Assessment on problems associated with artificial insemination service in dairy cattle in Tullo district, West Hararghe, Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross sectional study was conducted from November 2015 to May 2016 with the objective of assessing the problems associated with artificial insemination service in dairy cattle in five selected peasant associations of Tullo district, west Hararghe, Ethiopia. A structured questionnaire was used for 389 dairy cattle owners, 3 artificial insemination technicians and 8 animal health professionals. The result of the study showed that 219 (56.3%) of the dairy farmers get artificial insemination services regularly and without interruption while 170 (43.7%) do not use this service regularly due to shortage of artificial insemination technicians (18.2%), discontinuation of service on weekends and holidays (51.2%) and shortage of inputs (30.6.0%). Conception failure (34.9%) was identified by dairy cattle owners as a major problem of AI followed by death of embryo or dystocia (28%). About 71.1% of the owners wait for the next oestrus as they are unable to get AI service during heat period while 28.9% use natural mating if they do not get the service. The questionnaire survey indicated that artificial insemination service faces several constraints and needs improvement for increasing the productivity of dairy cattle in term of genetic improvement in the study area.

Keywords: Artificial insemination; Cross breed; Cross sectional; Dairy cattle; Tullo