A Review on Current Status of Small Ruminant Meat Production Comparison Yield and Carcass Characteristics in Ethiopia

Abstract

The review assessed the small ruminant meat production, comparison on yield, carcass characteristics and marketing opportunity and challenge with the aim of delivering summarized and synthesized information for the beneficiaries and user. The livestock subsector has an enormous contribution to Ethiopia’s national economy and livelihoods of many Ethiopian farmers in the various farming system and serves as a source of food, traction, manure, raw materials, investment, cash income, foreign exchange earnings and has social and cultural values. The sub sector contributes about 45% of the agricultural GDP, 16% of the national Gross Domestic Product and 15% of the export earnings. Sheep and goats also contribute a quarter of the domestic meat consumption; about half of the domestic wool requirements; about 40% of fresh skins and 92% of the value of semi-processed skin and hide export trade. Ethiopia can export 700,000 sheep and 2 million heads of goats annually the annual meat production from small ruminants is relatively small compared to the number of heads. There is high demand for live animals as well as meat from small ruminants by consumers in the Middle East and north and West African countries. However, the current levels of contributions of the livestock sector in Ethiopia, is very low. There are various factors that contribute for low productivity: health constraints, socio economic and technical limitations like inadequate feed quality and quantity, poor feeding and health management practice.

Keywords: Ethiopia, small ruminant, sheep transport, meat Consumption ,meat quality.