Sisay T, Alemayehu K, Haile M. 2018. Handling and marketing of dairy products in and around Bahir Dar Milkshed Areas, Ethiopia. Trop Drylands 2: 48-58. This study was conducted to assess handling, processing and marketing of milk and milk products using 180 sample households in the formal survey with a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Market channels and chains of milk and milk products were described using market data from sample households, key informants and sale records. Overall, 45.6% of the sample households supplied milk for market with the highest in Bahir Dar City, followed by Tis Abay and lowest proportion was at Sebatamit rural kebele. Overall, the average amount of milk daily supplied to market was 6.6 liters/household and the figure at Bahir Dar City, Sebatamit and Tis Abay rural kebeles were 9.7, 5.6 and 2.33 liters, respectively. Daily milk delivered through cooperative and other sale outlets as farm gate, customers` gate on delivery system and farm shop. Season, location and interaction of these factors had highly significant (P ≤ 0.01) effect on volume of milk monthly collected at cooperatives. Different market channels, outlets, and agents identified for various dairy products; butter being with the longest channel, followed by marketing of milk and low-fat milk/ semi-skim milk to pass through about three channels. Milk supplied to market, generally constrained by feed shortage, lack of improved breed, unreliable milk market, unattractive price and producers` limited awareness. Dairy cooperatives generally, create milk market outlet and supplied various processed milk products to market; of which low-fat milk (semi-skim milk) is sold in its fresh state which might be used as a less expensive product. Hence, to the paramount role of the cooperatives in the area strengthening the linkage between producers and consumers, which in turn provide reliable milk market and benefit producers from market opportunity of dairying, the constraints limiting the supply of marketable milk need to be addressed.

The main objective of the study was to create a wider demand and assess the farmer's perception on ox fattening technique by using locally available rice straw and concentrate supplementation. A total of 55 oxen with similar age and body condition were selected for the study from 44 volunteer participant farmers. Urea treated rice straw used as a basal diet and 3 kg concentrate as a supplement per ox per day were used as the experimental animals. The feeding experiment was done for 105 days including 15 days acclimatization period. The analytical result showed that the average weight of the fattened oxen changed from 313.4 to 407.2 kg. The partial budget analysis result also showed that ox fattening by using the above method of feeding and management was profitable with average net benefit of 1654 ETB. The sensitivity analysis result showed that if the price of output becomes constant and the price of the inputs rise by 20%, the fattening by using the above method has a positive return. Farmers report on the fattening technology during field day is very appreciable and they are willing to continue with the same method of fattening. Based on the result, fattening sector generates an alternative income for small holder farmer's livelihood diversification.

In addition to livestock feed shortage, free grazing contributes more for soil erosion and land degradation. Zero grazing or stall feeding is one of the feeding systems that prevent the above problem. The main objective of the study was to assess farmers' perception on the disadvantages of free grazing and to assess farmers' perception on the advantages of zero grazing of livestock. The study was conducted in the selected Watersheds of West Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region. A total of 200 households were selected for interview by using systematic random sampling technique. Data analysis was done by using descriptive statistics of mean, mode, standard deviation and frequency. Inferential analysis of independent sample t-test and chi-squared tests were done to test mean and occurrence comparison among adopter and non-adopter farmers of zero grazing system. Likert scale was used to scale and quantify the level of farmer's perception. The research result revealed that there is a good understanding and perception on the disadvantages of free grazing and the advantages of zero grazing. There are also challenges of zero grazing implementation which were shortage of land for private grazing and feed production and shortage of animal power source for crop production. On the other hand the Watershed development created an opportunities for the production of improved feed at different niches, government focus on the cross breeding, experience of livestock sharing and availability of ground water. Adoption of zero grazing can be successful without any enforcement mechanism, by increasing training and awareness creation works on the zero grazing, increasing forage and water availability, improving local livestock breed and increasing farm mechanization for crop production should be planned and implemented.