Ethiopia holds the largest cattle population in Africa estimated at about 43.1 million heads of cattle, of which 10 million are indigenous dairy cows yielding 3.2 billion liters per year. The poor genetic potential for productive traits, substandard feeding, and low level of health care and management practices are the main contributors to the low productivity.

In a study conducted in 2011, feed shortage was ranked as the most important constraint to improve dairy production at urban dairy farms in Jimma town, Oromia, Ethiopia.