Production aspects of intensification and milk market quality in Amhara region, Ethiopia

B Addisu, B Mesfin*, M Kindu** and A Duncan**

Andassa Livestock Research Center, PO Box 27, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
* Sirinka Agricultural Research Center, PO Box 74, Woldia, Ethiopia
** ILRI, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
addbitew@gmail.com

Abstract

The study was carried out in June 2010 in selected villages of Amhara region of Ethiopia, representing three levels of market quality (high, medium and low), with the general objective of developing a systematic understanding of the links between market opportunities and productivity increases in livestock, with a focus on dairy production. The present report focuses on production aspects of dairy intensification in Amhara region.

Findings showed that feeding of concentrates for dairy cattle was more prominent in high market quality sites compared to medium and low market quality sites, which indicated the level of feed intensification as the market quality improved. The contribution of grazing to total diet was higher for indigenous than crossbred cows. Indigenous cows were allowed to graze freely throughout the year and were expected to meet their feed requirement from grazing, especially in the wet and harvest (crop aftermath grazing) seasons, and supplemented during the dry season when the condition of grazing pasture deteriorated. Crossbred cows that demanded better nutrition for better milk production were only allowed to graze for a limited number of hours in a day when grazing pasture was in better condition. They were mostly kept indoors during the dry season to meet their feed requirements through stall feeding. The proportion of crossbred cows exceeded that of indigenous cows in high market quality sites but the reverse applied in medium and low market quality sites. Milk yield data indicated that there is room for increasing average productivity by improving management practices. Due consideration should be given to alleviate the problems in reproductive and milk yield performance to increase productivity and improve dairy-derived income.

Key words: Crossbred cattle, indigenous cattle, mating type, stall feeding

Introduction

Livestock systems in general are going through a period of unprecedented change (Seré et al 2008) and dairy systems are no exception. The rapidly evolving scene is a response to a series of drivers including population growth and urbanization, both of which contribute to increased demand for livestock products. We are now half-way through the so-called Livestock Revolution (Delgado et al 1999) that was projected at the end of the 1990s, and the predictions for increased demand for livestock products are being borne out indeed the demand for dairy products in some parts of the world has increased at a much faster rate than was predicted in the late 1990s.

Dairy development has often been identified as having an especially large potential for providing pathways out of poverty for poor rural livestock keepers, because livestock already form a considerable share of their assets and family labour is often not their greatest constraint. Increasing the productivity of the existing assets has often been regarded as the most sustainable approach to alleviate poverty (Bachmann 2004). However, noticeable productivity increases of dairy production systems can only be observed in limited areas. In dairy production, major success factors are not easy to identify due to the complexities of marketing and production (Staal et al 2008).  

Based on limited observations, our hypothesis is that, at the household level, the main driver of intensification in dairy production appears to be the quality and effectiveness of available marketing chains. Quality in this context means that reliable and attractive dairy procurement systems have been established, which often also support the delivery of livestock-related services. In such instances, households seem to think it worthwhile to intensify by investing in better feeds and higher-yielding animals. However, limited systematic research has been conducted on the comparative and interdependent contributions that milk marketing, feed supply and animal breeding activities provide towards productivity increases. 

Thus the objective of the study was to develop a systematic understanding of the links between market opportunities and productivity increases in livestock, with a focus on dairy production, and to assess the potential pro-poor implications of different intensification scenarios.

Materials and Methods

Study areas

Selection of the study districts was based on quality of the market that included infrastructure, market chains and services. Three market quality categories were classified into high, medium and low quality markets. High market quality sites are characterized as having effective procurement chains for milk compared to the low quality markets. Six districts were selected in Amhara region. Each market quality was represented by two districts. Basona Werana and Gonder represented high market quality, Wegera and Gozamin medium market quality, and Tehulderie and Goncha Sisoenesie low market quality.

Consultations were made with the livestock experts of each district to select Kebele Administrations (KAs) and villages within each KA. Three villages per district were selected purposively for the study based on their experience in dairy development. A total of 18 villages were selected in Amhara region (three per district). 

Selection of respondents

The respondents for the study were milk producers, buyers and key informants. The producers were three groups per district and 18 villages in all, and there were three milk buyers per district giving 18 surveys in all. One key informant in each of the six districts was surveyed. Milk buyers included cooperatives, private dairies, traders and consumers. Milk producers were individuals or groups of farmers that supplied milk to the buyers. Ten to twelve milk producers were selected in each village for the questionnaire survey.

Data collection and analysis

Village survey questionnaires were prepared to collect both quantitative and qualitative data on feeding and breeding aspects of dairy intensification through discussion with milk producers, buyers and key informants. Each questionnaire was coded. The information from the coded questionnaires of each district was entered and analysis for descriptive statistics made using the Microsoft Office Access database. Analysis of variance of fixed effects was done using General Linear Model procedures of SPSS (2007) version 16.0. The fixed effects were season classified as rainy (June – September), harvest (October – December) and dry (January – May); dairy animal type (indigenous and crossbred); and market quality (high, medium and low). The two way interaction effects between fixed effects were included in the model but were not significant during preliminary analysis and then removed. Mean differences were tested using Tukey.

The statistical model used was:  

Y_ijkl = µ ± S_i ± D_j ± M_k ± e_ijkl

Where:

Y_ijkl = Response variable  

µ = Overall mean

S_i = Fixed effect of season (i = rainy, harvest, dry)

D_j = Fixed effect of dairy animal type (j = indigenous, crossbred)

M_k = Fixed effect of market quality (k = high, medium, low)

e_ijkl = effect of random error  

Results and Discussion

Feed and feeding aspects of intensification

The contribution of grazing to total feed was high during the harvest season. Dairy cattle grazed from pastureland and crop aftermath during the harvest season. Grazing contributed more to the feed requirement of indigenous than crossbred cows (Table 1). Indigenous cows were allowed to graze freely throughout the year and were expected to meet their feed requirement from grazing, especially in the rainy and harvest (crop aftermath grazing) seasons, and supplemented during the dry season when the condition of grazing pasture deteriorated. Crossbred cows that demanded better nutrition for better milk production were only allowed to graze for a limited number of hours in a day when grazing pasture was in better condition. They were mostly kept indoors during the dry season to meet their feed requirements through stall feeding. 

The stall-fed diet composition varied among seasons and market quality sites. The proportion of dry fodder (mainly crop residues and hay) in the diet of dairy cattle comprised the highest share during the dry season. Whereas, green fodder (mainly grass from natural pasture and weeds from crop lands) in the stall-fed diet of dairy cattle contributed more in the rainy and harvest seasons. The contribution of concentrate to total diet was higher in high market quality sites (Table 2). This was an indication of the change in the level of feed intensification (feeding practices) as market quality improved to bring an increase in animal productivity. The dominant concentrate components were wheat bran, noug cake and local brewery byproducts (Table 3).

Price and source of purchased dry fodder and concentrate are shown in Table 4. The main feed types were crop residues, hay and industrial by-products. The price of the feeds varied depending on their nutritional quality. The price of grass pea straw (2.33 Birr/kg) was high compared to other dry fodder feed types. Yitay et al (2009) have reported that grass pea straw had better crude protein content of 9.6% of dry matter compared to teff (5.4%), wheat (2.4%) and barley (3.4%) straw. Among concentrate feed ingredients, the highest price was recorded for molasses (3.53 Birr/lt) and the lowest price was for industrial brewery by-products (0.15 Birr/lt). Price of molasses was higher because it was not produced locally but was brought from a distance, whereas brewery by-products were produced locally in Gonder and bought at a relatively cheap price. 

A study by Berhanu et al (2009) on feed marketing in Ethiopia has indicated that crop residues and hay are major marketable roughage feeds. Within the village and within kebeles are the main sources to purchase dry fodder. Milk producers needed to leave their villages to purchase many of the concentrate feed ingredients (Table 4).  

Breeding and reproduction aspects of intensification

In high market quality sites, there was a higher proportion of crossbred than indigenous cows, whereas, in medium and low market quality sites, there were a higher proportion of indigenous cows (Table 5). The greater number of crossbred cows in the high market quality sites was an indication of the efforts made in breed improvement that were aimed at increasing productivity of milk.

 Reproductive and milk yield performance of indigenous and crossbred cows is presented in Table 6. There was variation in reproductive and milk yield performance between indigenous and crossbred cattle except lactation length. Age at first calving of crossbred cows was lower by 18 months than that of indigenous cows. This finding is in agreement with previous study of Yitay et al (2009). Age at first calving in the present study was lower when compared to 57 months for local and 47 months for crossbred cattle reported by Solomon et al (2009). On the other hand, it was higher when compared to the findings of Kelay (2002) and Haile et al (2009). High age at first calving for indigenous cows indicates a need for better management and breed improvement. The calving interval of crossbred cows was lower by about seven months than that of the indigenous cows. Yitay et al (2009) have also indicated a significantly lower calving interval for crossbred than local cows. In contrast, Solomon et al (2009) have reported a non-significant effect of breed on calving interval. Higher calving interval in the present study, especially for indigenous cows demonstrates the need for improvement through proper management and breeding practices. Number of calves born in a lifetime was higher for crossbred cows than indigenous cows. Mekonnen et al (2012) reported a similar lifespan calf crop production of 6.46 for Horro cattle found in western Ethiopia.   

Crossbred cows gave significantly better average and maximum daily milk yield compared to indigenous cows. Average daily milk yield for indigenous and crossbred cows obtained in this study was comparable to that reported by Brokken and Senait (1992) and Yitay et al (2009). However, it was high compared to the average milk yield of 1.0 lt/day for local Arsi cows (Lemma et al 2005) and 4.5 lt/day for crossbred cows under a smallholder management system in northeastern Amhara region (Solomon et al 2009). As can be speculated from the maximum daily milk yield in the present study, there is room for improving average daily milk yield by implementing better management practices. Duration of lactation was similar among animal types. This result was comparable to the lactation of 9.7 months reported by Addisu et al (2010) for Fogera cattle at on station farms, and 9.3 months reported by Ababu et al (2004) for F1 crossbred dairy cattle at smallholder herds in Ethiopia. However, it was lower compared to the lactation length of 13.7 months reported by Agyemang et al (1991) for N Dama cattle kept under village management in Gambia. Average and maximum daily milk yield were significantly higher in high market quality sites compared to medium and low market quality sites which indicated better milk yield performance of cattle as market quality improved (Table 6).  

Mating of indigenous cows through indigenous bulls accounted for a higher proportion of breeding method than the use of AI and improved bulls in medium and low market quality sites. In high market quality sites, the use of improved bulls was dominant for mating indigenous cows. Improved bulls were also the most common method for mating crossbred cows followed by AI in high and medium market quality sites. In most of the surveyed villages, farmers reported that improved bulls were used as an alternate mating option in situations in which AI was not reliable. In low market quality sites, the use of AI exceeded that of improved and indigenous bulls for mating the relatively smaller number of crossbred cows (Table 7).                                      

Conclusions

• The level of market quality has an impact on dairy intensification with regard to feed, breed and milk production. As the level of market quality improved, the trends towards better feed production and utilization, use of improved dairy cattle and milk production has also improved.

• Crossbred cows that demanded better nutrition for better milk production were only allowed to graze for a limited number of hours each day when grazing pasture was in a better condition, and were mostly kept indoors during the dry season, to meet their feed requirements through stall feeding.

• Crossbred cows were found in higher proportion than indigenous cows in high market quality sites as compared to medium and low market quality sites.

• There was variation in reproductive and milk yield performance between indigenous and crossbred cattle. Crossbred cows had a lower age at first calving, reduced calving interval, higher number of calves born in a lifetime and better daily milk yield than indigenous cows. High age at first calving, long calving interval, and lower daily milk yield for indigenous cows indicated the need for improvement through management and breed improvement works. The gap between average and maximum daily milk yield of crossbred cows also indicated the room for improvement through better management practices.

• Due consideration should be given to alleviate the problems in reproductive and milk yield performance to increase productivity and improve dairy-derived income.

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the agricultural experts and the farmers of the study areas that have devoted their time during villages and farmers selection, and group discussion. This work was funded by the OPEC Fund for International Development. 

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Received 15 July 2012; Accepted 23 July 2012; Published 3 September 2012

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