Mastitis is the most common disease of adult dairy cattle. The disease continues to be one of the most perplexing and costly diseases of dairy cattle. The present study was conducted to detect bovine mastitis cows and identify potential risk factors for the distribution of bovine mastitis of smallholder dairy farmers using the California mastitis test. A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2013 to May 2015 in the southern zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia, on 146 head of randomly selected cattle, of which 99 (67.8%) were crossed zebu and 47 (32.2%) pure local zebu using the California mastitis test and questionnaire. The overall prevalence was 65 (45.5%), of which 72.3% of crossed local and 27.69% of local zebu were found positive for the CMT test. The investigated risk factors were the season of lactation (OR = 0.510, CI = 0.208–1.247, P = 0.140 ), washing hands between consecutive milking events (OR = 0.354, CI = 0.146–0.856, P = 0.021 ), and history of previous mastitis (OR = 0.441, CI = 0.226–0.858, P = 0.016 ), which had significant ( P < 0.05 ) effect on the present prevalence of bovine mastitis in the study area. A high prevalence of bovine mastitis was observed in the southern zone of Tigray. The summer season of lactation and not washing hands between consecutive milking of cows were significant mastitis causation risk factors in addition to the history of previous mastitis disease history.

Background Abortion is among the leading cause of production losses in Tigray. A retrospective study on abortion cases were conducted for over seven years in goat farm located in Tanqua Abergelle district of Ethiopia with the objectives of investigating the occurrence of abortion and associated risk factors. Results The study illustrated that the overall abortion rate observed was 29.8% in the goat farm. The highest abortion rate was observed in Begait goat breeds (50.9%, CI 0.36–0.64) during the 2015/16 study year. The chi-square test and univariable regression analysis revealed that the overall abortion rate significantly varied with breed type, season, age, and year (P < 0.05) but no variation with parity (P > 0.05). Accordingly, goats during the dry season (OR 1.74, CI 1.28–2.37) were more likely to have abortion than during the wet season (OR 0.29, CI 0.23–0.37) and Begait breeds (rate. 37.5%, OR 3.5, CI 1.85–7.23) show higher abortion as compared to the other breeds. Looking at the within breeds (animal level), the factors parity, age, years and season (p < 0.05) were among the important factors in Abergelle breeds, season and study years (P < 0.05) were significantly differed in Begait breeds, and none of the factors were important in cross breeds for the occurrence of abortion. A survey at the community level (outside the farm) revealed that 26 out of 29 (89.7%) households responded that their goats experienced abortion. Conclusions The results showed that high abortion rate and seasonally and/or yearly varied abortion cases were observed along with causative agents remained to be investigated. This research finding could provide essential information for the breeding research center and nearby farmers to introduce better management, and abortion prevention methods. In addition, appropriate investigation to identify the causes of abortion should be the next research direction.

Demonstration of Koekoek breed was conducted at Raya-Azebo and Enda-Mehoni Woredas with 10 poor households with the objective of increasing the productivity of poultry thereby improving livelihood of the resource poor farmers in Ethiopia. Koekoek breed had significantly (P<0.05) superior on number of eggs laid per clutch (26 egg/clutch) as compared to local breed (15 egg/clutch). Beside this, the Koekoek breed is also superior in both sexes (male 2.6 kg and female 1.9 kg) on yearly body weights as compared to local breed. Koekoeks breed had significant (P<0.05) mean scored of 6 over local breed on production and reproduction performance. The farmers perceived that Koekoek breed had superior traits on body weight, number of eggs laid per month, egg size, vent size and marketability weight of egg. However, local breed was as superior as Koekoek breed on tail height, body color, leg length and color. The breed is now playing a great role as source of cash income to the beneficiary households and covers various expenses such as educational expense, saving, routine daily life expense, house equipments, electronic device sheep and feeds. Also, the breed is being disseminated to large number of farmers through the farmer to farmer dissemination approach. Beneficiary farmers are selling eggs to their neighbors and the male Koekoeks are playing roles as community based breed improvement. Hence, efforts should be made by the extension and other actors to further scale out the breeds.