ON-FARM PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERIZATION, BREEDING AND HUSBANDRY PRACTICES OF INDIGENOUS SHEEP POPULATION IN LEGAMBO AND TENTA DISTRICT OF SOUTH WOLLO ZONE, AMHARA REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The study was conducted in Legambo and Tenta districts of south Wollo Zone, with the objectives to phenotypically characterize indigenous sheep populations and identify breeding and husbandry practices. Data was gathered through structured questionnaire, focus group discussions, field observations and linear body measurements of sample populations. About 150 households (75 from each district) were used for household survey .Linear body measurements were taken from 300 mature sheep (60 males and 240 females).To observe growth trends in body weight and qualitative data, 450 animals from 1PPI to 4PPI were taken. Both qualitative and survey data were analyzed by SPSS and quantitative data were analyzed using SAS, version, 9.2,2008. Among the livestock species, sheep was dominant in the study area and the overall average sheep flock size per household was 13.74. Generally, decreasing trends in sheep population was reported. The main objectives of keeping sheep were for income generation followed by meat consumption. The major feed resources during dry and wet period were natural pasture across the districts followed by hay during dry period. Appearance, fast growth and coat color were the most important traits to select breeding ram in both area. Appearance, lambing interval and twining ability were most important traits considered by farmers in both Legambo and Tenta districts to select breeding ewes. The reported production constraints were feed shortage, disease and drought. According to the respondents, the overall average age at puberty in male was 7.77 ± 1.03 and 8.69 ± 1.23 months in females; age at first lambing; lambing interval; reproductive life span; and litter size were 14.96 ± 0.78 months; 8.41 ± 0.86 months; 8.2 ± 1.12 years; and 1.11 ± 0.32 lambs, respectively. The studied sheep populations attain their marketable mature weight when they attain 3PPI. Most sheep populations were characterized by plain coat color pattern. The main coat color type was white (31.6%), red (24%) and brown (11.3%).Body cover of majority of sheep population was coarse and long hair. Positive and highly significant (P<0.01) correlations were observed between body weight and most of the linear body measurements. Chest girth had consistently the highest correlation coefficient (0.96% for males and 0.85% for females) with body weight. Sex of animals had significant (p<0.01) effect on body weight (BW) and most linear body measurements except head length and ear length. Male sheep has higher BW and linear measurements than the female sheep. The pair–wise squared Mahalonobis’ distance for male and female sheep population had non-significant (P>0.05) across the districts. Generally, in order to improve productivity and reproductive performance of sheep population in the study area appropriate management practices, breed improvement through selection and functional community based breeding strategy should be implemented