Cattle

• Dairy type cattle


  Raised for milk production
• Dairy type cattle


  • Excellent in converting feeds into high quality milk
• Dual-purpose cattle


  Raised for both meat and milk production
• Multi-purpose cattle


  • Have strong bones
• Dairying or dairy cattle production

  A branch of agriculture that encompasses the raising of dairy animals for the production of milk and milk products
• Milk


  The primary product of dairying
• Producing milk


  Cow must first have a calf
• Heifers


  Female calves of modern breeds that reach sexual maturity at the age of seven or eight months
• Mating heifers


  Usually done when they are 15 to 18 months old
• Age at first service


  The age at which heifers are usually mated
• Gestation period


  Typically lasts 265 to 300 days
• Heifers giving birth


  Tend to do so at the age of 2 to 2.5 years
• Good dairy farming practice

  • Production of safe and high quality milk from healthy animals
  • Different management practices such as breeding
• Domestic cattle of the world

  • Bos indicus
  • Bos taurus
• Ethiopian cattle breeds


  • Many local breeds that vary in size and colour
  • All indigenous cattle are multi-purpose (i.e., milk, meat and draft)
  • Around 27 recognized breeds of Ethiopian origin
  • Usually named after their place of origin
• Fogera cattle


  • Found in the northwestern part of Ethiopia around Fogera, Gondar
  • Common coat color is white with black spots or patches
  • Small sized breed
  • Can produce about 915 litre of milk per lactation
  • Butter fat content is 5.8%
• Barca/Begait cattle


  • Originated in the west part of Eritrea, but is abundant in Tigray and Gonder
  • Coat colour is variable, but two colours (pied) including black is common
  • Considered to be a good milk cattle
  • Milk yield is about 682 litres per lactation under extensive management conditions
  • Milk production is enhanced when managed intensively
• Arsi-bale cattle


  • Predominantly found in the highlands of the central region of Arsi and Bale
  • Coat colour is variable
  • Small body size
  • Compact body conformation
  • Selected Arsi cows produce up to 516 litres per lactation
  • Milk contains a high butter fat percentage (5.4 to 5.8 %)
• Horro cattle


  • Originated in the western part of Ethiopia, around Horro Guduru, Wollega
  • Dominant coat color is brown and sometimes slightly lighter on the flanks and between the hind legs
  • Medium sized animals
  • Mainly raised for meat and draft use
  • Selected Horro cows can produce up to 543 litre/lactation
• Good dairy farming practices

  • Feeding
  • Housing
  • Health care
  • Record keeping
• Cattle


  • Quiet temperament
• Major breeds of dairy cattle in the world

  • Holstein-Friesian
  • Ayrshire
  • Brown Swiss
  • Guernsey
  • Jersey
• All of these major dairy breeds are originated in Europe
• They are outstanding milk producers
• Most popular exotic cattle breeds in Ethiopia

  • Holstein
  • Jersey
• Holstein Friesian


  Well known for their higher milk yield
• Friesian teat size


  Often preferred by farmers for both hand and machine milking
• Jersey


  The most heat-tolerant of the exotic breeds and are good pasture animals in harsh environments
• Holstein Friesian (HF)


  • Originated in the Netherlands
  • Have a Black and White or Red and White color pattern
  • Friesians are large, angular animals
  • Require more feed than other dairy breeds
  • Outstanding milk producers
  • Produce more than 6600 litres of milk per lactation
  • Milk is low in terms of butterfat (average 3.6%) and protein (average 3.2%)
• Jersey


  • Originated in the Island of Jersey, in the United Kingdom
  • Small-sized breed, with light gray to a dark fawn coat color
  • Well-shaped udders, stronger udder attachments and ease of calving
  • Milk is the richest when it comes to butterfat (average 5%) and protein (3.8%)
  • They require less feed than HF breed
  • They are good foragers
• Breeds compared


  • Holstein Friesian
  • Jersey