Journal of Ecosystem & Ecography
Open Access

Abstract

A survey was conducted through single field visits and interviews with 360 respondents in selected districts of Bench Maji Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia to assess the Sheko cattle farming system, breeding practices and identify cattle breeding goals and constraints for designing Sheko cattle conservation and improvement strategies. The total populations of true Sheko cattle in the sampled districts within each PA obtained by counting directly on the field were 2813. Under random mating, the inbreeding coefficient, in both mid-altitude (1.72) and lowland (1.35) agro ecological zones (AEZs) was higher than the maximum acceptable level (0.063). Results showed that mean Sheko cattle herd size of sampled household was 1.09 in mid-altitude and 1.29 in lowland AEZs. About 93.9% and 88.3% of the households, respectively, in mid-altitude and lowland do not have breeding bull. Random mating predominates in both mid-altitude (87.2%) and lowland (85%) AEZs. The reported peak season of mixing of the different Sheko cattle herd within a village start after the crop aftermath (February to May) was picked from the cultivated land, whereas, beginning from main rainy season in June to the end of crop harvesting time, usually on January smallholder farmers in both AEZs keep their cattle separately. The observed male to female mating ratio was 1:16.4 in mid-altitude and 1:8.6 in lowland. Sheko bulls were castrated at the age of 4.2 and 4.8 years in mid-altitude and lowland respectively. Appearance/confirmation was the most important trait in choosing of breeding male for both mid-altitude and lowland small holder Sheko owners; whereas, milk yield was the most important trait for the choice of breeding cows in both AEZs. The purpose of keeping Sheko cattle in mid-altitude area was for draught followed by milk, income, saving and dowry, in that order. In lowland agro ecology, milk production, draught power and income generation are the purposes for keeping Sheko cattle. In both AEZs feed shortage, disease and labour shortage were the most important cattle production constraints, in that order. It was concluded that an integrated system approach to breed conservation and improvement need to incorporate traits sought by the cattle keepers, the multiple roles of cattle, and the existing traditional herding and breeding practices.

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