PRODUCTION AND MARKETING SYSTEMS OF GOATS IN HAMER WOREDA,  SOUTH OMO ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA
Creators: name: GEBEYEHU DERIB GETAHUN
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2017

description: This study was conducted in Hamer woreda with the objective of assessing production and 
marketing systems of goats. A multistage sampling   procedure was employed to select study 
kebeles and households. A total of 149  households  were  included in the present study.   
Household survey, rapid market assessment, focus group discussion and observations were 
used to collect data. Most (98%) of the households were male headed and majority (91.2%) 
of the households couldn‘t read and write. The average family size was 7.03 and significant 
difference (P&lt;0.05) was observed in family size among the three farming system (in pastoral, 
agro-pastoral and crop-livestock). The flock size and structure per household were 
significantly  (P&lt;0.001)  different across the three livestock  farming  system.  There was  no 
hired labor involved in goat management practices in the study area. Natural  grazing land 
was the only feed source in the study area. Households in the study areas kept their goats at 
night in wooden enclosure without wall and roof.  CCPP was the main goat disease that 
ranked first. The number of breeding bucks was significantly higher (P&lt;0.001) in pastoral 
areas compared to agro-pastoral and crop-livestock producers.  The overall average weaning 
age, the overall average  age of first mating of female goats , the overall average  age of first 
kidding  and  the overall  average kidding interval  was 3.59, 6.9, 11.99, and 7.77  months, 
respectively.  The overall  average  litter size was 1.09.  The average  kidding interval was 
significantly lower (P&lt;0.001) in crop-livestock farming system compared to pastoral and 
agro-pastoral farming systems.  There was no significance (P&gt;0.05) difference among the 
three farming systems on the average age of first kidding and litter size. The overall average 
milk yield was 0.20 litters. Significantly (P&lt;0.001) lower milk yield was observed in pastoral 
livestock farming  system.  There were three primary market centers in pastoral and  agro-
pastoral areas whereas  no market center in crop-livestock farming. Agro-pastoral and  pastoral producers were the only suppliers  of goats to the primary market centers.  Seven 
market channels were identified starting from village marketing points to central processors. 
There was high significant (P&lt;0.001) difference between wet and dry seasons on supply and 
price of goats. Festivity had a significant (P&lt;0.001) effect on supply and price of goats. Price 
seasonality and Cultural issues were  the main constraint of goat marketing in agro-pastoral 
and pastoral  areas, respectively.  Whereas lack of market center was the main market 
constraint in crop-livestock system. Increased demand for goats at the market center was the 
main opportunity which was ranked first by households in pastoral and agro-pastoral farming 
systems whereas availability of feed and water resources were ranked first by households in 
crop-livestock. Drought was the main constraint of goat production in pastoral and agro-
pastoral areas whereas disease was the main constraint in crop-livestock farming. In general 
the  husbandry practices,  productivity  of goats and marketing system were poor. Thus, an 
intervention has to be done so as to improve the productivity and marketing system of goats in the study area.