Tackling the future challenges of Organic Animal Husbandry - vTI

RAHMANN G & GODINHO D (Ed.) (2012): Tackling the Future Challenges of Organic Animal Husbandry.
Proceedings of the 2 nd OAHC, Hamburg/Trenthorst, Germany, Sep 12-14, 2012
Production traits (milk, meat and wool) affected by the individual genetic make-up and environmental
factors surrounding it. Genetic improvements as well as improved environmental conditions
specially feed resources lead to increase production efficiency. The present investigation (survey)
aims to know the current situation of sheep management and production system in the Sulaimani
province via number of sheep flocks distributed in various areas. The objective also to focus on
technical aspects of reproductive and productive performance of sheep flocks. Investigating the
reasons hinder good productivity help to set up priorities, outline plan and strategic projects for the
development of sheep industry in Sulaimani province.
Material and methodology
The current status of sheep production in the Sulaimani province, was investigated via field survey
conducted during the period from 20/6 - 20/9/2010. The survey included 8 districts. Similar number
of flocks were included for every geographic district (7 flocks/district), with 787, 2050, 1493, 1373,
1076, 732, 785 and 945 heads of sheep in Sulaimani Center, Halabja, Penjween, Pishder, Sharazoor,
Sharbazher, Rania and Dokan, respectively. The survey interviewed 56 farmers and herders.
Questions related to aspects of sheep production discussed with each sheep owner for average of 3
hours. The interviews were conducted with farmers in the pasture or range in a randomly 27 villages.
It was observed that the rainfall in the Sharazoor and Dokan was < 600 mm, in Sulaimani Center
and Halabja was 601-700 mm and in the Penjween, Pishdar, Sharbazher and Rania was >
701mm. The field Survey included 56 flocks with a total of 9241 sheep heads with average 165
sheep per flock. Based on the number of female in the flock, the flock which has < 75 heads considered
a small flock. Whereas, flock has 76–150 heads and that has > 151 heads considered to be
medium and large size flocks, respectively. Accordingly, there were 15, 25 and 16 small, medium
and large flocks size included in the survey, respectively. A crossbred sheep was consists of genes
from Turkish Awassi, Karadi, Arabi and Irani. The field survey questionnaire included many
questions among them were the followings:
Strain of sheep breed in the flock, flock size, number of males and females, number of ewes lambed,
number of lambs born, number of lambs weaned, age of weaning, numbers of ewes fail to lambing,
number of lambs dead per season, number of lambs sales during the year, criteria for culling
ewes and selection of young animals, when is the mating season and for how long? Are rams
joining ewes all year round or several months of the year for mating, do rams brought from other
flocks? Average of milk yield per ewe per day, dispose fresh milk (lambs feeding %, consumed at
home % and that sent to local market %) . What are other types of animals that reared with sheep?
Priority of farmers for breeding? (Milk, lambs, or wool)? Does farmer have a land? What are cropping
activities? Green fodders or cereals (wheat and barley). How many hours spent for grazing
animals in the pastureland? How far pastureland from animals pens? Do farmer wish to cooperate
and participate with other farmers for improving the production through the establishment of cooperatives?
Percentage of accelerated lambing or frequent lambing (two lambing per year).
Ewe fertility: defined as percentage of ewes lambing out of ewes exposed to rams. Lambing rate: is
the number of lambs born, expressed as a percentage of the sum of the adult ewes. Weaning rate: is
the number of lambs weaned, expressed as a percentage of the sum of the adult ewes. Twinning
rate: is defined as the number of ewes bearing twins, expressed as a percentage of the ewes that
lambed. Litter size: defined as the number of lambs born per ewe mated of reproductive age per
year. Mortality rate: is defined as the number of mortalities prior to weaning relative to number of
lambs born.
General Linear Model was used to analyze the factors affecting productive and reproductive characteristics
(geographic district, rainfall zone, breeds of sheep and flock size).
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