Safety and Quality of Raw Cow Milk Collected from Producers and Consumers in Hawassa and Yirgalem areas, Southern Ethiopia

The objective of this study was to understand the hygienic milk handling practice and determine the safety and quality of raw milk collected from producers and consumers in Hawassa and Yirgalem areas. A total of 60 producers and 40 consumers were randomly selected and interviewed for the survey in the selected districts of Hawasa Zuria and Dale. A total of 120 raw milk samples were also aseptically collected and tested for microbial analysis and chemical composition (60 samples each from producers and consumers). General Linear Model (GLM) and other statistical tools were adopted to analyze the data and summarize the information. The result showed that clay pot is the major milk storing device for producers although it is inconvenient for hygienic cleaning, harbors bacteria which causes milk spoilage and consequently imposes risk of quality deterioration. The Cooling method of raw milk for 28% of producers was using of refrigerator while for 33% of the consumers; it was by boiling and then cooling system. Fumigation was a common traditional practice in the studied districts which is mainly used for flavoring and extending the shelf life, thereby reducing spoilage. It is one of the traditional hygienic measures used on milking utensils .In the raw milk samples, the mean total bacterial count  for producers and consumers was 6.73 cfu mL-1 and 7.15 cfu mL-1, respectively. The higher total bacterial count of consumers was due to poor sanitary conditions practiced during milking and hygiene of milking utensils. The coliform count for the raw milk collected from producers was 4.00 cfu mL-1 while it was 4.29 cfu mL-1 for consumers. The higher coliform count of the consumers was due to contamination of the milk collected from different value chain actors, unhygienic milk utensils and unsafe ways of management. There was no significant difference observed in the mean values of fat, solids-not-fat (SNF), protein, lactose, density and water percent in the two study locations. Significantly lower values for fat, SNF and water percent were observed for the milk samples collected from consumers than producers. The poor handling practice, higher bacterial count and substandard quality of composition could be due to limited knowledge of producers and consumers on the improved hygienic handling practices. Therefore, regular awareness creation about quality milk production and  good handling practices should be provided for producers as well as consumers to improve the quality and the safety of the milk and also minimize consequent health risks especially on children, the sick and elderly. Keywords: Milk handling, quality, safety, composition, producers, consumer

Effect of rate of inclusion of fishmeal prepared by cooking and sun drying of fish offal on feed intake and nutrient retention of growing Rhode Island Red chicks

Effect of cooked and sun dried fish offal on intake and nutrient retention of growing Rhode Island Red (RIR) chicks in southern Ethiopia was evaluated. Unsexed day old RIR chicks were uniformly brooded, vaccinated against Gumboro and Newcastle diseases. At the age of 14 days, 10 chicks were assigned to each of the 5 replicates of the 6 dietary groups, fed for 11 weeks and daily group feed intakes were recorded. The control diet (T1) consisted of Maize (34.1%), wheat short+bran (21.0%), limestone (1.20%), salt (0.5%), premix (0.1%), lysine (0.05%), methioinine (0.05%), roasted soybean (27.0%) and noug cake (16.0%); the rest of the diets contained all ingredients in the control plus fishmeal at rates of 3.32% (T2), 6.64% (T3), 9.96% (T4), 13.28% (T5), and 16.6% (T6) of the diet and had 19.76, 18.89, 19.82, 18.44, 18.96 and 19.20% cp, respectively. At the beginning of the feeding trial, 13 chicks representing initial body weight of those in the trial were stunned by dislocation of the neck. At the end, one male and one female chick from each of the 3 replicates of each of the 6 treatment groups were systematically selected, tagged, fasted for 12 hours, weighed, and stunned by dislocation of the neck. All carcasses were kept intact in deep freezer at -20°C and then cut into small pieces in freezing condition, minced and dried in an oven at 65°C for 80 hours, ground, homogenized and chemically analyzed. Chicks fed T1 had significantly (

The effect of partial substitution of plant protein by fishmeal prepared out of cooked and sun dried fish offal on feed intake and carcass traits of Rhode Island Red chicks

Effects of cooked and sun dried fish offal, fishmeal, on intake, growth and carcass traits of Rhode Island Red (RIR) chicks was evaluated at Wolayta Soddo, southern Ethiopia. After 14 days of uniform brooding of unsexed day old RIR chicks, a feeding trial, with 6 dietary groups (T1 to T6), 5 replicates each and 10 chicks per replicate, was run for 11 weeks when daily group feed intakes were recorded. Results showed that chicks fed T1 had significantly (p£ 0.01) lowest (68.5g dry matter (DM) , 13.3g crude protein (CP), 0.54g calcium (Ca), 0.35g phosphorus (P) and 231kcal metabolizable energy (ME) head-1) but those on T6 had the highest daily intakes (77g DM, 14.8g CP, 1.81g Ca, 0.58g P and 243kcal ME head-1). Slaughter weight was 1022g, 1234g, 1202g, 1295g, 1272g, and 1272g head-1 for T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6, respectively. Commercial carcass weight (breast + thighs + drum sticks + wings + back) of the control (552g/head) was significantly (p£ 0.01) lower than fishmeal groups (683g, 671g, 729g, 717g and 711g for T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6, respectively). Difference in weights of drum sticks, thighs, wings and back separately were significantly (p< 0.01) higher for fishmeal groups. Breast weight of T1 (160g) was significantly (p< 0.01) lower than T2 (196g), T3 (203g), T4 (219g), T5 (213) and T6 (217g). Total edible carcass weight, including skin, liver and gizzard of T1 was significantly lower (676g head-1, p£ 0.01) than the rest of the groups (837g, 807g, 874g, 860g and 850g head-1 for T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6, respectively). Significantly (p£ 0.05) lower Dressing % was obtained from T1 (54.0%) than T2 (55.3%), T3 (55.7%), T4 (56.2%), T5 (56.5%) and T6 (55.8%). Dressing percentage (on the basis of edible carcass) of T1 (66.1%) was also significantly (p£ 0.05) lower than T2 (67.8%), T3 (67.1%), T4 (67.5%), T5 (67.6%) and T6 (66.8%). Males had significantly (p< 0.01) higher slaughter weight (1294g) and carcass weight (721g) than females (1138g and 633g, respectively), but they had similar breast weights and dressing %. It can thus be concluded that fishmeal inclusion in to diets of growing RIR chicken up to the levels of 16.6% of the DM of the diet did not affect health or carcass traits; however, best results were obtained at 9.96%

Demonstration and Evaluation of Dual Purpose Chicken “Potchefstroom Koekoek” Packages at Areka areas, SNNPR, Ethiopia

The demonstration was conducted in Wolaita zone, Boloso Sore district at Areka and around Areka areas. Participants (farmers) were selected purposively on the basis of willingness to construct poultry house; to cover all the associated package costs and record the required was selected. Survival of chicks during the first 8 weeks of brooding using hay-box at the farmers management condition was 79.8% (359 were survived out 450). On average about 93.1% of the chicken were survived to the laying age while mortality reduced from 20.2% to 6.9%. The average age at first egg-laying recorded at each farmers was 142 days and average weight of eggs at first laying was 40.2g. The average weight of male and female chicken at 20 weeks of age was 1.5kg and 1.1kg respectively. Field day was arranged when they were at the age of 20 weeks and 135 (120 male and 15 female) farmers and 65 (60 male and 5 female) researchers, experts and government officials from regional to woredas levels were participated on field day and awareness creation was created as a result all participants got a conviction to consider the technology as a viable agricultural venture

The livestock sector transformation in Ethiopia: the fundamental role of animal identification, registration, data recording and traceability systems

Livestock production in Ethiopia is predominated by extensive production systems where animals graze in communal grazing lands that exposes to disease transmission and indiscriminate breeding. Intensive stall feeding occurs, mostly in peri-urban settings, with cows mainly fed on straw and limited fresh forages. Animal movement within the country for herd replacement poses disease risk due to lack of movement control. Export of live animals and animal products, mostly meat require traceability system which not only able to identify the animal and the premises, where they are raised, but also traces how they left such premises to the ultimate markets. Ethiopia has developed a road map for livestock information system which also requires household, farm, and animal level information. This paper describes and discusses the need for a harmonized national livestock identification, registration, and data recording system, review existing experiences in the country and elsewhere in Eastern Africa, based on which recommendations in the related areas are made. The critical place of animal identification, registration and data recording as the basis for animal and animal product traceability, disease control, genetic improvement of farmers’ animals, annual planning, acquisition of bank loan and insurance are outlined. The need and values of adopting standardized identification system, establish a centralized database, and data capture tools are articulated. In addition, for success, the importance of long-term commitment, at different levels, including the role of both the public and private sectors are emphasized. The role of government in enforcing the related laws and policies, the requisite organizational structure, infrastructure, and human capacity needs are also pointed out. Professional societies like the Ethiopian Society of Animal Production (ESAP), and Ethiopian Veterinary Association (EVA) are platforms to exhaustively discuss and promote establishment and implementation of national system for animal identification, registration, and data capture are underscored

The pathway to genetic gains in Ethiopian dairy Cattle: Lessons learned from African Dairy Genetic Gains Program and tips to ensure sustainability

In recent years, information and communication technology, and genomic tools have respectively enabled crowd-sourced herd performance recording and fastening of genetic gains in dairy cattle. The African dairy cattle genetic gains (ADGG) program is a collaborative effort of International Livestock Research Institute, Livestock Development Institute, and other national and international partners to foster sustainable genetic improvement. The ADGG program has developed and implemented digital herd performance recording tools, national dairy recording platforms, digital extension services, and genomic evaluation pipelines for Tanzania, Kenya, and Ethiopia. The initial program’s target was to register 12,000 dairy herds in each country, however in Ethiopia’s in 98 districts and 6 regions, more than 74,500 herds and 157,000 animals had been registered by July 2022. The volume and diversity of data being captured by national dairy database is steadily growing. For example, today 440,000 test-day milk yield and 313,000 body weight records have been captured. The above data has been used to undertake the first genomic evaluations, results of which have been publicized in the national Cow and Bull Catalogue for the locally bred but genetically superior bulls and cows. Three of the top ranked bulls have been recruited into the National Artificial Insemination (AI) center for broader use nationally. So far, a total of 67,000 semen straws have been extracted from these bulls and are being used to breed cows and heifers in 14 districts of Ethiopia, thereby not only benefiting many local smallholder dairy farmers, but also significantly saving the country foreign exchange which would otherwise have been used to import bulls and semen from outside the country most of bulls may not be as locally adapted and genetically superior. The great achievement has been realized due to existence of systematic animal identification and consistent performance recording, both of which are crucial for sustained national genetic evaluation, identification, and use of genetically superior and locally adapted dairy breeding stock. Furthermore, identifying roles and responsibilities, and strengthening collaboration among key dairy actors and strong government leadership and support are mandatory to build sustainable breeding program

Genome-wide scans identify known and novel regions associated with prolificacy and reproduction traits in a sub-Saharan African indigenous sheep (Ovis aries)

Maximizing the number of offspring born per female is a key functionality trait in commercial- and/or subsistence-oriented livestock enterprises. Although the number of offspring born is closely associated with female fertility and reproductive success, the genetic control of these traits remains poorly understood in sub-Saharan Africa livestock. Using selection signature analysis performed on Ovine HD BeadChip data from the prolific Bonga sheep in Ethiopia, 41 candidate regions under selection were identified. The analysis revealed one strong selection signature on a candidate region on chromosome X spanning BMP15, suggesting this to be the primary candidate prolificacy gene in the breed. The analysis also identified several candidate regions spanning genes not reported before in prolific sheep but underlying fertility and reproduction in other species. The genes associated with female reproduction traits included SPOCK1 (age at first oestrus), GPR173 (mediator of ovarian cyclicity), HB-EGF (signalling early pregnancy success) and SMARCAL1 and HMGN3a (regulate gene expression during embryogenesis). The genes involved in male reproduction were FOXJ1 (sperm function and successful fertilization) and NME5 (spermatogenesis). We also observed genes such as PKD2L2, MAGED1 and KDM3B, which have been associated with diverse fertility traits in both sexes of other species. The results confirm the complexity of the genetic mechanisms underlying reproduction while suggesting that prolificacy in the Bonga sheep, and possibly African indigenous sheep is partly under the control of BMP15 while other genes that enhance male and female fertility are essential for reproductive fitness

Demonstration and Evaluation of Dual Purpose Chicken “Potchefstroom Koekoek” Packages at Areka areas, SNNPR, Ethiopia

The demonstration was conducted in Wolaita zone, Boloso Sore district at Areka and around Areka areas. Participants (farmers) were selected purposively on the basis of willingness to construct poultry house; to cover all the associated package costs and record the required was selected. Survival of chicks during the first 8 weeks of brooding using hay-box at the farmers management condition was 79.8% (359 were survived out 450). On average about 93.1% of the chicken were survived to the laying age while mortality reduced from 20.2% to 6.9%. The average age at first egg-laying recorded at each farmers was 142 days and average weight of eggs at first laying was 40.2g. The average weight of male and female chicken at 20 weeks of age was 1.5kg and 1.1kg respectively. Field day was arranged when they were at the age of 20 weeks and 135 (120 male and 15 female) farmers and 65 (60 male and 5 female) researchers, experts and government officials from regional to woredas levels were participated on field day and awareness creation was created as a result all participants got a conviction to consider the technology as a viable agricultural venture