Namtumbo district council implemented dairy cattle project from 2008 to 2013 through DADPs with intentions to supply milk as nutritious food and increase income in the households. However, there is low dairy cattle milk productivity ranging 8-12 litres per cow per day. This study assessed the dairy cattle milk productivity in Namtumbo District council from small scale dairy cattle farms, a case of dairy cattle projects. Specific objectives were to determine socio economic factors influencing dairy cattle milk productivity to examine profitability of dairy cattle milk production and determine factors influencing profit in dairy cattle milk production. The design for the study was a descriptive research design specifically cross sectional survey design and questionnaires were used as tools to collect data from respondents. One hundred smallholder dairy cattle farmers were randomly selected by drawing ten respondents of smallholder dairy cattle farmers from ten villages. Data collected were analysed both by descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics results revealed that 62% of respondents were males, years of respondents ranged from 41 to 60 (58%), household size ranged from 5 to 8 (52%), 93% respondents were married and 89% respondents engaged in farming activity. Multiple linear regression analysis results revealed a positive influence (r = 84 %; p˂ 0.05) between socio economic factors and dairy cattle milk yield productivity. This indicates that socio economic factors influence dairy cattle milk yield productivity. Four socio economic factors, namely knowledge of the farmer on dairy husbandry, proportion of labour force in the household, herd size and experience had a positive and significant influence on dairy cattle milk yield productivity. Also, the dairy cattle milk production was found profitable with an average profit of 97,815.93/= per cow per month. Also, analysis revealed that there was an influence of factors on profit (r= 62 %; p ˂ 0.05), dipping/spraying cost and concentrate cost factors were significant with a positive influence on profit. It is recommended that knowledge of the farmers on dairy cattle husbandry and proportion of labour force in the dairy farmers’ households to be strengthened. Profitability of milk production should be improved by value addition through milk processing and forming cooperative unions to enable bulk sell of milk and bulk purchase of livestock inputs.

A Dissertation Submitted in the Preparation of Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Award for the Degree Master of Science in Project Planning and Management of the University of Mzumbe