Determinants of Livestock Prices in Ethiopian Pastoral Livestock Markets: Implications for Pastoral Marketing Strategies

The major objective of this paper is to identify determinants of market prices for cattle, sheep and goat in the export market value chain starting from pastoral markets to export abattoirs and live animal exporters. The study is based on the information generated through a formal survey conducted in the major pastoral livestock markets of Ethiopia with 128 collectors, small and big traders, feedlot operators, live animal and meat exporters. Hedonic price formation model was used to analyze the survey data. This study identified certain occasions such as Christian fasting, Muslim fasting, holidays and other times; time of a situation whether that specific month falls during ban time or not and season described as wet or dry season as important determinants of livestock price formation. Age group and body condition of the traded animals, buyer and seller types are also important observable attributes influencing formation of livestock prices.