Abstract:
Beef cattle fattening is a common practice in Ethiopia and special attention was given by the
government to boost red meat supply through cattle fattening.
The present study was conducted to investigate the practices, and challenges of cattle fattening
in three urban areas of Gondar city (Ayra demaza and Tseda) based on purposive sampling
technique. Complete enumeration technique was used to select individual cattle fatteners. A total
of 88 cattle fatteners were included and interviewed using structured questionnaire, group
discussion and key informant interviews were carried out to support the survey data in addition
to direct observation. The objectives of this review were to generate available information on
recent cattle fattening practices, and challenges in Gondar city. The result indicated that feed
shortage, feed price increment, lack of initial capital, limited access to credit, disease and
absence of veterinary service and shortage of clean water as the major constraints of cattle
fattening in Gondar city respectively based on their degree of severity. Majority of the fatteners
were male 83.8%, female participation is low. The major water source was river water86.3%
which is inadequate and unclean, no practices of rational formulation of feed only by product
based. The fatteners use local breed cattle and their finished cattle are mainly provided for local
market, rarely send to Addis Ababa. Confined grazing with simple fence 10m by20m wide were
used, with poor access to veterinary service. In general, the fattener’s cattle production capacity
and sustainability were limited mainly because of knowledge gap, lack of awareness due to
absence of training and extension services. So this system must provide the behavioral and
adaptability of the farmers change through teaching and seeing new technology from the
neighbor areas. Governmental organizations should be work on constraints (based on beef cattle
production practices and major constraints) like improved feed resource, initial capital and
credit service cattle health care management, clean water provision, adequate veterinary
service, planting of feed processing factories and improved housing system for beef cattle.
