Characterizations of dairy farming systems in Upper Egypt [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Ninety seven dairy farms under mixed farming system located in (EI-Waqaff, 31 farms - Qafft. 27 farms -Qana, 39 farms) in Qana governorate in Upper Egypt were selected with the objectives to characterize the existing dairy farming systems. A questionnaire was designed and pre-tested to obtain data on average crop production, farm size, artificial insemination (AI), animal feeding average milk production in dairy farms milk revenue and feeding cost. The results showed that average cultivated areas/farm was 23.02, 9.15 and 7.07 feddan (1 feddan = 4200 m') for the studied districts. respectively. Percentages of milk revenue minus feeding cost in the three districts were 23%, -0.04% and .04% for local cows; 31%, 09% and 44% for buffalo and 22%, 07% and 12% for crossbred cattle for the same districts, respectively. Average milk productions were 4.50. 5.00 and 6.42 kg/day for local cows, buffalo and crossbred cows in EL-Waqaff, respectively. While in Qafft and Qana the average milk production was 4.23, 5.05 and 6.79 kg/day and 4.10, 6.02 and 6.29 kg/day for the same genetic groups, respectively. Main fodder crops per farm in summer were: sorghum (2.19, 1.20 and 1.50 kirat) (1 feddan = 24 kirat), darawa (1.37, 1.11 and 1.14 kirat), respectively and alfalfa (2.17, 1.14 and 1.00 kirat) respectively in EI-Waqaff, Qafft and Qana, respectively. While fodder crops per farm in winter were berseem (3.33, 1.35 and 1.26 kirat), respectively and alfalfa (2.91, 1.13 and 0.67 kirat), respectively in those three respective areas. It could be concluded that most farmers need simple animal feeding technical inputs to improve animal productivity.

Summary in Arabic.

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