Management and Breeding Objectives of Indigenous Smallholder Highland Sheep in Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Cross sectional survey was conducted to characterize highland sheep production systems and identify breeding objectives. Data were collected through personal interviewing of 120 randomly selected sheep owners using a designed questionnaire. The mean (±SD) family size of the household was 5.33 ± 2.1. The average (±SD) holding of sheep was 10.1± 6.4 and  the ratio between intact males to females was 1:5. Body conformation, lambing frequency, and lamb growth were used to selcet breeding rams and ewes. Mothering ability and age at first sexual maturity were used to select breeding rams. Appearance and mothering ability, and milk yield were considered as secondary crietria to select breeding ewes. The average (±SD) age at sexual maturity for male and female sheep were 6.7±1.7 and 7.4±1.8 months, respectively. The average (±SD) age at first lambing and lambing interval were 6.5±0.7 and 12.1±2.5 months, respectively. Coenerosis, Ovin Pasteurellosis, Ovine Pleuropneumonia, Fasciolosis, black leg, Bottle Jaw and Anthrax were the major sheep diseases.

Keywords: Highland sheep, flock size, selection criteria, reproductive performance, and production constraint