INTRODUCTION
Ethiopia
is naturally endowed with appropriate climatic conditions, various
agro-ecological zones, and a home for many livestock species, making it ideal
for livestock production (Belay, 2017). Ethiopia has the highest animal
population in Africa, with 60,392,019 cattle, 31,302,257 sheep, 32,738,385
goats, and 60,042,295 fowl (CSA, 2018). Ethiopia currently recognizes about 28
local cow breeds (Abraham and Abebe, 2018). However,
their productive and reproductive output is very poor, and the sector has
stayed undeveloped and its potential has not been utilized efficiently and
effectively (Nitsuh, 2018).
Accurate performance assessment and data
generation could provide useful evidence for creating a future national
breeding strategy (Abdinasir and Eskil,
2001). Some research has been conducted on the development rate of some
Ethiopian indigenous cattle breeds (Sendros et al.,
2003; Jiregna et al., 2004; Getinet
et al., 2009; Melaku et al., 2011; Elias, 2015; Assemu et al., 2016). Therefore, the purpose of this paper
is to review and summarize data on the growth performance of Ethiopia's local
cattle breed, which has been studied by various scholars in different parts of
the Ethiopia with an emphasis on early growth traits.
Growth
performance of local cattle breeds in Ethiopia
Growth
performance is a chosen parameter for both beef and dairy herds. Growth
performance of dairy cattle includes birth weight, weaning weight, six months
weight, yearling weight and average daily weight gain. The growth performances
of local cattle breeds of Ethiopia reported by different scholars are presented
in Table 1.
Birth weight
Various scholars in
various parts of Ethiopia have examined and assessed the birth weight
performance of some indigenous cattle breeds (on-farm and on-station). The
minimum birth weight performance for local breeds such as Horro
was 17.5±2.25 kg at Bako agricultural research center
and Horro Gudurru cattle
breeding and improvement ranch, Ogaden was 21.5±0.29
kg at Haramaya University, Fogera was 20.7±0.11 kg at Metekel
Cattle Breeding and Multiplication Ranch and Sheko
was 16.12±0.22 kg at Bench Maji Zone, south western
Ethiopia (Jiregna et al., 2004; Getinet
et al., 2009; Melaku et al., 2011; Elias, 2015),
respectively. According to various experts, the birth weight of the Fogera
breed varied from 20.7±0.111 to 23.68±0.21 kg (Addisu and Hegede, 2003; Addisu et al., 2010; Melaku et
al., 2011; Almaz et al., 2016; Assemu et al., 2016).
Boran breed birth weight results varied from 22.9 to 23.7 kg (Sendros et al., 2003; Amsalu,
2004; Aynalem et al., 2011).
Weaning weight
The weaning weight
performance of the Horro breed in Bako
Agricultural Research Center was 39.8±0.39 kg (Habtamu et al., 2012), which was lower
than the other Ethiopian local breeds such as Boran
and Barka at research center farm under station
management system, which were 95.2±1.3 kg and 92 kg, respectively. (Sendros et al., 2003). Under various production systems,
indigenous cattle weaning weight performance was different. The difference in
findings may be explained by differences in location and management methods.
Six months weight
According to a study
performed at the Horro Gudurru
Cattle Breeding and Improvement Center and the Bako
Agricultural Research Center, the performance of Horro
cattle at six months weight was 61.6±16.6 kg (Jiregna et al.,
2004). Similarly, the Boran breeds weighed 79±1.51 kg at HARC at the same age (Aynalem et
al., 2011).
Yearling weight
Different studies (Habtamu et al., 2012; Elias, 2015; Addisu
et al., 2010; Getinet et al., 2009) recorded the
yearling weight results of Ethiopian local breeds (Horro,
Sheko, Boran, Fogera, and Barka), as shown in
Table 1. Boran's efficiency was found to be 130.1,
129.3, and 111.2 kg by Sendros et al. (2003), Amsalu (2004), and Aynalem et al.
(2011), respectively.
Pre-weaning average daily body gain
Pre-weaning average daily
body gain (PrWADG) performance for local Ethiopian cattle ranged from 280 g/day
for Fogera at Metekel
cattle breeding and improvement ranch to 630 g/day for Begait
at medium input herd management on-station level (Almaz et al., 2016; Gebretnsae, 2018). According to Genet's (2019) estimate,
the PrWADG of Boran at Dida Tuyera Ranch was 440 g/day (Table 1).
SUMMARY AND
CONCLUSION
The information
presented in this review indicated that the performance of indigenous cattle
breeds of Ethiopia is variable. From all indigenous cattle breed of Ethiopia
Boran had better early growth performance whereas Horro
had the lowest performance. The performance of cattle is might be limited by several constraints that
include natural uncontrolled and unorganized breeding practice, high prevalence
of diseases, limited feed availability and lack of recording system. Improving management of feeding, housing system, disease
control, crossbreeding with exotic and seasonal breeding should be needed to
enhance growth performance of indigenous cattle.
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