PHENOTYPIC AND PRODUCTION SYSTEM CHARACTERIZATION OF HARARGHE CATTLE BREEDS, ASSESSMENT OF FARMERS’ BREEDING PRACTICES AND POPULATION TRENDS IN THEIR BREEDING TRACT IN THE HARARGHE HIGHLAN

The study was carried out in three districts of East Hararghe zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, from August2022 throughApril 2023, with the objectives of phenotypically characterizing and to assess breeding and husbandry practices of the communities in the study areas (Fadis, Gursum and Goro districts). Field observations, semi-structured questionnaires, focus groups, interviews with key informants, linear body measurements of sample indigenous cattle, and secondary data gathering from various sources were used to acquire the data. Using non-parametric methods interviews were conducted with a total of 168 households (56 from each district), and 345matured cattle were sampled for morphological description and linear body measurements. The average number of cattle per family was 5.91±0.35, and there were highly significant differences (p< 0.0001) between districts. Female Harar cattle on average had71.5% white-gray, 8.9% white, 14.6%red and 1.2% white and red coat colors, whereas, in the sampled population of male cattle, white-gray 72.7% , type followed by red (12.1%), white (9.1%), and white and red 1.7%. In coat color pattern, the plain was 85.8% and 90.2% male and female and the remaining patterned were 4.2% and 2.2% shade; 7.0% and 3.0% spotted female and male respectively.Female cattle linear body measurement on major linear body measure variables wasBody length (115.7±0.93), Heart girth (150.5±0.76), Height at rump (116.6±0.82), Height at withers (107±0.51), whereas in male cattle population alinear measurement of 120.8±1.47BL, 153.5±1.21HG, 118.7±1.31HR, 109±0.81cm HW, respectively. These measures had a moderate correlation onr=0.55, 0.75, 0.71, 0.59, 0.70), 0.64, 0.67, 0.60 on female cattle, whereas, r=0.68, 0.67 and 0.66 respectively on male cattle and matured female and male cattle were weighed 265.27Kg and 268.24Kg respectively. In all districts, natural and uncontrolled was the primary breeding method. The primary issues on which an intervention required for the cattle farmers in the study areaswere lack of good pasture, a feed and water deficit, Disease and parasite problems