Goat breeding practice and production constraints in Boset and Minjar Shenkora districts of Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted on a total of 144 randomly selected households of goat keepers from Boset district of Oromia region and Minjar Shenkora district of Amhara region. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect both qualitative data, and the data were organized and analyzed by using SPSS, version 23. The main purposes of keeping goats in the study area were mainly for cash income and meat production with an index of 0.37 and 0.23 in Boset and 0.44 and 0.23 in Minjar Shenkora district respectively. The fast growth rate, body size, and coat color of the animal were ranked as major selection criteria for breeding buck across the study area. Body condition score was considered as the first reason to cull breeding male (0.35) and female (0.31) in Boset district. Whereas, poor fertility and growth stand first as culling criteria for breeding females and males in Minjar Shenkora with an index of 0.37 and 0.32 respectively. Predator (with an index of 0.32) and shortage of grazing lands with an index of 0.28) were the major constraints of goat production in Boset and Minjar Shenkora districts. Therefore, any conservation and improvement program strategy that is intended to be implemented in the study area should consider the practical variation of the existed system, and the interest of the farmer