PRODUCTION AND MARKETING SYSTEMS OF GOAT IN HAMER WOREDA, SOUTH OMO ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA
Creators: name: MSc THESIS
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  agropastoral  areas  whereas  no  market  center  in  crop-livestock  farming.  Agro-pastoral  and 
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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  agropastoral 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.