Household characteristics, production and quality of bovine milk from crossbred dairy stock in the rural dairy production system of Ethiopia

Abstract

Limited evidence exists on the rural/mixed crop-dairy production system given its contribution to the milk supply and strong spatial heterogeneity in dairy milk productivity and other production outcomes. A study was conducted to assess the production and composition of milk from crossbred dairy cows on smallholder farms in Ethiopia. A total of 198 households were surveyed in face-to-face interviews, and 80 milk samples were taken for laboratory analysis. The results revealed that the daily milk yields of Indigenous X Holstein-Friesians (IHF) and Indigenous X Jerseys (IJ) were 6.77 ± 1.09 and 6.39 ± 1.05 liters, respectively. The overall lactation lengths of IHF and IJ were 9.53 ± 1.24 and 9.25 ± 1.15 months. The daily milk yield and lactation length were significantly different (p < 0.05) between highland and mid-altitude agro-ecologies. Milk samples collected from IJ had 3.98 ± 0.89 fat, 6.78 ± 0.87 Solid-Not-Fat (SNF), 4.14 ± 0.47 lactose, 0.56 ± 0.07 Salts, and 2.66 ± 0.31 protein. Milk compositions of IHF were 3.13 + 0.96 fat, 7.42 ± 0.74SNF, 3.96 + 0.0.52 lactose, 0.61 ± 0.08 salts, and 2.76 ± 0.35 protein. All chemical components showed significant differences (P < 0.01) across agroecology and breed except for protein and lactose. Feed shortage is the major dairy constraint, followed by water shortage, the prevalence of disease, and access to veterinary, extension, and credit services. The constraints prevailing in the studied district need to be alleviated through an integrated approach to take advantage of the existing dairy opportunity of high milk demand. • Factors limiting production help to describe technological and investment needs. • Integrated approach to alleviate multiple problems in smallholder dairying. • Women played a major role in dairy production.