Abstract
The objective of the study was to assess the livestock production and marketing system in smallholder systems of the area. Two kebeles were selected from Bahir Dr Zuria district based on livestock production experience and accessibility to road. Primary data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire and supplemented with key informants and secondary data sources. The average land holding in the area was 0.73 ha of total land with 0.53 ha cropland and 0.2 ha private grazing land. With regard to labor allocation for livestock, family labor was involved in 91.18% of respondents while in the rest hired labor herded, fed and watered livestock. With regard to water sources, the major source of water for livestock in the households was river (89%) while the remaining respondents use dug well for their livestock. Frequency of watering livestock was twice a day (51%) in dry season and once a day (44.3%) in the wet season. Most of respondents (53.65%) sell their live animals during religious festivities followed by selling during the season of critical feed shortage (24.45%).The perception of household heads indicated that the livestock holding in the last five years of the family increased in most of the respondents (51%), followed by decreased condition (33%) and remained constant for the rest of the respondents (16%). Overall, it is important to assist livestock producer to enable them benefit most from livestock and their products. Key words: Bahir Dar Zuria, Khatadulis, livestock marketing, livestock production.
Highlights
Ethiopia is believed to have the largest livestock population in Africa (Central Statistical Agency (CSA), 2016)
The overall educational characteristics of respondents in Bahir Dar Zuria districts was found with characteristics that the majority of household heads (39%) were illiterate followed by those that can read and write (25.5%) while comparable proportion of respondents completed high school (25%)
The average age of household heads of respondents was 49.2 years which was higher than Atalay et al (2015) who reported 43 years for Metekel Zone of Amhara Region and Assefa et al (2014) who reported an average age 37 years in Oromia Region
Summary
Ethiopia is believed to have the largest livestock population in Africa (Central Statistical Agency (CSA), 2016). The livestock sector has been contributing considerable portion to the Ethiopia’s economy immensely supporting economic development of the country. Livestock rearing in Ethiopia contribute for economic development and the livestock products and by-products in the form meat, milk, hides, egg, cheese and butter provide nutritious diet for Ethiopian people (Endalew and Ayalew, 2016).
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