Assessment on dairy goat management practice in the Korahey Zone, Somali, Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT The characterization of dairy goat management practices in the Korahay Zone, Somali Regional State, was the aim of this study. The woredas and respondents were selected purposefully. Parameters, such as feeding management, housing, watering, healthcare, breeding and selection methods, were collected. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The collected data were analysed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 20. According to the result, natural pasture (22.5%, 45% and 42.5%) is the main feed source and free-ranging (92.5%, 100% and 100%) is the commonly practised feeding system (p 0.05) for goats in Shegosh, Kabridahar and Shilabo, respectively. Ponds and boreholes were the main water sources for goats. The majority of respondents in study areas practised uncontrolled breeding systems (p 0.05), due to goats’ grazing together, insufficient breeding buck and lack of awareness (p 0.05). The confirmation of the buck was ranked as the first important criterion for the selection of breeding bucks in selected districts. However, the size and appearance of the doe in the Shegosh and Kebridahar districts and better milk yield in the Shilabo district were the first-ranked criteria for the selection of breeding does. Therefore, it is recommended that government attention be provided to pastoralists in goat management.