Major Causes of Organ Condemnation and Assessment of Its Financial Loss in Cattle Slaughtered at Bahir Dar Municipal Abattoir, Northwestern Ehtiopia

A cross sectional study was conducted from November 2016 to May 2017 to identify the major causes of organ condemnation in cattle slaughtered at Bahir Dar municipal abattoir and to estimate the direct financial loss due to organ condemnation. Using systematic random sampling 768 cattle was selected. Out of the total 768 cattle examined by ante mortem inspection only 95(12.4%) encountered abnormalities. The major abnormal conditions encountered during ante mortem examination are nasal discharge 63(8.2%), ectoparasites 12(1.6%), emaciation 12(1.6%), lameness 6(0.8%) and local swelling 2(0.3%).  Major diseases and/or pathological conditions that caused a total condemnation were fasciolosis (16.8%), calcification (11.5%), discoloration (7%), jaundice (3%), cirrhosis (1.7%) for liver ; abscessation (4.8%), congestion (9.5%), emphysema (4.8%), Hydatid cyst (2.6%), pneumonia (2.2%), for lung; atrophy (3.8%), nephritis (4.8%), renal calculi (2.1%), abscessation (0.8%), for kidney; pericarditis (2.3%), cysticercus bovis (2%), hydatid cyst (1.8%), for heart. During the study period 23,633.00 Ethiopian birr was estimated as a direct financial loss in the abattoir due to condemnation of edible organs. The current result suggests that a thorough investigation that leads to disease control strategy is required to reduce the financial loss and public health consequences. Keywords: antemortem inspection, Bahir Dar, cattle, municipal abattoir, organ condemnation, postmortem examination

Planting Time of Haricot Bean Intercropping into the Maize- Based Cropping Systems Under Planting Arrangements in South Gonder Ethiopia

Field experiments were conducted at Dera District south Gonder experimental field site, Fogra National Rice Research and Training Center from June to October during the years 2020 and 2021 cropping seasons. The aim of the study was to determine optimum time of intercropping haricot bean into the maize based cropping system under conservation tillage practices,  The experiment was laid out in split-plot design, with tillage practices a) Tied-ridge and b) Zero-tillage as main plot and time of intercropping haricot bean 1) Planting haricot bean simultaneously with maize, 2) Planting haricot bean 15 days after maize was planted and 3) planting haricot bean 30 days after maize was planted as sub-plots. Intercropping was assessed on the basis of the performance of the main and component crops indices as grain yield, biomass weight, partial and total LER and competitive indices such as relative crowding coefficient (K), aggressivity (A), competitive ratio (CR) and system productivity index (SPI).There was no interaction between tillage practices and time of intercropping haricot bean in any of the indices studied. Main effects of tillage practices had no significant effects on all the indices considered during both 2020 and 2021 growing seasons, but grain yield, biomass weight, partial and total LER tended to be higher in the tied-ridge treatment during 2020 and vis-versa during 2021seasons. The results obtained showed that the greatest intercrop yields of maize and haricot bean were obtained when both crops were planted at the same time. In both years, highest total land equivalent ratio (LERt) values were obtained when planting of maize and haricot bean was done at the same time followed by planting of haricot bean 15 days after maize was planted indicating the advantages of intercropping over the sole planting. Partial LERm was always higher than LERb during 2010 season and vis-versa during 2011 season. The results of competitive indices indicate that maize was the dominant crop in the mixture as measured by the positive values of A, and the high values of Km than Kb in the mixture. On the other hand, CR values of haricot bean were higher than maize in the mixture suggesting haricot bean was more competitive than maize in the intercropping system. Moreover, the data of SPI indicated that intercropping haricot bean at the same time with maize had higher SPI during both 2010 and 2011 season. In conclusion, intercropping of haricot bean simultaneously with maize exhibited an overall advantage over the other time of intercropping and sole cropping in terms of grain yield, partial LERm, LERb and LERt and competitive ratio indices and could therefore be recommended for Central rift valley areas of Ethiopia where maize and haricot bean are major crops. Keywords: Intercropping, cropping season ,Land Equivalent Ratio, Grain yield DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/12-19-02 Publication date:October 31st 202

Street Children: Circumstances and Problems of Street Children in North Western Ethiopia Amhara Regional State, Central Gondar Zone

The purpose of this study was to show the general circumstance that is accounted for the phenomenon of street children, and problems   in the study area. Thus, it examines the contributing factors that push children to be on the streets, encounters, and their experiences in their endeavour with street life. The study employed a qualitative method to get rich information about the actual life of participants. The study employed a Phenomenological design to investigate the daily life experience of street children. Purposive and snowballing sampling techniques in this study were employed to get participants. The sample size for this study was 23 participants in which 12 of them participated in an interview and 8 participated in focus group discussion and 3 key informants’ interview. The collected data were analyzed thematically. The findings of the study showed that children joined the street due to lack of family planning, divorce, parental detachment, poverty, attending religious education, abuse and neglect, peer pressure. The result also showed that children on street encountered rape, taking away their properties, chased away by Militia patrol and police; they are facing social exclusion, and health problems due to their dwelling conditions and inaccessibility health services. Thus, street children additionally face more troubles once they are on the street that is surely going to have an effect on their development. Keywords:  street children, circumstances, problems DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-23-01 Publication date: December 31st 2020

Influence of bottled water packaging attributes on consumers’ purchase decision: case study in Addis Ababa

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of bottled water packaging attributes on consumers ’ purchase decision. The research focused in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). The study used color, graphic design, size, printed information and shape of packaging as independent variables and consumers ’ purchase decision as a dependent variable. This empirical research was conducted using survey through a set of questionnaire with 5-point likert scale and open-ended items. The questionnaire was distributed to 200 respondents and the responses from 96.5% of the respondents were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, correlation and multiple regression. The findings of the study show that color, graphic design, size and shape of packaging significantly influence consumers ’ purchase decision for bottled water. Printed information on the package has no significant influence on consumers’ purchase decision. Therefore, manufacturers of bottled drink water should give attention to packaging attributes and be innovative to win consumers’ attention. Using attractive and easily understandable printed information may increase its influence on purchase decision

Micro and Small Enterprises in Dire Dawa Administration: Marketing Mix Challenges and Opportunities and Their Implication on Sales Turnover

The purpose of this study is to examine the main marketing challenges and opportunities of micro and small enterprises in Dire Dawa City by considering the product, price, promotion, and place as the independent variables and sales turnover as dependent variables. Methodologically the researchers used cross-sectional descriptive study and targeted 548 enterprises grouped as manufacturing, construction, and urban agriculture. From the total target populations 226 enterprises selected based on stratifies sampling methods. Standardized questioners developed and distributed for those selected enterprises and interviews conducted for experts in Dire Dawa Urban Job Creation and Food security agency. Collected data analyzed and interpreted accordingly. The finding of regression analysis indicates that product, Price, and place have a significant effect on micro and small enterprises sales turnover while promotion has an insignificant effect.  In addition to this, micro and small enterprises in Dire Dawa City have many opportunities and challenges. Government support and market demand are the major opportunities while lack of coordination among different government offices and lacking of micro and small enterprise owner’s commitment mentioned as a challenge. Therefore, strong coordination among government officials and the owner’s effort on product quality and branding, pricing and distribution enable micro and small enterprise owner’s to increase their sales turnover. Keywords: Marketing Mix, Micro and Small Enterprises, Sales Turnover DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/13-7-03 Publication date: April 30th 202

Influence of Bottled Water Packaging Attributes on Consumers’ Purchase Decision: Case study in Addis Ababa

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of bottled water packaging attributes on consumers’ purchase decision. The research focused in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). The study used color, graphic design, size, printed information and shape of packaging as independent variables and consumers’ purchase decision as a dependent variable. This empirical research was conducted using survey through a set of questionnaire with 5-point likert scale and open-ended items. The questionnaire was distributed to 200 respondents and the responses from 96.5% of the respondents were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, correlation and multiple regression. The findings of the study show that color, graphic design, size and shape of packaging significantly influence consumers’ purchase decision for bottled water. Printed information on the package has no significant influence on consumers’ purchase decision. Therefore, manufacturers of bottled drink water should give attention to packaging attributes and be innovative to win consumers’ attention. Using attractive and easily understandable printed information may increase its influence on purchase decision. Keywords: packaging, bottled water, purchase decisio

Environmental and economic accounting for biomass energy in Ethiopia

Energy consumption is inextricably linked with the economy and the environment. The interlinkages are particularly important in low-income countries such as Ethiopia where biomass fuels account for more than 85% of the total energy consumed. This paper aims to assess the energy and economic values, and environmental emissions of solid biomass fuels in Ethiopia. The study considered four common solid biomass fuels (firewood, charcoal, crop residues, and cattle dung) in Ethiopia. The amount of biomass fuels during the Ethiopian fiscal year 2015/2016 was compiled from various data sources. Prices, net calorific values, and emission factors per mass of fuels were then used to calculate the economic, energy, and emission values of the solid biomass fuels. The study showed that, in 2015/2016, the consumption of the four solid biomass fuels contributed between 33,327 and 44,547 ktoe to the total energy consumption with an estimated economic value of 4.4–7.7% of the GDP at current market prices. The stationary combustion of the biomass fuels could result in 165–219 Mt of CO2eq emissions, whereas the fuelwood consumption could potentially impinge on the size or quality of 730 thousand ha of forest, woodlands, and shrublands. The results suggest that the country should scale-up its policy measures aimed at increasing households’ access to modern energy sources and energy-efficient cooking stoves while at the same time strengthening its afforestation and reforestation activitie

Removal of Arsenic from Paint Industries Wastewater by Chemically Modified Low Cost Adsorbent Derived from Sugar Cane Bagasse

Arsenic is one of the most toxic heavy metals to the environment which cause community health problem due to its high toxic nature. Several physiochemical techniques, such as adsorption, ion exchange, lime softening, reverse osmosis, coagulation and precipitation are used for arsenic removal but in this study, adsorption was used because of its simplicity to use and availability of a wide range of adsorbents. Adsorption is the process which is used for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater. Although there are Various adsorbents methods used to remove different type of heavy metal ions for study, iron impregnated activated carbon which was derived from sugarcane bagasse, was investigated as potential adsorbent for the removal of arsenic from aqueous solution. The synthetic wastewater was prepared in the laboratory to conduct the experiments. Batch experiments were conducted to obtain the optimum conditions for arsenic adsorption. Effect of experimental parameter such as pH, adsorbent dose, and initial arsenic ion concentration was determined at constant contact time of 30min and atmospheric temperature. The optimum conditions obtained were, pH 7, 1mg adsorbent dose and initial concentration of 20mg/L. Adsorption behavior could be described using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Adsorption data was well fitted in Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption efficiency was found to be 96.5% at optimum experimental parameters of pH 7, adsorbent dose of 1g and initial arsenic concentration of 20mg/L. Keywords: Chemical activation, Carbonization, Impregnation, Activated Carbon, Adsorption, Settling, Filtration, Arsenic Removal DOI: 10.7176/CER/12-10-03 Publication date:October 31st 2020