Project in Ethiopia

Linking Cattle Nutrition to Human Nutrition: A Value Chain Approach to Improving the Production, Handling, and Consumption of Animal Source Foods in Ethiopia

Timeframe: October 2016 - June 2021

Funding: USAID

Principal investigator (PI) and lead institution

Jessie Vipham and Dustin L. Pendell, Kansas State University

Collaborator institutions and Co-PIs

• Kansas State University: Barry Bradford, Travis O’Quinn, Doohong Min, Zachary Stewart, B. Jan Middendorf
• Hawassa University: Adugna Tolera, Bezalem Sinote, Sintayehu Yigrem, Kebede Abegaz 
• Oda Bultum University (Haramaya University): Yesihak Mummed
• Ethiopian Institute of Agriculture Research: Aklilu Mekasha
• Texas Tech University: Mary Murimi 
• Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab, Sorghum and Millet Innovation Lab, Africa RISING/International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), ACDI/VOCA, Verde Beef, Digital Green, Ethiopia Public Health Institute, Ethiopia Meat and Dairy Industry Development Institute, Eden-Field Agri-seed Enterprise, Project Mercy

Results

Journal Articles

• Birhanu, A.F., Mummed, Y.Y. and Kurtu, M.Y. 2020. Level of Bruising and DFD Carcasses from Bulls of Arsi, Boran and Harar Cattle Breeds in Ethiopia. Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 10, 203-218. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojas.2020.101011
• Birhanu, A. F., Mummed, Y.Y. and Kurtu, M.Y., O’Quinn, T. and Jiru, Y. T. 2019. Level of Pre-slaughter stress and quality of beef from Arsi, Boran and Harar cattle breeds in Ethiopia. Cogent Food & Agriculture 5: 1694233 https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2019.1694233
• Daba, A.K., Murimi, M., Abegaz, K., and Hailu, D. 2021. Determinants and constraints to household-level animal source food consumption in rural communities of Ethiopia. Journal of Nutritional Science, 10, e58. https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2021.52
• Dagne, T., Mummed, Y.Y., Kurtu, M.Y., Leta, M.U., O’Quinn, T.G., and Vipham, J.L. 2021. Proximate Composition and Fatty Acid Profile of Beef from Arsi, Borana and Harar Cattle Breeds in Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia. Open Journal of Animal Sciences , 11, 139-156. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojas.2021.112011
• Erge, C., Mummed, Y., Kurtu, M., Musa, A., Gemeda, M., and O’Quinn, T. 2022. Carcass Traits, Meat Yield and Primal Meat Cuts from Arsi, Harar, Ogaden and F1 Jersey*Horro Crossbred Bulls Fed Corn Silage Based Similar Finishing Diet. Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 12, 251-270. doi: 10.4236/ojas.2022.122019.
• Gadisa, B., Yusuf, Y., Kurtu M.Y. 2019. Evaluation of physical facilities, operation and management practice in selective public abattoirs in Eastern Oromia, Ethiopia. Int. J. Agric. Sc. Food Technol. 5(1): 043-049. 10.17352/2455-815X.000040. https://doi.org/10.17352/2455-815X.000040
• Gadisa, B., Yusuf, Y. and Yousuf, M. 2019. Evaluation of eating quality in sensory panelist and instrumental tenderness of beef from Harar, Arsi and Bale Cattle Breeds in Oromia, Ethiopia. Int. J. Agric. Sc. Food Technol. 5(1): 035-042. http://doi.org/10.17352/2455-815X.000039
• Gage, A., Mummed, Y., Kebede, E., and Girma, M. 2022. Maize Silage effect on Feedlot Performance, Carcass Traits and Meat Quality of Ethiopian Cattle. International Journal of Livestock Research, 12(3), 36-52. doi: 10.5455/ijlr.20220222021013.  
• Mekasha, A., D. Min, N. Bascom, and J. Vipham. 2021. Seeding rate effects on forge productivity and nutritive value of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Agronomy Journal; 1−15. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20856
• Mekonen, T., Tolera, A., Nurfeta, A., Bradford, B., Yigrem, S., and Vipham, J. 2022. Effects of pigeon pea leaves and concentrate mixture on feed intake, milk yield, and composition of crossbred dairy cows fed native pasture hay. Animal, Volume 16, Issue 10, 100632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2022.100632
• Moyeda-Carabaza, A., Murimi, M., Daba, A.K., and Vipham, J. 2021. Factors Associated With Recommended Complementary Feeding Practices Among Children in Sidama and Oromia Regions in Ethiopia. Current Developments in Nutrition, Volume 5, Issue Supplement_2, June 2021, Page 164. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab035_072
• Moyeda-Carabaza, A., and Murimi, M. 2021. Differences in Factors Contributing to Child Undernutrition between Pastoral and Agro-pastoral Communities in Ethiopia, Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, DOI: 10.1080/19320248.2021.1938777
• Musa, A.A., Mummed, Y.Y., Kurtu, M.Y., Temesgen, M., and O’Quinn, T.G. 2021. Carcass and Meat Characteristics of Bulls from Arsi, Boran, Harar and Holstein Frisian Crosses Cattle Breeds Finished under Similar Level of Concentrate Supplementation. Open Journal of Animal Sciences , 11, 11-30. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojas.2021.111002
• Tefera, T.D., Mummed, Y.Y., Kurtu, M.Y., Leta, M.U., O’Quinn, T.G., and Vipham, J.L. 2021. Eating Quality of Beef from Arsi, Borana, and Harar Cattle Breed, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia. Open Journal of Animal Sciences , 11, 255-268. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojas.2021.112020
• Tefera, T.D., Mummed, Y.Y., Kurtu, M.Y., Letta, M.U., O’Quine, T.G. and Vipham, J.L. July 2019. Effect of Age and Breeds of Cattle on Carcass and Meat Characteristics of Arsi, Boran, and Harar Cattle in Ethiopia. Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 9, 367-383. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojas.2019.93030
• Tegegn, A., Pendell, D.L., Tolera, A., Min, D., Vipham, J. and Mekasha, A. 2021. Determinants of sorghum biomass use for livestock feed across sorghum growing agroecological zones in Ethiopia. Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems, v. 24, n. 3, aISSN 1870-0462.
• Vipham, J.L., Amenu, K., Alonso, S., Ndahetuye, J.B., Zereyesus, Y., Nishimwe, K., Bowers, E., Maier, D., Sah, K., Havelaar, A., and Grace, D. September 2020. No food security without food safety: Lessons from livestock related research. Global Food Security, Volume 26, 100382, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2020.100382
• Zelalem, A., Abegaz, K., Kebede, A., and Vipham, J.V. 2023. Targeted training-based interventions to improve food safety practices in municipal abattoirs of Ethiopia. J Consum Prot Food Saf (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00003-023-01434-z
• Zelalem, A., Sisay, M., Vipham, J. L., Abegaz, K., Kebede, A. and Terefe, Y. January 2019. The prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profiles of bacterial isolates from meat and meat products in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Food Contamination 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-019-0071-z

• Innovation Summary for Sorghum Genotypes

Project Plan

The overall research objective of this project is to create a systems-based research approach that strengthens linkages between improved animal-source food production and consumption practices and human nutrition outcomes in Ethiopia.  The goal is to identify, in a qualitative and quantitative manner, the pathways between agriculture interventions and nutritional outcomes. The project implements a systems-based research approach that will define and quantify linkages between the various activity domains, including the creation of a conceptual framework, based on quantifiable data collected from each research domain. Focus of the research will be on highland crop-livestock systems and smallholder commercial dairies, which prevail in urban and peri-urban areas.  Forage on-station research will be conducted at Melkassa, and on-farm trial locations will be chosen based on input from collaborators. Cattle nutrition trials will be held in Hawassa and ChaCha.  Collaboration with on-farm research will focus on the areas of influence of Africa RISING.

The domains, and their researchable questions and objectives include the following:

• Forage Domain Researchable Question: What strategies strengthen adoption, availability, and productivity of forage systems?
  Objective: Assess forage sorghum intercropping with annual and perennial forage crops for sustainable cattle forage production.
• Ruminant Nutrition Domain Researchable Question: What are the impacts of better cattle nutrition on meat and milk production and quality?
  Objectives: (1) Assess strategies for improved protein nutrition of lactating cows differing in genetic capacity for milk production; (2) Evaluate impacts of improved dry season feeding strategies.
• Meat Science Domain Researchable Question: To what degree does consumer preference and product quality enhance or inhibit meat product marketability, on a domestic and export market?
  Objective: Assess the quality of beef currently produced for export markets, and investigate the impact of alternative production systems on beef quality.
• Dairy Science Domain Researchable Question: What are the appropriate interventions to addressing milk and dairy product handling and storage on the dairy production systems?
  Objective: Assess key bottlenecks for dairy product marketing and consumption in Ethiopia, including identifying, ranking of importance and determining the willingness to pay for newly developed dairy products.
• Food Safety Domain Researchable Question: What is the food safety risk associated with increased consumption of animal-source foods (meat and milk)?
  Objectives: (1) Create baselines for foodborne pathogens within abattoirs; (2) Implement strategies to mitigate the burden of foodborne pathogens within abattoirs.
• Human Nutrition
  Objectives: (1) Determine the current dietary behaviors related to the consumption of animal products at the household level; (2) Identify the cultural, environment, and economic barriers, if any, to the adequate consumption of animal products, and determine appropriate human nutrition interventions to overcome barriers.
• Gender
  Objectives: (1) Develop gender sensitive interventions and treatments to address identified gender needs for each domain; (2) Integrate gender sensitivity into extension and outreach programs.

More Information

 October 2020 research update VIPHAM VGM (Virtual General Meeting)

• Project leaflet: Linking Cattle Nutrition to Human Nutrition: A Value Chain Approach to Improving the Production, Handling, and Consumption of Animal Source Foods in Ethiopia

Photo credits: J. Vipham/KSU

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems is part of Feed the Future