PRODUCTION PRACTICES, MILK YIELD AND COMPOSITION OF URBAN AND PERI-URBAN DAIRY CATTLE OF DEBRE-MARKOS TOWN, ETHIOPIA

The study was conducted to assess the production practices, milk yield and composition, and to identify constraints and opportunities. The study was conducted in urban and peri-urban areas of Debre-Markos, east Gojjam zone. Four kebeles from each production system were randomly selected based on production potential and accessibility. A total of 120 respondents (15 from each kebeles) who owned local and cross breed cows were selected randomly. Data were collected using semi-structured formal questionnaires. Monitoring and composition study was undertaken on 24 Local and cross breed dairy cows,6 for local and 6 for crossbred cows, 12 from each production system and monitoring was held for 90 days beginning from December to February. About 79.2% and 64.2% of the respondents said that crop residues and cut and carry green forage were the main feed resource in dry and wet season, respectively. About 42.5% of the respondents reported tap water as major source of water in the urban area and river and pond are the major source of water in the peri-urban area. All respondents provide traditional barn in the peri-urban area. Feed shortage, shortage of grazing land, disease, lack of improved breed, water scarcity and market problem were major problems reported. The overall mean for daily milk yield, lactation length, age at first service, age at first calving, calving interval and days open, for indigenous and crossbred cows were, 1.37±0.05and 5.32±0.26l/day,10.35±0.15 and 9.79±0.10 months,36.79±0.41 and 27.23±0.23 months,47.03±0.37 and 37.61±0.45 months,25.31±0.23 and 17.83±0.25 months, 333.58±4.2 and 146.33 days respectively. The milk yield recorded from monitoring work was, 1.83±0.05 and 8.0.05 for local and crossbred cows respectively .The overall mean for local fat, lactose, protein, Solids Not Fat and Total Solids were 4.64±0.14, 4.06±0.08, 3.20±0.05, 8.06±0.08, 12.7±0.95% while crossbred cows 4.09±0.05, 3.905±0.02, 3.16±0.68, 8.04±0.08, 12.13±0.15, respectively for both production systems. Therefore, the present study showed that even if milk production and reproductive performance of crossbred cows owned by peri-urban and urban dairy producers in the study area were comparatively good, conversely to get optimum output of cross-breed dairy cows; appropriate breeding management assigns for urban production system was higher than peri-urban based on their management (feeding practice, housing, health care and artificial insemination) proper dairy management in the study area was suggested.