Smallholder Beef Cattle Husbandry and Fattening Practices in Rural Production System of Ethiopia

E thiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa, with nearly 73 million cattle, over 42.9 million sheep and 52.5 million goats, and 57 million chickens in 2020.Among these, 99.4% of the total cattle in the country are local breeds and the proportion of hybrid and exotic breeds is too small, at only 2.3% and 0.31%, respectively.While the percentage of beef cattle (i.e., cattle reared exclusively for meat) is about 1.2% (CSA, 2021).The sector contributed up to 40% of agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP), nearly 20% of total GDP, and 20% of national foreign exchange earnings in 2017 (Shapiro, 2017; World Bank, 2017).Livestock plays a significant role in the national economy, particularly in rural areas, by generating income for farmers, providing draught power, ensuring food security, and research