The objective of the study was to assess the livestock production and marketing system in smallholder systems of the area. Two kebeles were selected from Bahir Dr Zuria district based on livestock production experience and accessibility to road. Primary data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire and supplemented with key informants and secondary data sources. The average land holding in the area was 0.73 ha of total land with 0.53 ha cropland and 0.2 ha private grazing land. With regard to labor allocation for livestock, family labor was involved in 91.18% of respondents while in the rest hired labor herded, fed and watered livestock. With regard to water sources, the major source of water for livestock in the households was river (89%) while the remaining respondents use dug well for their livestock. Frequency of watering livestock was twice a day (51%) in dry season and once a day (44.3%) in the wet season. Most of respondents (53.65%) sell their live animals during religious festivities followed by selling during the season of critical feed shortage (24.45%).The perception of household heads indicated that the livestock holding in the last five years of the family increased in most of the respondents (51%), followed by decreased condition (33%) and remained constant for the rest of the respondents (16%). Overall, it is important to assist livestock producer to enable them benefit most from livestock and their products.

 

Key words: Bahir Dar Zuria, Khatadulis, livestock marketing, livestock production.