Review on Dairy Cow Feed and Feeding Aspects in Ethiopia

Demissie Negash

Ethiopian Meat and Dairy Industry Development Institute, P. O. Box 1573 Bishoftu, Ethiopia

Demissie Negash, Ethiopian Meat and Dairy Industry Development Institute, P. O. Box 1573 Bishoftu, Ethiopia.

Keywords: Feed Dairy cows; Feeding strategy

Abstract

Ethiopia is one of the Sub-Saharan Africa’s developing country with a large potential in livestock, being 1st among African countries and 9th in the world. Dairying is one of the livestock production systems practiced in almost all over the world including Ethiopia, involving a vast number of small, medium, or large sized, subsistence or market-oriented farms. Based on climate, land holding and integrated with crop production; dairy production can be; pastoralist, highland smallholder, urban and peri-urban and intensive dairy farming system are recognized in Ethiopia. There are over six distinguishable, indigenous cattle types in Ethiopia mainly Arsi, Barca, Boran, Fogera, Horro and Ogaden are evolved as a source of natural selection. The main objectives of this seminar paper are to review; the feed and feeding strategies of dairy cow in Ethiopia. Dairy animal rearing is an inseparable and integrated part of smallholder subsistence farming system. Dairy cattle production in the country is characterized by low productivity levels due mainly to genetic and nutritional constraints. The primary constraints to increased milk production under all production systems are inadequate feed resources, poor pasture development and the ever increasing feed prices. Unless feeding management is improved these animals may be limited to fully express their potential genetic superiority. It is fundamental approach to provide good quality diets to dairy cattle in sufficient amount to maximize production.

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