Experience at EIAR on Dairy Research and Development in Ethiopia

Experience at EIAR on Dairy Research and Development in Ethiopia

National dairy forum, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 23-24 November 2010

Background

• The dairy research has been started in EIAR (ex-IAR) since the early 1974

• The program was initiated as part of the over all cattle improvement program in terms of

– Growth, milk yield drought power resistance to disease and other important production and reproduction merits.

• This was because indigenous cattle breeds

• Low in milk productivity

- National average: 234 liters/lactation

- 224 – 559 kgs (Arsi, Borena, Horro)• Low birth weight • Low weaning weight

• Immediate and high demand of livestock products like milk

Components – in the Dairy Research • The major research approaches to improve dairy

production were:

1. Crossbreeding of indigenous cattle and European dairy breeds

The crossbreds were evaluated for

• Growth rate, milk yield, drought power, reproductive efficiency, disease resistance under different environmental conditions

Indigenous European Environment Blood levels

• Boran• Barca• Horro

• Friesian• Jersey• Simmental

• Holetta• Bako• Adamitulu• Werer

• F1• F2• 3/4

• The Friesian crosses performed relatively better than either the Jersey or Simmental crosses in all the environments

F1 - BF Crossbreds : 2000 - 2500 kg milk/ lactation

• Research on camel milk production has been also assed, but the scope and coverage is not big. Currently, research on camel diseases, camel milk quality and processing is going on

• Forage crops suitable for different agro-ecologies and production strategies are identified– 11 registered forage species/varieties– More than 25 other recommended species– Various agronomic, conservation and utilization

technologies• Recommended practice in the Improvement

and utilization of crop residues and agro-industrial by products are established

• Demonstrations are going on in the different agro-ecologies and production systems

Dairy animal feeds and feeding

Most of the studies were in the central highlands

• General health problems of dairy cows, heifers and calves and seasonal distribution identified, Prevention and controlling strategies developed.

• Major reproductive abnormalities of dairy animals were studied prevention methods recommended

• Herbal medicine study was undertaken to control mastitis and skin diseases of dairy calves.

• Farmers and development workers are trained and sensitized in different parts of the country

Animal Health

General health problems of dairy cattle in the central highlands

• Reproductive problems• Enteritis and pneumonia of calves• Mastitis

LSD (Lumpy skin disease) and FMD are sometimes epidemic

Anthrax, Blackleg, Pasteurlosis are mostly controlled through periodical vaccination

Though not exhaustive

• Traditional milk processing techniques are evaluated

• Suitable techniques of milk processing and preservatives has been established and demonstrated

• Chemical qualities and hygienic conditions of milk during production, processing and handling in different parts of Ethiopia studied

• Value addition in the dairy chain: identification of milk quality Constraints and Improvement Interventions

Dairy processing and value addition

Animal power

• Evaluation on the use of male indigenous and crossbred cattle for draft power

• Use of crossbred cows as dual purpose animals: as dairy and traction

• Evaluation of different, improved power farm implements and harness used in animal traction

Animal biotechnology

• Attempts were made to use biotechnology tools in improving efficiency of animal production and productivity.

• Reproductive biotechnology• Animal feed improvement

• Recently encouraging results has been observed

• National biotechnology lab is established at Holetta, where one of the components is Animal biotechnology

Dairy Technologies Demonstration

• Dairy cattle with different technology packages has been demonstrated in many places

Improved dairy cattle production has been demonstrated in many places specially in the central highlands

Through 1. Provision of pregnant crossbred heifers/cows2. Bull and AI services 3. Dual purpose CB cows (Dairy/ traction)

Including the major production packagesForages, feeding, health, breeding, processing etc

• Other technologies for livestock including local breeds– Forage development, – Seed Production– Feeding systems, MNB– Crop residue improvement– Animal health, etc.. are widely

demonstrated

An Ethiopian man with 11 wives and 77 children is urging people not to follow his example

17 kg Current per capita milk and milk product consumption

26 kg - African average

62.5 kg FAO Recomm.

> 100 kg European standard

?Howwhen

Major Challenges in Dairy Res. & Dev.

Major Challenges …

1. Socio-economic constraints

• Subsistence production and complex production system

• Livestock policy, breeding, pricing

• Grazing management systems, etc• Infrastructure and services • Marketing – standards, information • Budgetary (Insufficient services such as

AI, drugs etc)

2. Technical constraints

• Inadequate capacity in research and extension to promote proven technologies

– Critical scarcity of crossbred animals– Very poor AI systems– Low supply of concentrate feeds and forage seeds

Non-market oriented subsistence animal production systems highly limited adoption of highly producing crossbred dairy animals

Major Challenges …

• Feed resources

– Grazing lands shrinking & productivity decreased– Inadequate amount & lower quality of crop

residues– Lower adoption rate of cultivated forage crops– Very limited supply and high price of agro-

industrial by products (Not well developed)

Most of the feed available is used for maintenance with only an estimated of 15% being available for production of power, milk and meat.

Major Challenges …

• Animal health problems

• Animal disease is a major constraint limiting production specially for CB animals

• There are epidemics of infectious diseases with high rates of mortality

– which could be controlled by vaccination; – there are also parasitic, and vector born diseases.

Restricting the introduction of more productive animals

and technologies

Major Challenges …

Opportunities• High local and international market demand for

livestock and livestock products

• Conducive investment and development policies

• The country’s livestock biodiversity and land resource base retain the capacity for improvement

• Improvement of feed quantity and quality potential from pasture, crop residues and forage seed production

• Successful control and eradication of rinderpest is an indication of the proper designing and implementation potential of the country in disease prevention

Attentions Needed in the Development of Dairy in Ethiopia • The sector should be given support by the government

through – Empowerment, Allocation of adequate budget– Development and implementation of different

livestock policies

• Maximize utilization of our potential resources, in terms of breed, feed and indigenous knowledge

• Encourage establishment and expansion of medium to large scale dairy farms and processing industries

• Establishing sustainable and strong marketing systems starting from the grass roots

Thank You