Background: Animal production is an important tool for improving the living standard of humans and is the backbone of Ethiopia's agricultural development. The country is known for its high livestock potential, but it is not well exploited due to various hindering factors.Objectives: The objective of the study is to assess the key issues related to animal health and production.Methods: The evaluation was carried out in three purposively selected districts of East Wollega zone, namely Gidda Ayana, Sibu Sire and Jimma Arjo by using well‐designed and structured questionnaire surveys.Result: During the study period, 200, 145 and 165 respondents were sampled from the animal owners in the districts of Gidda Ayana, Sibu Sire and Jimma Arjo, respectively. Of these, about 97.89%, 95.68% and 94.9% practice extensive management in Gidda Ayana, Jimma Arjo and Sibu Sire, respectively. The majority of respondents in Gidda Ayana (98.1%), Jimma Arjo (97.21%) and Sibu Sire (98.9%) use natural pastures. For cattle breeding, uncontrolled natural mating is used in Gidda Ayana (90.79%), Jimma Arjo (86.3%) and Sibu Sire (95.69%). The major constraints of animal health and production were also assessed. Accordingly, a lack of access to adequate animal production and health expert in Gidda Ayana (27.33%), Jimma Arjo (29.36%) and Sibu Sire (31.59%) was recorded, whereas the lack of sustainable and structured modern livestock market was observed in Gidda Ayana (25.94%), Jimma Arjo (21.31%) and Sibu Sire (19.80%).Conclusion and recommendations: Livestock need improved animal health, management systems and breeding methods. The study revealed key issues related to animal health and production, such as poor management systems and breeding methods, limited coverage of veterinary services and a modern livestock market. Thus, it is indispensable to increase the coverage of veterinary services, animal extension services and alternative sources of animal feed.

A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2014 to April 2015 to determine the prevalence of bovine mastitis, isolation of mastitis causing bacteria’s and characterize antimicrobial susceptibility pattern at Holeta Agricultural Research Centre (HARC) Dairy Farms. Purposive sampling technique was employed and all lactating cows were involved in the study. Among 186 lactating cows consists of 92 Jersey as well as 94 cross breed (Boran X Holistein Fresian) were included in the study. Among selected cows, 131 (70.43%) cows were identified as bovine mastitis positive and out of which 10 (5.37%) had clinical mastitis and 121 (65.05%) had subclinical mastitis. The different types of bacterial species isolated in present study includes S. aureus (30.93%), staphylococcus other than S. aureus (14.43%), Str. agalactiae (5.15%), Str. Dysgalactiae (5.15%), Str. Uberis (12.37%), C. bovis (13.40%), E. coli (6.18%), P. aerogenosa (10.3%) and K. pneumonie (2.05%). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that 94% and 78.6% of total isolates were susceptible to gentamycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, respectively which was followed by erythromycin and tetracycline with susceptibility rate of 73.8% and 69%, respectively. However, penicillin had shown susceptibility of 55.9% which was the least effective among the drugs used. In conclusion, different types of mastitis causing pathogens with variable rate of susceptibility to antimicrobials were able to identify. Therefore, antimicrobial therapy should be used after isolation of the suspected pathogen to avoid emergence of drug resistance.

Purpose: Mange mite is one of the skin diseases of cattle that can cause huge economic loss through a decrease in production. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with the objective of determining the prevalence and identification of species of mange mites that affect cattle in and around Nekemte town. The study methods involved were clinical and laboratory examinations of skin scraping samples from the animals. Results: From 384 examined animals, 86 (22.40%) were found to be infected with mange mites. The most commonly encountered mange mite genus was Sarcoptes (15.10%), Demodex (5.47%) and Psoroptes (1.82%). The higher prevalence was observed in young animals, 49 (22.69%), compared to adult animals, 37 (22.02), but statistically insignificant variations were observed. Also a non-significant variation was found between sexes (P ≤ 0.067), even though it was higher in female, 72 (23.00%) than male, 14 (19.72%), but a statistically significant variation was observed among body condition score (P ≤ 0.024), with the highest prevalence being in poor body condition score, 31 (57.41%). A statistically significant variation was detected among the body part infestation (P ≤ 0.024). The most frequent sites of mange mite infestation were the shoulder, neck, face, ears, tail and legs, respectively. Conclusion: The study indicated that there was high prevalence of mange mite infestation in cattle in the study area that needs appropriate and strategic control measures by employing additional research for species identification and improving the standards of animal husbandry.

Ticks are important parasite of cattle that cause huge economic loss at private and national level. Therefore, the cross sectional study was conducted from October 2016 to June 2017 in Lalo Assabi district of West Wollega Zone . The aims of the stud y were to determine the prevalence of tick infestation and to identify their predilection site, possible risk factors and distribution in the rural and urban area of Lalo Assabi districts. Peasant Associations (PAs), sex, age, body conditions of animals an d ticks genera were major factors involved in the study. A systematic random sampling study design was followed to collect samples. From the total of 384 cattle, 265 ( 69%) cattle were found to be infested with tick. Out of five peasant associations examined, highest prevalence (80.4%) was recorded at Barko Daleti Peasant Associations. Highest prevalence ( 82% ) was observed in male than in female animals (59%). Relatively highest prevalence was recorded in adult animals (70.7%) as compared with young a nd old age animals. Amblyomma, Boophilus and Rhipicephalus were tick genera with infestation rate of 30.7 %, 23.2% and 15.1%, respectively. Animals with good body condition were relatively affected (74.1%). Different tick genera have different predilection sites. Amblyomma had strong preference for udder or scrotum (19.3%), Boophilus was highly prevalent on Udder or Scrotum and Genus Rhipicephalus was highly found attached to Dewlap (21.1%) . However, there was no significant variation on the prevalence of ti ck infestations (P>0.05). The study revealed that ticks are the most important ectoparasites and cause economic losses in the area. A nimal’s husbandry and management improvement is warranted to reduce the rate of tick’s infestation.

Sciences is an interdisciplinary journal which focuses on all types of sciences and provides a great opportunity to researchers to spread their innovative research all over the world. This journal includes primary care physicians, medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists, nurses, other health care and public health professionals

Artificial insemination (AI) is a technique in which semen is artificially collected from a selected male animal, processed, stored and artificially introduced into the selected female reproductive tract for genetic improvement. The study was conducted from December 2022 to November 2023 to determine the efficiency, opportunities and challenges of AI in the West Wallaga Zone in Oromia, Ethiopia. The zone is located 441 km away from Addis Ababa. It is located at 9°10′N–9°17′N latitude and 35°44′E–36°09′E longitude. The three selected districts were Gimbi, Nadjo and Ayira and six representative kebeles from each district (Lalisa Yesus, Chuta Gochi), (Eba waqayo, Humna waqayo) and (Wayu kolli, Jarso Abayani), respectively. Purposive sampling methods were used to select the study area districts, kebeles and households based on the number of livestock population, the potential of AI implementation, accessibility and households who have one or more artificially inseminated dairy cows. Methods of data collection are questionnaire surveys, field monitoring, focal group discussions and retrospective data from the record book of each kebele and district office of agriculture from 2019 to 2023, which were used for the study. Both primary and secondary sources of information were used to obtain the data. In the three representative districts, the total target population ( N = 900) of households’ owners of artificially inseminated cows was determined using the Yamane formula ( n = 277). The sample size of the households of owners of artificially inseminated cows for each of the three selected districts was 92, and the households of owners of artificially inseminated cows for each kebele were surveyed 46. The collected data were statistically analysed using the Statistics Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (version 25). The efficiency/conception and calving rate in 2019–2023 from the total 2565 inseminated cows were 1285 (50%) and 1254 (97%), respectively. The overall average level of education was 53.8% (elementary school). The top opportunities and challenges were farmer interest and heat detection, respectively. Therefore, there should be an extension on AI, the AI technicians should be trained to improve their skills and increase the efficiency of AI, and the owners of dairy cows should be trained on heat detection.