Study on utilization and management of draft oxen in Mid Rift Valley of Ethiopia
2004
Tesfaye Lemma | Shiferaw Garoma | Esayas Asefa | Mieso Guru | Birhanu Shilema | Taha Mume | Nega Tola
The survey was conducted to know the utilization and management of draft oxen in mid rift valley of Ethiopia. Five districts (Arsi Negelle, Siraro, Adami Tulu, Lume and Fentale) were categorized according to their Agro Ecological zone (AEZ). Totally 300 farmers in mid rift valley of Ethiopia were interviewed on the management and utilization of draft oxen. In data collection, 207 questions were included in the questionnaire. Total number of oxen owned by a farmer in the mid rift valley of Ethiopia was (2.77). Number of oxen owned by a farmer was positively correlated with the land owned. Total number of oxen and hectare of land owned for grazing was decreasing through time. The ratios of oxen to grazing area were 5.08, 4.51 and 4.18 in the last 5 years, 2 years and at present, respectively. Similar trends were observed for number of oxen and land owned for cultivation from 5 years back to present. Different traditional housing (sheltering) systems were used for oxen in the area. 97.9% of the oxen in the area were housed in separate house from family house where as 2.1% housed in partition from family house. The reasons for sheltering are for comfort (61.3%), avoiding predators (33.2%), theft (4.0%) and others (1.5%). Farmers tether their animals during night (91.4%), day (8.1%) and night and day (0.5%). The reasons for tethering oxen are for proper feeding/fattening (66.7%) and to avoid crop damage in the field (33.3%). Oxen are the only animals used for draft purpose with traditional implement ('maresha') in the area. Even though farmers give priority and better management to draft oxen, still it is not enough to get better out put from these animals. Therefore, there is need of intervention in the areas of oxen management, implements and utilization of other species for ploughing and training of farmers to increase out put expected from draft oxen.
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