Insights on farm-level livestock losses in Ethiopian production systems

A new study in Tropical Animal Health and Production (June 2025) assessed farm-level losses of cattle, goats and sheep and relevant risk factors in mixed crop-livestock and pastoral production systems in Ethiopia.

Wudu Temesgen Jemberu, a scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), is one of the co-authors of the study which was part of the Global Burden of Animal Diseases program.

The study analyzed data from 1,528 cattle farms, 868 goat farms and 749 sheep farms, from the years 2018 to 2019.

A farm was defined as a ‘case farm’ if it lost at least one head of cattle, goat or sheep in the previous 12 months.

The 12-month incidence of livestock loss was calculated for each region and production system.

Logistic regression analysis assessed the risk factors contributing to livestock loss in the farms.

Forty-five percent of goat farms, 36% of sheep farms and 23% of cattle farms reported losing at least one animal in the past 12 months.

Cattle loss in the pastoral system was associated with not using vaccines. In the mixed crop-livestock system cattle loss was associated with the absence of a roofed house.

Risk factors for goat loss in the mixed crop-livestock system were selling live goats in the past 12 months.

For sheep loss in the pastoral system, the identified risk factor was having cattle on farm.

These findings provide valuable insights into the scale and the drivers of livestock loss within the major cattle and small ruminants production systems in Ethiopia.

Citation

Li, Y., Jemberu, W.T. and Mayberry, D. 2025. Farm-level livestock loss and risk factors in Ethiopian livestock production systems. Tropical Animal Health and Production 57(5): 240.

Photo: Sheep in Doyogena, Ethiopia (ILRI/Zerihun Sewunet)

Curated by Tezira Lore, Communication Officer, ILRI