Abstract:
The study was conducted from November2018to March 2019 in Wondo Genet district of Sidama zone SNNP region Ethiopia, with the objective to assess cattle breeding practices of the communities and evaluate AI after synchronization. The study was conducted using survey and estrus synchronization. The 60 households were participated in the interview. 120 cows and heifers were injected single dose of prostaglandin. All the respondents (100%) have both local and cross breed cows. Milk production, source of income, manure and social values were the major reasons of respondents keeping cattle’s in the study areas. Natural pasture and crop residues were the major feed sources and river and ponds were the major water source for dairy cattle in the study area. The average daily milk yield was 1.39±0.15 and 6.02±0.93 litters for local and cross breed cow respectively. The average lactation lengths for local and cross breed dairy cow were 7.2±0.10 and 8.01 ±0.12 months respectively. The average ages at first services for local and cross breed dairy cow were 39±0.35 and 29 ±0.27months respectively. Natural mating, AI service, combination of natural mating and AI service and hormonal based estrus synchronization were the common mating methods in the study area. About 66.7% of the respondents in the study area have AI service regularly. According to survey results only 26.7% respondents were satisfied with hormonal estrus synchronization and the rest were not. Among 120 synchronized animals 89(53local and 36crossbred) was responded to hormonePGF2α. As a result 80% estrus response was obtained. All cows and heifers responded was inseminated and at day 60pos insemination; pregnancy diagnosis made by trans-rectal palpation and the overall CR of 63% was obtained. All factors concerned like; breed, age, parity of cow/heifer, breed of bull and skills of AI technicians and time of insemination Have no (P<0.001) deferent effect on CR. However crossbred (67%) ,animal parity 3(72.2%7)animal with age3-6 years(63.1%),with inseminated time 11-18hrs(80.8) and animal inseminated with AIT 1(57%) has high CR. It was concluded that the effectiveness of PGF2α used to synchronize estrus in dairy cows/heifers was good and the overall conception rate (63%) was better which is greater than the national level conception rates (7.14 to 40.23) to first inseminations. The artificial insemination technicians should improve their skill through experience and additional training to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
