ASSESSMENT OF ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION SERVICE AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF DAIRY CATTLE IN SELECTED DISTRICTS OF EAST HARARGHE ZONE OF OROMIA, ETHIOPIA

This study aimed to assess the Artificial insemination service and reproductive performance of dairy cattle. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions, and retrospective data. A total of 204 respondents were randomly selected from the three districts (68 from each) and 9 kebeles (3 kebeles from each).In addition to those, 10 AITs, and 6 animal health professionals from each district. The dairy cows were selected by using random sampling methods. Descriptive statistics, frequency distribution procedures, and chi-square tests were used to interpret the data. The survey results indicated that less than half a percent (44.12%) of the respondents get AI access regularly, while the rest (55.88%) do not got AI access regularly. About 44.12% of respondents were satisfied with the AI service provided, while about 55.88% were not satisfied with overall AI services. In the current study, major Awareness of owners (22.5%), diseases (19.11%), repeat breeding (22.06% and lack of improved breed/genotypes (11.28); and feed shortage (25.48%) were some of the major factors that affect reproductive performance. The most common challenges of AI service in the study districts included shortages of AI service inputs (14.22%), lack of AI technicians (18.14%), poor heat detection by the owners (21.08%), conception failure (30.88%), and lack of attention from the concerned body (15.69%). The overall average ages at first service for local and crossbreed were 46.36±0.96 and 38.50±1.05 months respectively; The average ages at first calving for local and cross were 55.36±0.96 and 47.50±1.05 months respectively; Calving interval, days open and number of services per conception for local and crossbred cows were 16.99±0.10 and 16.96±0.14 months, 185±2.99 and 181.91±4.09 days and 1.83±0.04 and 1.91±0.04 respectively. From this study, we have decided that there needs to be intervention for the development of AI through building access to the service and teaching the farmers, and improvement of the skill of the AIT and their numbers, if improvement in the reproductive and productive performance of cattle is to be achieved