN THE VILLAGE

Category of farmer

Average land size (in ha)

% of HH that fall in to the category

Landless 0 28.5

Small farmer Up to 1 18.5

Medium farmer 1-2 35.5

Large farmer >2 17.5

GENERAL FARMING SYSTEMFarm size Farm size range - 0.5-5 ha Average land holding - 2.75 ha. Land holding for respondent farmers ranges between 0.5-3 ha

(Avg. 1.75 ha)

GENERAL FARMING…Cropping seasons Long rain season - covering from June to OctoberIrrigation availability Irrigation is available for 75% of the households in the village Labor availability Labor is available in the form of family and hired labor It is most required during peak farming time (August to January) Labor is paid in cash (34 birr/day) and meal to be served with local

brewery drink (Tela) together estimated to cost 16 birr/day. Thus the total daily cost per person is 50 birr.

Several people leave daily to the nearby city Debre Zeit for non-farm related activities (to work in the nearby flower farms) and schooling.

Remark: Critical labor shortage was reported during peak agricultural activities (August to January)

CROPS GROWN IN THE AREA

GENERAL FARMING…Livestock Status

Livestock Species Use % of HH owning

the Spps.

Avg. No. of animals per

HH

Local dairy cows Draught, Manure, fuel, home consumption 100 2

Improved dairy cows Sale, home consumption, manure, draught 7.4 1

Draught cattle Threshing, ploughing, transportation 98 2.5

Fattening cattle Sale (income), to buy replacement draught stock

20 1

Sheep Home consumption 25 2

Goat Home consumption 5 5

Poultry (village) Sale, home consumption 45 5

Poultry (commercial) Sale, home consumption 5 5

Horse Transportation, income (renting) 6 1

Donkeys Transportation 100 5

GENERAL FARMING…Cash/Credit availability Not readily available But there are two saving and credit associations Need to be a member of that association to get credit Tax rate is high

Land availability Since land for cultivation is in short supply no fallowing is practiced Three cropping season per year using irrigation

Input availability All inputs (improved seeds, breeds for LVs, fertilizers, vet services

and drugs, pesticides and herbicides etc.) are there but extremely short supply

MANAGEMENT OF LIVESTOCK SPECIESAnimal management All farmers do have housing/barn but the materials from which the house are

built greatly vary (plastic sheet, corrugated iron and thatch roof while the floor is built from materials that range from soil, stone to concrete)

Generally crossbreds are used in a well constructed housing Stall feeding is used for crossbreds Open grazing is practiced for all other LVs spps supplementation only used for draft and lactating crossbred cows Have theoretical background about some of the feed processing practices but

lack practical exposures (Chopping, urea treatment etc.)

Veterinary service Services is provided by local (Ethino vets), gov’t and private sectors. Price requested by local is 10 birr/treatment; Private vets demand 50-100 birr

depending the type and severity of the disease and gov’t vets charge 20 birr/treatment.

Private is easily accessible but expensive while gov’t service not easily accessible (on week ends) but relatively cheaper.

MANAGEMENT OF LIVESTOCK …Breed improvement AI service not available at village level AI technician available at woreda level but poorly utilized owning to:

– Lack of transportations– Irregularities in liquid nitrogen

Price of AI service is 25 birr/cow Rate of repeat service on average is 3 No bull service using both local and improved bulls (formerly, 50-100 birr for

improved bull service)

Fodder crops grown The major fodder crop grown is oats (Avena sativa) with an average of 0.25 ha

per household. Napier is also grown but in very small portions of land.

NUTRIENT CONTRIBUTION FROM DIFFERENT FEED RESOURCES

PROBLEMS, ISSUES, OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE LIVESTOCK SYSTEM

Major problems Opportunities

High cost and poor availability of Improved breed

Strengthen AI and bull services

High cost, poor availability & quality feeds Supply improved forage seeds/plantingsSmooth linkage between producers & farmersPractical exposure to feed processing technologies Organizing into unions/co-operatives

Poorly accessible AI service Facilitating transportationsSupply of liquid nitrogenLocating AI crevice men at village level

Poor marketing price obtained from output sales

Sale price for livestock output must be fixed proportionally considering price increase for inputs

Poor and costly animal health services Proper housing & sanitation, destocking, appropriate feeding, regular vaccination

PROBLEMS, ISSUES, OPPORTUNITIES…Pair-wise comparison of major problems

Comparisons Which problems is more important

Breed availability Vs feed 2

Breed availability Vs AI service 1

Breed availability Vs Marketing problem 4

Breed Availability Vs Poor & costly vet service 1

Feed vs. AI crevice 2

Feed vs. Marketing 2

Feed vs. Poor & costly vet service 2

AI crevice vs. Marketing problem 4

AI crevice vs. Poor & costly vet service 3

Marketing problem Vs Poor & costly vet service 4

PROBLEMS, ISSUES, OPPORTUNITIES…Farmers rating of the most important problems

No. of times the problem was considered the most important

Improved breed

Feed availability & quality

Poorly accessible AI service

Poor marketing

Poor and costly animal health services

2 4 1 3

Thank you