Bizunesh Animal Husbandry

Bizunesh Dairy Farm is located in Hawassa City, Tulaa Sub City and Dato Kebele of SNNPR Region. It is owned by Mrs. Bizunesh Borsamo. The farm was established 14 years ago on a one hectare plot granted to Mrs. Bizunesh by the city administration as an investment property with formal guidance from the Investment Office of Hawassa City Administration. It was started with one cow purchased for the purpose of getting milk for the Bizunesh’s family. The excess milk was sold to the neighbors. Over time the number of cows increased and Bizunesh left her government job and shifted to fulltime dairy farming. In 2009, Bizunesh legally registered the dairy business.

Currently, the farm has about 41 dairy animals including cows, heifers and calves with a daily milk production of up to 200 liters. Bizunesh’s main customers are collectors who purchase the milk for processing.

The farm produces green fodder and also purchases a large portion of roughage (grass and hay) on an annual basis from large commercial farms, such as Elfora. Concentrate feed is purchased monthly from feed producers such as Sidam Ealto Farmers Union, although the feed is not always available. Concentrate feed cost is the main cost of the farm and it is in short supply when farmers’ need it most.

Dairy farms in the Hawassa area face a critical constraint due to a shortage of feed. Most farms use crop residues of low nutrient content, sold during the time of crop harvest. This fodder does not result in good return in terms of milk production. Moreover, the availability of crop residues does not last long either. There are very few organized feed producers and suppliers in the city, and among these, none are focused on roughage feeds. As the result, the productivity of dairy farms in the city and the vicinity is very low.

Purpose of Grant

Ms. Bizunesh has acquired 160 hectares of land near Wolkite Town where, with technical assistance from LMD and ILRI’s FeedSeed and ALIVE Research staff, she will obtain and plant improved fodder species. Once mature, these fodder crops will be harvested, then baled or ensiled and sold to surrounding dairy and fattening operations. In addition to this substantial piece of her own land, Ms. Bizunesh also plans to negotiate with farmers in nearby Hawassa to collect crop residues to supplement her own crop. The grant will enable Bizunesh to produce and supply quality feed to dairy farms in the Hawassa area, and to apply new technology on her own dairy farm. She will produce silage that utilizes maize stover, grains, micro-nutrients and molasses, which is available in the Modjo area from sugar producers.