RESUMO
The current research focused on the effects of parity, season, and lactation stage on the milk yield of indigenous dairy cows in selected districts of the Kaffa Zone of southern Ethiopia. The districts of Gesha and Chena were purposefully chosen. The study design for the 384 household surveys was a cross-sectional survey with a simple random sample approach as the sampling method. Following the survey, 192 lactating cows were chosen for a monitored investigation to track nighttime and morning milk supply. In addition to key informants and focus group discussions, primary and secondary data were obtained via a semi-structured questionnaire, interview, and field observation. The most favored features functioning as selection criteria were those favored for production, reproduction, physical appearance, physiological function, and temperament, in that order. Evening milk yield (EMY), mornning milk yield (MMY), daily milk yield (DMY), lactation length (LL) and lactation milk yield (LMY) were 0.91 ± 0.033 L, 1.22 ± 0.037 L, 2.125 ± 0.07 L, 6.36 ± 0.116 months, and 427.10 ± 20.678 L, respectively, with significant difference (p < 0.01) amongst districts, parity, and season. However, there was no significant variation between studies in EMY, MMY and DMY. Significantly higher values of production performances were recorded for interaction among districts, parity, and season. The study also revealed that interaction between district (Gesha) and parity (third), which were signficantlly higher for EMY, MME, DMY, LL, and LMY 1.50 L, 2.00 L, 3.50 L, 8.10 months, and 850.50 L, respectively. The same trend also observed for interaction among district (Gesha), season (wet), and parity (third), which were obtained to be highly significant values of EMY, MMY, DMY, LL, and LMY were 1.35 L, 1.75 L, 3.10 L, 7.65 months, and 716.80 L, respectively. The study region has a large population of indigenous dairy cows and produces higher yields than the national average. However, it falls short of the worldwide production benchmarks, and the trait preferences used as a selection criterion were based on the farmers' indigenous knowledge. Measures to enhance production abilities must be incorporated and selection criteria must be modernized.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Breeding objectives are designed to achieve targeted dairy cow production goals, which can be affected by production type, farmer preferences, environmental factors and genetic factors individually or in combination. Breeding practices, such as both controlled and uncontrolled, and artificial insemination (AI) are the tools used to obtain the desired breeding objectives. The lower reproductive performance of indigenous dairy cows affects the total milk production and calf crops that are produced during their lifetime. Designing appropriate breeding objectives and breeding practices can improve the reproductive performance of dairy cows and their overall production performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The current study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the breeding, practices and performance of indigenous dairy cattle in the south western part of Ethiopia. The districts of Gesha and Chena were purposefully chosen. The study design for the 384 household surveys was a cross-sectional survey with a simple random sample approach. Data analysis was carried out by MS-Excel (2010) and the general linear model procedure of SAS of 2008. RESULTS: The current study revealed that methods of breeding were predominantly natural-controlled mating, followed by natural-uncontrolled mating and AI in descending order. Breeding objectives were input function, output function, sociocultural and economic functions and assets and security functions in decreasing order of rank. Reproduction performance indexes of indigenous dairy cows age at first service (3.72 ± 0.05 years), age at first calving (AFC) (4.71 ± 0.07 years), calving interval (CI) (1.58 ± 0.03 years), days open (DO) (4.26 ± 0.11 months), services per conception in natural mating (1.4 ± 0.08) and AI (2.73 ± 0.14), age of bull at maturity (4.17 ± 0.74 years), interoestrus interval (23.18 ± 0.61 days), calves crop (7.53 ± 0.22) and the life span of indigenous dairy cow (11.94 ± 0.26 years) were significant (p < 0.01) between two districts, whereas the values of age of bull at maturity and number of services per conception in natural mating were significant (p < 0.05) between districts. CONCLUSIONS: Using AI and major reproduction performances, such as AFC, CI and DO of indigenous dairy cows in the study area, were very low. Therefore, concerned bodies should intervene to improve reproduction performance through the utilization of AI techniques, with the integration of forage development activities and improvements in livestock health care.
