Project

Towards resilient cross-breed dairy systems in Northern Ethiopia: a resource allocation assessment to determine appropriate selection targets and nutritional management

Code
01W04216
Duration
01 October 2016 → 30 September 2023
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund
Research disciplines
  • Agricultural and food sciences
    • Agricultural animal husbandry
    • Agricultural animal nutrition
    • Agricultural animal production not elsewhere classified
Keywords
smallholder farmers Feed Scarcity Negative Energy balance (NEB) Cross breeds
 
Project description

Introduction of Holstein-Friesian genetics is often proposed to meet high demands for milk in tropical regions. However, these ‘specialist genotypes’ are particularly adapted to ‘non-constrained’ environments and might suffer from seasonal variation in feed quality and availability particularly during early lactation. On farm monitoring, controlled experiments and model simulations are combined to assess responses of genetic selection traits versus or in combination with nutritional management strategies.