In phenotypic characterization of animal genetic resources, structural indices are essential components to understand the breed structure and body proportions. They are the ethnological characteristics as well as functional traits of animals providing information about the type, aptitude, and production purpose of animals. This study intends to provide information on the structural indices of indigenous goats reared under the smallholder management systems in selected districts of East Gojjam Zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia. Data on body weight and nine morphometric measurements were collected from 706 goats (589 does and 117 bucks) selected using their dentition (≥ One Pair of Permanent Incisor), physiological status (lactating females and intact males), and health condition (healthy). Nineteen structural indices were calculated from morphometric measurements and analyzed using the general linear model (GLM) procedure of the statistical analysis system (SAS, 9.0). Data were analyzed for does and bucks separately. Location had a significant (p < 0.05) influence on pelvic index, transversal and longitudinal pelvic indices, dactyl thoracic index, and relative cannon thickness index of bucks. Except for height slope, pelvic index, baron and crevat, body ratio, areal index, over increase index, weight-1, and weight-2, all other structural indices calculated for does were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by location. Strong correlations were observed between the structural indices calculated from the linear body measurements. The study revealed that goats in the study area are longilinear and light animals that have dairy biotype. However, further studies are needed to classify the goat types for their production purposes.

Background: Undernutrition among adolescents is a major public health problem in developing nations including Ethiopia. Adolescents need to have good-quantity and good-quality nutrients to cope with this rapid growth and other health risks which increase nutritional demand. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of stunting and thinness among school adolescents in Finote Selam Town, Northwest Ethiopia.Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study among adolescent students aged 10–19 in public schools was carried out in Finote Selam Town from February 5 to March 27, 2018. A total of 397 school adolescents were included in this study. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were employed to select study subjects. Pretested structured questionnaires were used to collect the data. Data were entered using Epi info version 7 and analyzed using SPSS version 20 and WHO AnthroPlus software. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with stunting and thinness. Crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% level significance were used to measure the strength of association, and statistical significance was declared at aPvalue less than 0.05.Results: The prevalence of stunting and thinness among school adolescents was 21.8% and 16.9%, respectively. About 9.7% of school adolescents experienced both stunting and thinness. Being male (P = 0.031), coming from rural area (P = 0.046), having a family monthly income of less than $28.37 (P = 0.044) and having less than four dietary diversity (P = 0.021) were significantly associated with stunting. Early adolescent stage (P = 0.034), being male adolescent students (P = 0.37), having a family monthly income of less than $28.37 (P = 0.016), having a family monthly income between $28.37 and $56.74 (P = 0.021) (35.25 Birr = 1 USD) and using well water (P = 0.045) were significantly associated with thinness.Conclusion: Undernutrition was a predominant problem in the study area. Sex, age, place of residence, dietary diversity, sources of drinking water and family monthly income were important factors associated with stunting and thinness among the respondents. Strategies to improve the nutritional status of adolescent students should be given much attention.

More than one-third of deaths during the first 5 years of life are attributed to undernutrition, which are mostly preventable through economic development and public health measures. The present study aimed to explore the potential risk factors of undernutrition among children under 5 years of age in Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Data from the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) were used. A total of 974 children under 5 years of age were involved. A multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was used at a 5 % level of significance to determine the individual- and community-level factors associated with childhood undernutrition. The prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight was 46⋅3, 9⋅8 and 28⋅4 %, respectively. About 23⋅1 % of children were both stunting and underweight, 7⋅3 % were both underweight and wasting and 4⋅5 % of children had all three conditions. Among the factors considered in the present study, the age of a child in months, birth weight, mother educational level, sex of household head, sources of drinking water and the type of toilet facility were significantly associated with undernutrition in the Amhara Region. Undernutrition among under-five children was one of the public health problems in the Amhara Region. The potential risk factors should be considered to develop strategies for reducing undernutrition in the Amhara Region. Finally, improving the living standards of the children is important to get better health care, to enhance the child's nutritional status and to reduce child mortality.

Childhood under-nutrition is far-reaching in low and middle-income nations. Undernutrition is one of the major open wellbeing concerns among newborn children and youthful children in Ethiopia. The present study aimed to explore the potential risk factors of undernutrition among children under 5 years of age in Somali Region, Ethiopia. The data for this study was extricated from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) 2016. The data collected from 1339 children born 5 years before was considered within the analysis. A multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was utilized at a 5% level of significance to decide the individual and community-level variables related to childhood malnutrition. The prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting were 27.4, 28.7 and 22.7%, respectively. About 16.1% of children were both stunted and underweight; the extent of both being underweight and wasted was 11.7%, the prevalence of both stunted and wasted children was 5.5%, and all three malnutrition conditions were 4.7% children. Among the variables considered in this study, age of the child in months, type of birth, anemia level, size of child at birth, sex of the child, mothers’ BMI and sources of drinking water were significantly related to stunting, underweight and wasting in Somali Region. The prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting was relatively high. Undernutrition is one of the major open wellbeing concerns among children in Somali region. The impact of these variables ought to be considered to develop strategies for decreasing the lack of healthy sustenance due to undernutrition in the study areas. Hence, intercession should be centered on making strides for the under-nutrition determinant variables of the children to be solid, to improve the child’s wholesome status, and decrease child mortality quickly.

Even if adolescence is a window of opportunity to break the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition, adolescents are the neglected age groups. Hence, information regarding the nutritional status of adolescents is lacking, making creating and implementing intervention programs difficult. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and determinants of thinness among school adolescents in Finote Selam Town, Northwest Ethiopia. A school-based cross-sectional study among adolescent students aged 10–19 in public primary and secondary schools was carried out in Finote Selam Town from February 05 to March 27, 2018. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were employed to select study subjects. A total of 397 adolescent students were included in the study. Pretested structured questionnaires were used to collect the data. Data were entered using Epi Info version 7 and analyzed using SPSS version 20 and WHO AnthroPlus software. A multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with thinness. Crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% level significance were used to measure the strength of association, and statistical significance was declared atpvalue less than 0.05. The prevalence of thinness among adolescents was 14.9%. Early adolescent stage (AOR = 4.81; 95% CI : 1.23, 18.51), being male adolescent students (AOR = 2.33; 95% CI : 1.60, 3.40), having less than 1000 birr family monthly income (AOR = 6.54; 95% CI : 3 : 82, 14.89), having 1000–2000 birr family monthly income (AOR = 3.47; 95% CI : 1.15, 7.45), and using well water (AOR = 3.82; 95% CI : 1.46, 10.04) were significantly associated with thinness at 95% confidence interval. The study revealed that prevalence of thinness was high in the study area. Sex, place of residence, and family monthly income were found to be important factors associated with thinness among the respondents.

Understanding the management and breeding practices of indigenous livestock species kept under the traditional management system is very important to design and implement appropriate breeding and management interventions. This study described the goat management and breeding practices in East Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. A semi-structured questionnaire was prepared and administered to 202 randomly selected respondents and group discussions were held to triangulate the information. Qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed using the descriptive, and GLM procedures, respectively. In the area, crop-livestock farming was common (100%). The overall average goat flock size was 11.52 ± 9.09. The matured male-to-female goat ratio was 1:3.6. Goats were mainly raised for income (Index = 0.436). Hillside browsing was the first rated feed source in wet (I = 0.390) and dry (I = 0.394) seasons. Rivers were the major water sources in the dry (93.1%) and wet (92.1%) seasons. Most (98.5%) of the respondents reported that they practice buck castration. Most farmers reported the selection of breeding does (98.5%) and bucks (99%). Farmers rated body size as the first selection criteria to select breeding does (Index = 0.341) and bucks (Index = 0.344). About 84.7% of the respondents had their breeding buck(s). However, a natural uncontrolled mating system (86.6%) was common. The overall mean age at first mating of male and female goats were 7.01 ± 1.55 and 6.69 ± 1.64 months, respectively. The overall mean age at first kidding, kidding interval, litter size at birth, and productive life of does were 13.02 ± 2.18 months, 6.47 ± 0.69 months, 2.15 ± 0.38 kids, and 6.93 ± 2.38 years, respectively. The uncontrolled breeding management and low male-to-female ratio in the flock would lead to inbreeding. Thus, designing and implementing an appropriate goat breeding strategy is worthwhile.