Review on Dairy Production System, Constraints and Opportunities in Ethiopia

Abstract

The objective of this paper was aimed to compile dairy cattle production system, main constraints and existing opportunities in Ethiopia. Based on their location the main milk production systems are namely as rural milk production, peri-urban and urban milk productions. Ethiopia has potential for dairy cattle production mainly to the reason of suitable environment and high cattle number that contains 59.5 million cattle populations. Even though Ethiopia has large dairy cattle population and favorable climatic conditions, self-sufficiency in milk production is low. The main constraints that affect milk production capacity of dairy cattle in Ethiopia includes feed shortage in terms of quality and quantity, high feed cost, land shortage and space limitation for farming of improved forage, insufficient veterinary services, diseases, water shortage, lack of market information, absence of improved breed in most parts of the country, poor artificial insemination service, lack of milk processing facilities, poor milk production potentials of local dairy cows, poor management of animals, adulteration, waste disposal, lack of market-oriented production. So, to solve the above-mentioned problems, it is very important to introduce improved forage, increase AI utilization efficiency, and improve the current condition of veterinary services. The finding of different authors conducted in different parts of the country indicated that the existence of large population of milk cows and diverse dairy animal’s genetic resources, fast growing population, change in living standard and income growth of people, rabid urbanization, growing demand and indigenous knowledge in the preservation of milk and milk products, availability of trained manpower, existence of research institutions and technologies, existence of service providers such as veterinary health and artificial insemination centers, development of infrastructural sector like road access, water supply, communication activities were the key opportunities to dairy production. Generally, the review highlighted that even dairy sector constrained by many factors there are still ample opportunities for dairying. Therefore, coordinated activities must be done by respective bodies to minimize the identified constraints which hinder dairy development.