Abstract:
The study was carried out in three districts of East Hararghe zone, Oromia Regional
State, Ethiopia, from August2022 throughApril 2023, with the objectives of phenotypically
characterizing and to assess breeding and husbandry practices of the communities in the
study areas (Fadis, Gursum and Goro districts). Field observations, semi-structured
questionnaires, focus groups, interviews with key informants, linear body measurements of
sample indigenous cattle, and secondary data gathering from various sources were used
to acquire the data. Using non-parametric methods interviews were conducted with a total
of 168 households (56 from each district), and 345matured cattle were sampled for
morphological description and linear body measurements. The average number of cattle
per family was 5.91±0.35, and there were highly significant differences (p< 0.0001)
between districts. Female Harar cattle on average had71.5% white-gray, 8.9% white,
14.6%red and 1.2% white and red coat colors, whereas, in the sampled population of
male cattle, white-gray 72.7% , type followed by red (12.1%), white (9.1%), and white and
red 1.7%. In coat color pattern, the plain was 85.8% and 90.2% male and female and the
remaining patterned were 4.2% and 2.2% shade; 7.0% and 3.0% spotted female and male
respectively.Female cattle linear body measurement on major linear body measure
variables wasBody length (115.7±0.93), Heart girth (150.5±0.76), Height at rump
(116.6±0.82), Height at withers (107±0.51), whereas in male cattle population alinear
measurement of 120.8±1.47BL, 153.5±1.21HG, 118.7±1.31HR, 109±0.81cm HW,
respectively. These measures had a moderate correlation onr=0.55, 0.75, 0.71, 0.59, 0.70),
0.64, 0.67, 0.60 on female cattle, whereas, r=0.68, 0.67 and 0.66 respectively on male
cattle and matured female and male cattle were weighed 265.27Kg and 268.24Kg
respectively. In all districts, natural and uncontrolled was the primary breeding method.
The primary issues on which an intervention required for the cattle farmers in the study
areaswere lack of good pasture, a feed and water deficit, Disease and parasite problems
