A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2009 to August 2010 with the objective of determining calf morbidity and mortality rates, to investigate the potential risk factors for mortality and morbidity and to determine the type and prevalence of major diseases of crossbred calves in Bahir Dar Zuria and Gozamen districts of Amhara Region. A total of 148 respondents engaged in small holder crossbred dairying were interviewed using a structured questionnaire survey about their calf management practices and major calf health problems encountered. About 396 crossbred calves were considered for this study. The overall magnitude of morbidity and mortality rates of crossbred calves were 58.4% and 30.7%, respectively. Higher mortality of crossbred calves was found in Gozamen district (39.6 %) than in Bahir Dar Zuria district (29.9 %). The major calf diseases found were diarrhea (21.4%), pneumonia (18.6%), septicemic conditions (12.4%) and navel ill (8.1%) and miscellaneous cases (39.5%). Risk factors such as study location, blood level, age, colostrum feeding and time of colostrum feeding were found to have statistically significant (p < 0.05) effects on crossbred calf mortality rate in both districts. Exotic genetic influence, age, colostrum feeding and time of colostrum feeding were also the major risk factors found statistically significant (p < 0.05) to affect calf morbidity. In conclusion, the magnitude of calf morbidity and mortality rates found in this study were much higher than economically tolerable level and could affect the productivity of the dairy farms through mainly decreasing the availability of replacement stock. It is therefore, suggested that implementation of improved calf management practices and optimization of more adaptable blood level of crossbred cattle in the study areas would significantly reduce calf mortality and morbidity.

A study was conducted from November 2009 to March 2010 with the objective of identifying the major causes of skin rejection on fresh, pickled, and wet blue skins at Modjo Mesaco Global tannery. A total of 401 fresh and 1,873 pickled and wet blue skins from the routine production system of the tannery were used. Overall, high prevalence of sheep ked (100%) followed by biting louse (64.4%), tick (50%), and sucking louse (45.8%) were observed on fresh sheep pelts, while, on fresh goat pelts, a high prevalence of sucking louse (54.5%), followed by tick (50%), and biting louse (35.5%) were observed. From the total of 90 rejected pickled and wet blue skins of sheep and goats, 98.8% were "ekek" and scratch, 85.6% sheep and goat pox, 74% poor substance, 73.3% heat, 72.2% scar, and 52.2% knife cut-in skins. Large number of skins rejections was recorded in large-sized skins (29.8%), and the lowest observed was in medium-sized skins (11.1%). There were highly statistically significant association (p < 0.05) between size and grades of shoat skins. Ekek and scratches together with sheep and goat pox were the common skin defects that hamper skin quality. However, there was no significant association (p > 0.05) between sheep and goat skins. Ekek and scratch caused high rejection of skin and entailed serious economic loss in terms of foreign exchange earning to Ethiopia. Therefore, the main causes of skin rejection and factors that cause downgrading of skin should be controlled.

In Ethiopia, the major poultry products come from backyards chickens. But in recent times, more commercialized poultry farms are flourishing having considerable contribution to the supply of poultry products, especially to urban areas. There are also attempts to upgrade the productivity of local chickens through distribution of exotic and cross breeds to the rural areas. These endeavors, however, are hampered from providing the expected benefits due to various constraints, among which viral diseases are of greater concern. Some of the viral diseases are thought to be introduced concurrent with intensification of poultry industry. In addition, the growing numbers of exotic flocks in the backyard system increases the number of birds which are at risk of getting infected with pathogens in the environment. The present review article deals with major viral diseases of chickens, their current status and future challenges to the poultry industry in Ethiopia. Among these, Newcastle disease, infectious bursal disease and Marek's disease become serious threats to poultry production. Due to limited research activities, the epidemiology and the total economic damage caused by this disease are not fully known. Frequent outbreaks and occurrence of new strains for these viral diseases became a challenge to the juvenile poultry industry in Ethiopia.

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Characterization of breeding practices of indigenous chicken of North Wollo was conducted from January 2011 to May 2012 with the aim to identifying farmers' trait preferences of chicken, breeding objectives and priority areas of intervention. Focus group discussions were held, followed by a survey using semi-structured questionnaires. The survey revealed that both uncontrolled and controlled mating was practiced. Egg production, meat yield and disease resistance were the most preferred traits by farmers for further improvement. Based on flock size, production system, infrastructure availability, preferred traits and economic return, population settlement; roll mating and grading mate would be recommend to low altitude areas where as clan mating and breed out-out was the recommended breeding program to the mid altitude and high altitude study area.