Introduction

Dairy cattle Management is an important factor for Dairy farms that maintain long-term high
production. They need to successfully manage a number of key factors: cow nutrition, reproduction,
comfort, and milking production.

Care of the cow and calf during delivery

Care of the cow

Get the cow up on her feet as soon after calving as possibleand make sure she ‘mothers’ up to the
calf.Following a difficult birth, check for tears in the vagina oruterus. Tears in the vagina, unless
extensive, are not tooserious but uterine tears demand immediate veterinaryattention. This is an
emergency situation and should betreated as soon as possible.Occasionally, the uterus will be pushed
out (uterineprolapse) either with the calf or soon after its birth. If thishappens, waste no time in calling a
veterinarian.If the cow is unable to rise, make sure that she is sitting upand that her hind end is not
lower than her front end.Make her comfortable with dry bedding. If the nerves to the legs have been
damaged and the cow is paralysed, it may be several days or even weeks before she gets up. In this case,
keep her clean behind and turn her frequently to prevent ‘bed sores’.

Dairy Cow Nutrition ·

Nutrient requirements vary with the stage of lactation and gestation. · The early lactation phase is the
period from 0 to 70 days after calving. Milk production increases rapidly during this period, peaking at 6
to 8 weeks after calving. Increasing concentrates by about 0.5 kg per day after calving will increase
nutrient intake while minimizing off-feed problems, e.g. lack of appetite and acidosis (rumen acids
increase which stops normal function and digestion). Feed intake can be increased and rumination
stimulated by chopping the forage to small pieces. Chopped forages are better consumed so that cows
increase milk production, and also reduces forage wastage. · Peak period is between 70 to 140 days after
calving. Cows should be maintained at peak production as long as possible. Forage quality should be
high with intakes of at least 1.5 percent of the cow's body weight (Dry Matter basis) per day to maintain
rumen function and normal fat test.

Care of the calf

Calf Nutrition ·

 Calves should be fed on colostrum (first milk from a cow that has calved down) as soon after
birth as possible (within 30 minutes and certainly within 4 hours) so as to protect the new calf
against diseases.
 · Commercial Colostrum supplements can also be given when colostrum is not available e.g. if
cow dies during calving or quality is poor e.g. if cow is too sick and is being treated with drugs
that can affect the newborn calf if they are taken in through the colostrum. These supplements
contain bovine immunoglobulin and are prepared from cheese whey or colostrum from
 immunized cows. Milk or milk replacer should be fed by open pail method and calves are fed
twice daily. For example, a 50 kg calf can be fed 2 kg of milk in the morning and 2 kg of milk in
the afternoon.
 · Weaning of calves from milk should be between 4 and 8 weeks after birth. Abrupt weaning is
good as it usually stimulates dry feed consumption.

A) Early Management:

 Immediately after birth remove any mucous or phlegm from those nose and mouth.
 Normally the cow licks the calf immediately the birth. This helps’ dry off the calf and helps in stimulating
breathing and circulation. When the cows does not lick or in cold climate, rub and dry the calf with a dry cloth
or gunny bag. Provide artificial respiration by compression and relaxing the chest with hands.
 The Naval should be tied about 2-5 cm away from the body and cut 1cm below the ligature and apply Tr.
Iodine or boric acid or any antibiotic.
 Remove the wet bedding from the pen and keep the stall very clean and dry in condition.
 The weight of the calf should be recorded.
 Wash the cow’s udder and teats preferably with chlorine solution and dry.
 Allow the calf to suckle the first milk of the mother i.e. Colostrums.
 The calf will be standing and attempts to nurse within one hour. Otherwise help too weak calves

Clean nostrils and mouth which helps the calf breathe better and help prevent future breathing
problems. Allow the mother to lick the calf clean which promotes circulation within the calf's body and
prepares the calf to stand up and walk. 2 inches from the base and cut the remaining cord with a clean
instrument. Keep steady pressure on the rope or tie it to a solid object. Wait about 5 seconds and grasp
the part of the rope parallel to the cow's back and gently pull so that she lays flat out on her side. When
the cow is down on her side, she is in her natural position to deliver a calf.

 If the cow will take to the calf, let her do so. There is no better stimulus for a newborn calf than
the vigorous licking of its mother. Make sure all mucus is cleared from the mouth and upper
respiratory passages. If the calf fails to breathe immediately after birth, try tickling its nose with
straw or vigorously massaging the chest. If this fails to stimulate breathing,give artificial
respiration either by mouth to-nose resuscitation or by raising and lowering the
uppermostforelimb and simultaneously pressing and releasing the rib cage. Stop when the calf
starts to breathe or you may over-oxygenate it. Disinfect the navel with tincture of iodine (2.5
per cent).See that the calf gets at least 2 litres of colostrum in the first two hours after birth.
 Calf management(feeding,housing and etc)

Management of the calving season is critical to optimize the weaned calf crop. Research indicates
that 57% of mortality is seen in the first 24 hr and 75% within 7 days of birth. In addition, there are
significant risk factors for increased calf morbidity at the time of calving that can lead to increased
mortality and decreased calf performance. Factors to consider in calving management include
dystocia management (of primary concern in first-calf heifers), calving environment (including
ambient temperature), passive transfer, and cow-calf pair management More management and labour is
required to care for the calves of cows which are kept to produce milk for sale or home consumption. For a start, the
cow and calf must be separatedwithin a few days of birth. This is called weaning.

Weaning

An important activity of dairying. It is not needed when cattle are raised only for meat. Beef calves are allowed to
stay with the mother and suckle for as long as they want. But dairy calves are separated from the cow soon after
being born. This practice allows most of the milk to be collected and sold, rather than being consumed by the calf.

Also, if the calf is freely fed as much milk as it wants for a long time, it will not have a strong early appetite for dry
feed, and its stomach development will be slow and it will not grow well when it has to rely on grazing. So weaning
must also involve the feeding of dry feed or roughage to the calf.

Weaning can be done in several ways, but regardless of the weaning system practised, the young calf should be kept
warm and dry in a clean, draft-free place.

Below are two weaning systems which may be practised by smallholders

a) Complete weaning

This is the removal of the calf to a place where the calf and cow can not see or hear each other. Without good fences
and yards to keep the mother and calf separate, it is difficult to do successfully. The advantage of complete weaning
is that all of the milk produced by the cow is available for sale, and the cow and the calf soon forget about each
other. BUT,

 complete weaning can be done only by using milk replacers, [special milk powder or cows milk fed from a bucket
or teat.

 using powdered milk often causes calf diarrhoea.

 replacers must be imported and paid for, and they must be cheaper than milk otherwise you might as well feed the
calf with mother's milk,

 calf feeding using a bucket or bottle to feed milk or milk replacers requires careful attention to good cleanliness
and hygiene. If the equipment is dirty the calf may get sick. It is difficult to do successfully if your hired labour is
responsible for calf feeding and they are not interested or do not understand the need for hygiene and correct feeding
temperatures.

Therefore complete weaning is recommended only for well developed farms. To give the best results, it is better to
adopt the practice of partial weaning.

b) Partial Weaning
The cow and calf can run together all day in the paddock, or the calf is put into a pen near the cow where it stays all
day, but it must not be able to suckle the cow through the bars of the pen. In both cases the calf can only suckle
when it is allowed to and must be given feed and water. The number of times it is permitted to suckle depends on
whether the cow is milked once or twice each day.

(I) If the cow is milked once each day:

The calf is released to run with the cow each day and is kept in the pen away from the cow during the night until the
morning milking. This has the advantage of the calf being able to develop its stomach by grazing grass during the
day as soon as it wishes to graze The disadvantage is that the calf has access to the cow all day and less milk is
available for sale than completely isolating the calf and giving it a limited amount of time each day for feeding.

(ii) If the cow is milked both morning and night

The best system when twice a day milking is practised, is to keep the calf penned near the milking bail and allow it
to immediately suckle only after the morning and evening milkings have finished. The cow is not fully milked out
during milking and enough milk is left by the milker for the calf A small pen is constructed at the front of the
headbale and within sight of the cow from which the calf is released to suckle when milking is finished. The calf is
returned to the pen until after the next milking, where it is hand fed fresh cut forage, concentrate [e.g. copra meal]
and has constant supply of clean water.

(ii) If the cow is milked both morning and night

The best system when twice a day milking is practised, is to keep the calf penned near the milking bail
and allow it to immediately suckle only after the morning and evening milkings have finished. The cow is
not fully milked out during milking and enough milk is left by the milker for the calf A small pen is
constructed at the front of the headbale and within sight of the cow from which the calf is released to
suckle when milking is finished. The calf is returned to the pen until after the next milking, where it is
hand fed fresh cut forage, concentrate [e.g. copra meal] and has constant supply of clean water.

Advantages

.more milk is available for sale.

 there is better control over the amount of milk fed to the calf so there is no wastage.

 the calf can be fed concentrates and cut grass in a trough in the pen from the day it is born.

 the progress of the calf can be followed and feeding adjustments can be made if necessary.

Disadvantages

 a separate pen must be constructed.

 sometimes calves receive either too much or too little milk if the right amount of milk is not left
unmilked.
 keeping several calves together in the same pen can increase the risk of sickness, and the calves which
suck eachother when they are young can enter their first lactation with mastitis.

Calf feeding

 Feed colostrums i.e. the first milk of the cow for the first 3 days. The colostrums is thick and viscous. It
contains higher proportions of Vitamin A Care and management of dairy animal 53 and proteins. The
proteins are immune globulin which gives protection against many diseases. Colostrums contains anti
trypsin which avoid digestion of immunoglobulin in the stomach and is absorbed as it is.
 Whole milk should be given after 3 days it is better to teach to, drink the milk from the pail or bucket. Feed
twice a day which should be warmed to body temperature. For weak calves feed thrice a day.
 The limit of liquid milk feeding is 10 % of it’s body weight with a maximum of 5-6 liters per day and continue
liquid milk feeding for 6.10 weeks.  Over feeding causes ‘Calf Scours’.
 The milk replaces can be given to replace whole milk.
 Give calf starter after one month of age.
 Provide good quality green fodder and hay from 4‘h month afterwards.
 Feeding of antibiotics to calves improves appetite, increases growth rate and prevents calf scours. E.g.
aureomycin, Terramycin etc

If you are keeping calves penned away from the cows for part of each day, you should remember:

 To allow the first milk (colostrum) to the calf during the first 24 hours. The calf should be allowed to
have all that it wants. This is essential if is to remain healthy.

 It is a good idea to keep some colostrum in the freezer. Sometimes a cow will die shortly after giving
birth. The stored colostrum, even from another cow, can be thawed and fed to the calf and it is still
useful several months after freezing.

 Calves will begin to nibble grass or other forage material from the first day of birth It is important to
allow them to do this if they are to develop their stomachs normally for eating grass. If they are penned,
they must have grass offered to them all the time. Tie bundles of it to the fence so that they can nibble
it. Never put it on the ground for them. Always tie it up or put it in a trough.

 By one month of age, calves should be eating grass and some concentrate which should both be
available to the calf from birth

 Introduce calves to concentrates gradually, and watch how much they are eating Give them a little
more each day once they begin to eat it. Any concentrate which the calf does not eat on the day it is
given, should be taken away and replaced with fresh feed.

 Calves will feed independently on grass and concentrate from about 2 weeks onwards. Calves can only
be completely weaned from milk if you have good quality dry feed I concentrate meal and the calves are
eating enough of it before milk is completely withdrawn

 Cut the grass from areas where cattle are not free grazing, to prevent introduction of parasites to the
calves. Have a separate fenced area where cattle cannot graze, from which to take the grass for calf
feeding.
 The cheapest way to rear a calf is to give it plenty of young, growing, nutritious pasture from birth
onwards. Grass and legumes are much cheaper than milk to feed, and milk should be gradually
withdrawn, starting when the calves seem to be eating grass and concentrate independently. Calves
should be completely weaned off milk at 8-10 weeks. It is a good idea to increase their interest in grass
and concentrates.

Calf housing

 Creating a draught free environment.

From the start, calves should be kept dry and draught free. Draught is considered present if wind
velocity exceeds 0.5m/s in any of the calf pens. Draughts hitting calves causes them to lose heat
energy. Energy loss will double when wind speed rises above 0.5m/s. A comfortable
microclimate must be provided in the first week of life with temperatures >20°C. In practice, air
inlets should be above calf height level and the penning area should be laid out so that the
currents of incoming air are not directed into the calf lying area. It is also important to make sure
there are no down draughts from the outlets. Draughts are especially difficult to avoid in open-
sided buildings where wind cannot be controlled. Farmers with buildings like these are advised
to build temporary walls/shelters to avoid uncontrolled wind impacting on young calves. In long
houses, one or more solid pen divisions is necessary to reduce draughts.

 Creating and maintaining a dry bed.

The quality of bedding material is crucial to reduce the amount of heat lost via conduction from lying
calves. Deep straw bedding is superior to other bedding material in its efficacy as an insulator. It can
provide a high ‘nesting score’ which has a preventive effect against calf respiratory disease in naturally
ventilated sheds. Straw bedding should be at least 15cm deep and should remain dry at all times. Wood
shavings and bark chips can also be used to provide the calves with dry lying conditions.

 Choose appropriate bedding for calves

HOW TO: Clean out a calf house When selecting bedding materials it is important to consider issues like
on-going availability, price and the degree to which the material compacts over time. Avoid using dusty
bedding as it can cause respiratory problems.

 Adequate manure disposal system.

The flooring/bedding needs to facilitate easy cleaning and removal of waste. Waste should not drain
away from one pen through another as this can spread disease. Drainage on concrete floors can be
improved by having a 1:20 slope towards a channel. The channel should be located a minimum of
300mm inside the feed barrier. Channels should have a 1:60 slope and waste should be removed to an
external, ventilated storage tank. There should be shallow channels within the pens that are 25-30mm
deep, 100-150mm wide and easily cleaned by brushing. These channels should not impede the
mechanical cleaning of straw beds.

 Regular house and stockperson disinfection.

The shed should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with a broad spectrum disinfectant before
calves arrive. While in use, pens should be frequently disinfected to prevent the buildup of
disease organisms. Ideally, calves should be bedded every day and pens cleaned out weekly.

 Clean out a calf house

It is important to clean out, wash and disinfect calf houses. This should be done regularly and is
essential between batches of calves. Maintaining a clean environment throughout calf rearing
greatly reduces disease levels and enhances calf comfort. • Rails, gates, partitions, walls and
feeders must be cleaned of any obvious manure or other organic material. Disease pathogens
persist longer in the environment if organic materials such as manure, saliva and bedding are
present. All bedding and organic material should be removed. • Pressure cleaning is
recommended for cleaning out effectively. Disinfection works best if all dirt and manure is
removed. • Hot water/steam and soap may be necessary for cleaning milk residues as it aids
removal of fat. • Use a broad spectrum disinfectant for best results. A minimum of 10 minutes
contact time is required, 30 minutes is preferable for effective disinfection. • If cleaning pens
when calves are in them, avoid wetting calves or creating aerosols of moisture that contain
particles and pathogens.

 Provision of clean air and water.

There should be good ventilation in the house to remove effluent gases (ammonia) and
prevent outbreaks of pneumonia. A calf house should have at least five to six air changes
 per hour. Clean water must be available to calves at all times, especially if they are
scouring. When dehydrated, calves will drink almost anything, so access to stale/rank
water which may be harmful must be prevented. Contamination of feed and water from
other calves, vermin and flies is common; the likelihood can be reduced with good house
design.

 Adequate feeding and drinking space.

The correct feeder and drinking space must be provided to encourage feed and water intake and
to discourage bullying. For bucket feeding, calves require 350mm of feed face each. For
automatic feeders there should always be more than one teat per pen. This reduces the risk of
calves being without milk and then over feeding when a teat is fixed. The number of calves per
feeder varies. Meal troughs should be 450mm above the floor, 100mm deep and 250mm wide.

 Sufficient air space.

Air space is critical. There should be a minimum of 7m3/calf total house cubic air capacity
provided per calf at birth, increasing to 10m3 by two months of age. The greater the number of
calves in a single air space, the greater the risk to health. A calf with respiratory disease can shed
millions of infectious organisms from its lungs into the surrounding atmosphere. A maximum of
50 calves per house is recommended (30-50 in a single air space).

 Other services/calf house requirements.

• Artificial light - 50 lux (about five watts/m2 threshold). • Natural light - at least 10% of roof
area. • Power points for automatic feeders, feed store, infra-red lamp, power washer etc. • Water
supply - drinkers for group pens (cold/hot).

 Labour efficient calf housing.

In addition to providing the correct environment for calf health, welfare and growth, it is crucial
that the design of the calf house allows routine tasks to be completed efficiently and provides
good working conditions for the farmer/ stockman. Features of a labour efficient system include:
1. An adequately sized feed preparation area (if more than 20 calves). • 0.2m2/calf • Separate
outside door • Its own airspace • Lockable cabinet for chemical and veterinary products • Sink
and cold water supply, paper towel dispenser 2. Easy access for inspection and care of sick
calves. 3. Access for a tractor with loader to clean bedding. 4. External access to a grazing
paddock for calves.

Heifer Management and other related issues

 Supervising your heifers during calving

Heifers should be observed at least twice daily, more often if practical. Assistance can then be
given early if needed.

To be born alive, the calf must be delivered within approximately four hours after the appearance
of the water bag. Early assistance can avoid deaths, calving paralysis and uterine prolapse in
heifers.

Heifers should be kept close to cattle yards during calving, so that early assistance may be given
if needed. The labour required for supervision can be kept to a minimum if the heifers are joined
to calve over a short period (6 to 8 weeks). Keeping the heifers in a small paddock close to the
house during calving can also reduce the time required for frequent observation.

Calving difficulty can be induced by disturbance. Hence, frequent checking must disturb the
heifers as little as possible. Reasonably quiet cattle may be inspected by slowly riding through
the mob on a horse. Binoculars are an option for excitable cattle.

 Giving assistance to heifers during birth

The calf should normally be born within two hours of the appearance of the water bag. If the calf
is not born within three hours of the appearance of the water bag, the heifer should be examined.
If there is any doubt about the time of the appearance of the water bag, an examination should be
carried out immediately.

The decision to give assistance should be based firstly on the position of the calf. If a hind leg is
visible or if only one foreleg is presented, or if there is any other evidence of malpresentation of
the calf, assistance should be given immediately. The calf's chance of survival is greater if
assistance is given early.

If the position of the calf appears normal, with the head resting on the front legs, then the
condition of the heifer should be considered.

A heifer that has ceased straining and appears weak or exhausted should be assisted immediately.
If the heifer is straining vigorously, and the birth appears to be progressing normally, the heifer
should be left alone for approximately one hour. If there has been no real progress after the hour
has elapsed, assistance may be required.

 Calling in the vet

A vet should be called if:

  a heifer is found to have difficulty calving
 the birth appears to be breech
 the heifer's condition has become weak.

A vet may be required to correct a difficult calving and to prescribe and administer any
veterinary drugs required to assist with calf and heifer survival during and after calving.

 Post difficult birth

After a difficult birth, young cows in particular often desert their calves. It is wise to keep the
cow and calf confined in a small area after assistance has been given.

They can then be watched and should not be allowed back with the main herd until the cow has
accepted the calf and will allow it to suck. Sometimes it may be necessary to hold the cow in a
crush or race and force her to allow the calf to drink for the first few days.

 Management after calving

Once they have calved successfully young cows are required to produce a good supply of milk
and become pregnant again soon after. To achieve this they must be well fed from calving until
the end of mating.

 Milk production

The main factor determining how well calves grow is the amount of milk their mothers produce.
This in turn depends on such things as the age and breed of the cow, but it is also influenced by
feeding management.

Young cows produce less milk than mature cows. Consequently the growth rate of calves from
two year-old or three-year-old cows is normally 10 to 15% less than that of calves from cows
aged five or six.

Nevertheless. young cows can produce good calves if they are well fed after calving. Feed intake
before calving has a relatively small influence on milk yield, but after calving the effect is
enormous. Once they start to produce milk, cows of any age need at least twice as much food
energy as they did before calving. If they don't get this they will lose weight and their milk
production will be depressed.

 Fertility of cows after calving

Cows must be well fed after calving. Although maximum fertility requires cows to be gaining
weight from calving to the end of mating, it is likely that cows calving in autumn will lose
weight from calving to joining, despite being fed. However, adequate fertility will be obtained if
cows are calved in condition score 3, to join at condition score 2.5. It is therefore important to
ensure that cows calve in good enough condition to allow for weight loss and yet still ensure
adequate condition for joining.
After they calve, cows have only about 80 days in which to become pregnant if they are to calve
again within 12 months. Whether they achieve this level of fertility depends on how soon after
calving they come on heat again. This is largely determined by the breed of cow, the amount of
milk produced, age, and feeding management before and after calving.

Milk production places cows of any age under much greater stress than pregnancy or any other
body function. High milk-producing breeds and strains of cattle take longer to start cycling again
after calving than lower milk producers.

Mature cows usually take about 60 days to come on heat again after calving; young cows may
take 90 days or more. The reason is that young cows, particularly those calving at two years of
age, are in a very delicate nutritional situation after calving. They require nutrients not only for
milk production, but also for their own body growth and development. In contrast to this, the
mature cow can, to some extent at least, 'milk off her own back'.

Nutritional management both before and after calving has a great impact on cow fertility. Cows
that are not well-fed during pregnancy take longer to start cycling again after calving than cows
that are well fed. Ideally cows should calve in medium body condition, preferably in condition
score 2.5 to 3.0.

 Feeding young cows after calving

For good fertility and milk production, first calvers in particular must be well fed after calving.

Simply providing an abundance of good quality pasture may be adequate in some years. Some
producers draft off freshly calved young cows each week, and drift them into a better paddock.
In an autumn-calving herd, for example, this could be an 'autumn-saved' paddock.

In most districts of Victoria, however, young cows calving in autumn usually require a high-
quality supplement after calving. Early or mid-season cut clover hay, early cut oaten hay and
lucerne hay are suitable, but hay of lower quality is of little use. If good quality hay is not
available, cereal grains or pellets may have to be fed.

Feeding should begin immediately after calving because cattle may take a while to adjust to the
ration .

 Worm control

Young cows calving in autumn are particularly vulnerable to severe worm infestations. The
stress of calving may precipitate the release of large numbers of 'inhibited' worm larvae from the
walls of the gut. If needed, an effective drench should be given before calving.

Other related issues

. Dairy Cattle Health Management Training Manual

In Ethiopia Dairy cattle industry is becoming the main source of food and income for both urban and
rural societies. It has an important economic significance, especially in rural areas. But there are
constraints affecting the dairy cattle extension system like shortage of feed, non-standardized housing
system, poor genetic makeup and luck of regular health management package which will be discussed in
this manual. Health management is one of the most important factors influencing the development of
dairy cattle industry Ethiopia. It is one of the critical factors in maintaining optimum milk yield, keeping
normal calving intervals and ensuring the generation to continue through caring and reducing mortality
in calves and other young dairy stocks. This manual is not intended to describe all dairy cattle diseases;
however, the manual has been prepared to be used as a reference for farm extension workers to
support dairy cattle farmers on most common health issues which are commonly encountered at a dairy
farm level through offering knowledge and teaching basic skills on recognizing and solving dairy cattle
health problems.

Challenges of dairy cattle production As presented in Table 3, shortage of feed, health problem, water
scarcity and labor scarcity were major challenges which affect dairy cattle production and productivity.
The statistical values of chi square among major challenges were significantly vary across agro-ecology
at less than 5% significance level. In the study area, feed was the first major constraints which accounted
for a large proportion in dairy cattle production. From the fact points of view, quantitative and
qualitative shortage of feed and fodder affects the performance of milking animals, through under
feeding animals in general; in particular, it affects milk production negatively. The cause for shortage of
feed may be due to the fact that most farmers had small grazing land for animals; this was also true
most natural pastures areas are converting to crop production. Moreover, population numbers are
becoming increase over time in turn; overgrazing was common due to inadequate use of natural pasture
and crop residues and by-products; and lack of knowledge in improved forage (legumes, grasses, and
crops-forage) in conserving and managing. As discussed with respondents, feed shortage of dairy cattle
was the most serious problem during dry season in the study area this is because of most farmers are
poorly experienced in hay and silage forage conservation however, the area has ample forage in
summer season. The present finding is in lined to Komwihangilo et al. (2009) study of improved cattle in
agro-pastoral systems of Central Tanzania who reported that the quantities and qualities of pasture is a
big challenge for cattle production; in similar to current study Daniel (2000) is also reported in North
Gondar, Ethiopia who stated that shortage of feeds for dairy cattle production is major problem due to
the shifting of natural pasture to cropland. Improved dairy production has been hampered by poor
health and very high mortalities. According to the result of respondents, the second most importance
constraint was health problem and the most predominant dairy cattle killer diseases were mastitis
(38.5%), foot and mouth (33.3%) and anthrax (28.1%) diseases. However, the statistical values of chi
square among major diseases effect were not associated with the types agro-ecology at less than 5%
significance level. As indicated by the respondents, the effect is more severe during summer and spring
seasons because in those periods, the environment might be conducive for microbes and parasites
reproduction. Similar study was conducted by Rosati et al. (2009) who reported that mastitis may
developed if the quarter becomes intended as when the cow lies in mud or manure and bacteria
intended the teat canals on the other hand, Laisser et al. (2015) reported from Lake Zone in Tanzania
foot mouth disease is most serious, followed by babesiosis and Lumpy skin disease. In similar way,
Daodu et al. (2009) study in Oyo area of Southwest Nigeria; foot and mouth disease, and swollen join
are major diseases for Adult ruminant while Diarrohea and foot and mouth diseases are major diseases
for young ruminant. In similar manner, Dessalegn( 2015) also reported in Bench-Maji Zone, Southwest
Ethiopia; trypanosomosis, black leg, anthrax, bovine pasteurellosis, and gastro-intestinal parasites are
major diseases in order of their importance.

Opportunity of dairy cattle production

Despite of there were many problems and constraints that might be slow down the development of the
dairy sector in the study area; however, there were also suitable condition to improve dairy production
and productivity for the future such as marketing accessibility, veterinary and artificial insemination
service (AI) and infrastructure (Table 4). These were warranted to the dairy producers to remain with
their dairy production activity. The statistical values of chi square among major opportunities were
significantly associated with the types of agro-ecology at less than 5% significance level. As indicated in
Table 4, market availability was the primary opportunity (56.3%) for the sector improvement; followed
by veterinary service and artificial insemination service (21.5%) and infrastructure (22.2%) respectively.
Market opportunity is a key instrument for dairy industry because all dairy farm items are connected
with market channel for example to rent land for farm, purchase equipment for housing, labor and to
sell milk and milk products, to purchase improved breeds, feeds, AI and drugs etc. In relation to
marketing system, in the study area, land and labor are too cheap. There is also increasing demand of
milk and milk products consumption by community. This may be related with population number are
increasing from time to time in turn, feeding habit of the community are changing to animal origin.
Moreover, dairying provides the opportunity for smallholder farmers to use land, labor and feed
resources and generate regular income.

Conclusion

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