Table 1 Management practices and veterinary delivery services in ruminants, Western Zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia (2015–2016)
Management characteristics and practices | Agro ecology | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Lowland count (%) | Midland count (%) | Highland count (%) | |
Housing (cattle) | |||
 Open air at grazing areas | 24 (42.9) | – | 1 (2.6) |
 Open air around home stead | 20 (35.7) | 21 (80.8) | 29 (74.4) |
 Fenced | 11 (19.6) | 3 (11.5) | 7 (17.9) |
 Corrugated iron with stone wall | – | – | – |
 Thatched roof with mad wall | 1 (1.8) | 2 (7.7) | 2 (5.1) |
Housing (Shoats) | |||
 Open air at grazing areas | 6 (10.7) | – | – |
 Open air around home stead | 5 (8.9) | 2 (7.7) | 1 (2.6) |
 Fenced | 19 (33.9) | 14 (53.8) | 22 (56.4) |
 Corrugated iron with stone wall | – | – | – |
 Thatched roof with mad wall | 6 (10.7) | 2 (7.7) | 1 (2.6) |
 Sesame seed cake | 2 (3.6) | – | – |
Feeding system/supplementation | 2 (3.6) | 2 (7.7) | 3 (7.7) |
 Sesame seed cake | 2 (3.6) | – | – |
 Improved forage | 2 (3.6) | 2 (7.7) | 3 (7.7) |
 Free grazing | 38 (67.9) | 24 (92.3) | 36 (92.3) |
 Sorghum seed coat | 12 (21.4) | – | – |
 Sesame seed coat | 2 (3.6) | – | – |
Veterinary service for ruminants when get sick | |||
 Take to clinic | 25 (44.6) | 12 (46.2) | 12 (35.9) |
 Treat personally with modern medicine | 12 (21.4) | 1 (3.8) | – |
 Take to traditional healer | 6 (10.7) | 4 (15.4) | 7 (17.9) |
 Use personally traditional medicine | 12 (21.4) | 3 (11.5) | 7 (17.9) |
 Take to clinic & Use personally traditional medicine | 1 (1.8) | 4 (15.4) | 5 (12.8) |
 Take to clinic & Treat personally with modern medicine | – | 2 (7.7) | 6 (15.4) |
 Slaughter | – | – | – |
Access to veterinary service | |||
 Governmental veterinary clinic | 25 (44.6) | 10 (38.5) | 18 (46.2) |
 Private veterinary clinic | 7 (12.5) | 1 (3.8) | – |
 Shop or market | 17 (30.4) | 9 (34.6) | 15 (38.5) |
 Governmental and private | 4 (7.1) | 5 (19.2) | 3 (7.7) |
 Governmental and shop or market | 2 (3.6) | 1 (3.8) | 3 (7.7) |
 Governmental, private and shop or market | 1 (1.8) | – | – |
Distance to nearest veterinary service | |||
  < 1 km | 3 (5.6) | 1 (3.8) | 2 (5.1) |
 1–5 km | 23 (42.6) | 8 (30.8) | 7 (17.9) |
 6–10 km | 14 (25.9) | 7 (26.9) | 13 (33.3) |
  > 10 km | 14 (25.9) | 10 (38.5) | 17 (43.6) |
Reasons for loss of ruminants | |||
 Predators | 5 (8.9) | – | 1 (2.6) |
 Disease incidents | 39 (39.6) | 15 (57.7) | 20 (51.3) |
 Poisoning | – | 1 (3.8) | 4 (10.3) |
 Drought | 4 (7.1) | 1 (3.8) | – |
 Disease and drought | 5 (8.9) | 7 (26.9) | 13 (33.3) |
 Disease and predator | – | 2 (7.7) | 1 (2.6) |