Beef Cattle Husbandry, Fattening Practices and Marketing System in Ethiopia: Review

Beef cattle production in Ethiopia is a vital constituent of mixed, agro-pastoral and pastoral farming systems. The sector includes varied production systems ranging from traditional, by-product based and Hararghe fattening systems. Traditional systems primarily rely on local feed resources and backyard practices, whereas by-product and Hararghe systems integrate agro-industrial by-products and cut-and-carry feeding to improve growth performance. Beef cattle welfare remains a concern due to limited veterinary access, poor housing and stress during transport and market handling. Feeding, watering, housing and breed selection practices differ across regions, reflecting agro-ecological, socio-economic and cultural differences. Indigenous breeds such as Boran, Horro and Fogera dominate fattening systems due to their adaptability, although crossbreeds are increasingly used in intensive urban and peri-urban systems. Cattle marketing is largely informal with village markets and farm-gate sales dominating, while inefficiencies and poor infrastructure limit producer returns. Adoption of improved husbandry technologies, including feed supplementation and veterinary care is growing but remains constrained by feed availability, capital and market access. Overall, understanding these production, management and marketing systems is crucial for enhancing productivity, welfare and profitability in Ethiopia’s beef cattle sector.