Poultry, Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences
Open Access

Abstract

Small Ruminant Production and Marketing: Constraints and Opportunities in Hadero Tunto zuriya District,Kembata Tembaro Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Fisheries

Survey study on production and marketing of small ruminant, constraints and opportunities in Hadero Tunto Zuriya district of Kembata Tembaro Zone SNNPR have been carried out using structured questionnaire with the objective to generate base line information on small ruminant production, marketing, constraints and opportunities for production and marketing. Study sites were selected purposively by considering the agro ecological set ups and small ruminant population. All kebeles in the study district were identified with respective number of small ruminants and four kebeles were selected having the largest small ruminant (sheep and goat) populations. Households that have small ruminants and a minimum of one year experience in small ruminant production and/or fattening were identified and listed in each kebele and 30 households per kebele were randomly selected. A total of 120 households were selected from the district for this study. Respondents reported that grazing on communal land, private pastures and stubble, crop residue, weeds and roadside are major feedstuffs of sheep and goats. All small ruminants are housed for protection from adverse weather conditions and predators. The average age at weaning, puberty and first parturition (in months) of sheep were found to be: 4.9, 6.93 and 14.46, respectively. The corresponding values for goats were 4.01, 6.73 and 13.27 respectively.

Published Date: 2025-01-16;