PRODUCTION PRACTICES, PERFORMANCE AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF MILK FROM LOCAL COWS IN SELECTED DISTRICTS OF SIDAMA ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

The study was conducted in Selected Districts of Sidama zone with the objective to assess the production practices, productive and reproductive performance, on farm evaluation of milk production performance, and chemical composition of milk of Local cows, and to identify their constraints and opportunities. For study, multistage sampling was employed in that three districts were selected representing Highland (Wonisho), Midland (Dale) and Lowland (Loka Abaya) from Sidama Zone and three kebeles from each agro ecology were selected purposively based on production potential and accessibility and then after a total of 135 respondents (45 from each agro ecology) were selected purposively who owned local cows. Data were collected using semi-structured formal questionnaires and focus group discussions. Monitoring and composition study was undertaken on 30 Local dairy cows, 10 from each agro ecology and monitoring was held for 90 days beginning from August to October 30, 2016 for milk production performance. About 77.78% in wet season and 46.7% in dry season reported that natural pasture, and crop residues were the main feed resource respectively. The breeding practice was entirely natural mating. About 59.25% of the respondents reported river as major source of water. All respondents provide traditional barn. Milking was started in second week of calving (62.2%). Feed shortage, disease, lack of improved breed, water scarcity and market problem were major problems in the area. The overall mean for Daily Milk Yield, Lactation Length, Age at Frist Service, Age at Frist Calving, Calving Interval and Number of Services per Conception, were 1.51±0.08 liter/day, 8.21±0.99 months, 42.61±2.82 month, 52.30±2.73 months, 20.08±0.90 months, 2.44±0.73, respectively. The milk yield recorded was 1.27±0.02, 0.51±0.03, 1.81±0.04liter for morning, evening and daily milk, respectively. Agro ecology and milking time significantly affected milk yield (P