Characteristics and Determinants of Livestock Production in Jimma Zone/Southwestern Ethiopia

2 Abstract: The study was carried out in three selected districts (Seka chokorsa, Mana and Dedo) of the Jimma administrative zone, south western Ethiopia, with the objectives of characterizing livestock production systems, identify and prioritize the major constraints and opportunities of livestock intensification in the area. A total of 540 household heads were selected for the detail study using a systematic random sampling method, 180 households from each district. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and focus group discussion. About 87.8% of respondents in the districts housed their livestock at their home at night and part of the day while the rest (12.2%) kept at night enclosures and open yards. Animals were acquired through purchase (28%), gifts (10.50%) and reproduction (61.48%) while they were disposed through sale (46.4), gifts (4.98) and slaughter (48.59%) (p<0.05). Most of the livestock breeds (98.8% cattle, 100% of small ruminants and equines) were local type and mating was uncontrolled and livestock is characterized by low productivity. Age at first parturition for local cow, ewe, doe, mare and jennies were 4.66, 2.29, 2.10, 4.94 and 6.20 years, respectively. On the other hand, parturition intervals identified for cow, ewe, doe, mare and jennies were 25.02, 15.80, 15.48, 35.6 months and 2.56 years, respectively. The main sources of feed in the districts were natural pasture (30.39%), aftermath and road side grazing/browsing (19.34%), fodder trees and shrubs (17.12%) and crop residues (17.67%) (p<0.05). The major constraints identified were feed shortage, poor access to improved extension services, lack of improved cattle breeds and distance to marketing points and poor administrative mechanisms to restore range ecosystem (p<0.05). Pasteurolosis, anthrax, fasciolosis, trypanosomiasis and black leg were the major reported cattle diseases in the study districts. The general indication is that livestock productivity is not improved. There is, therefore, an urgent need for research in livestock prodction to design improvement strategies in the area of genetics, management systems and make available suitable technologies to produce feeds to help in the development of sustainable livelihood of resource poor farmers while preserving the natural environment.