Agri service Ethiopia

A study of traditional sheep production was undertaken from February 1998 to January 1999 in Lallo Mama Midir Wereda, North Shewa, Ethiopia . Ninety flocks of the Menz sheep from three peasant associations were used. Data were collected on management practices, composition of livestock mix, ownership patterns, flock demography, and production constraints. For the study of reproductive and growth performance, mortality and off-take rates, 36 flocks were further selected and monitoring year round. In this Wereda, sheep were kept at marginal situations in terms of housing, lamb rearing, feeding and feed management and disease control practices. Sheep constituted 80% of the livestock. Two persons owned the mean numbers of sheep in small flocks. Of the total sheep, 67.4% were females, 28.1% males and 4.6% castrates. Age at first lambing ranged 15-22 months. Lambing interval (n = 485) was 286 + or – 13 days. Annual reproduction rate (n = 297) was 1.36 + or – 0.02 lambs per ewe per year. Individual flock and season significantly influenced both lambing interval and annual reproduction rate. Average litter size (n = 392) was 1.03 + or - 0.01 lambs per ewe per lambing, and only season significantly affected litter size. Lambing occurred throughout the year with peaks during the big rain and dry season. Lambs weighed on average 1.76 kg at birth, 3.87, 6.02, 7.74, 9.03, 10.13 and 11.06 kg at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days of age, respectively. Weight gain from birth to 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days of age ranged 51.45–70.57 g/day. Except birth weight, season, sex, parity, post partum weight and flock significantly affected both mean weight and weight gain. The mean body weight of sheep that had 1–4 pairs of permanent incisors ranged 16.98– 0.96 kg and annual weight gain was less than 0.05 g/day. Sex, season and flock effects were significant in all age groups. Mean flock mortality rate was 16.84%. Sex, age group, season and individual flock had significant effect. Pre-weaning mortality rate was 17.71% and it was influenced by season of birth, parity and individual flock effects. The total off-take rate was 27.96% per annum. The ratio of entries to exits was 1:1, and the total flock size during the year stayed fairly balanced. Production constraints as perceived by the flock owners were feed shortage, disease problems, lack of improved genotype, lack of capital, low price of sheep and sheep products and inadequate extension services.