Abstract:
The study was conducted in two districts of Arsi and Bale zones, with the objectives to assess
morph metrical differentiation and structural indices for Arsi-Bale sheep breed and to assess
sheep breeding and husbandry practices of the communities in the Study Area. The study
involved both qualitative and quantitative type of research. A total of 90 indigenous sheep
owning farmers for survey and only mature 200 sheep (36 male and 164 non pregnant
females) were taken for qualitative and quantitative study. Descriptive statistics, frequency
procedures, general linear model, and multivariate analysis were used with SAS 2008(version
9.1.3) to analyze the data. SPSS 2016 (version 20) was used to analyze qualitative data. The
study result revealed that the mean flock size of sheep holding per household was 8.02 ± 4.46
and 7.13 ± 3.33 for Lemu Bilbilo and Sinana districts respectively. Households of the
respondents reported that the primary reason for keeping sheep in the study area was to
generate income followed by insurance for risk, meat for home consumption, and saving. The
main feed sources of sheep in the study area were sheep grazed on communal grazing during
dry season and grazed separately during wet season with seasonal/conditional feed
supplementation. All of the respondents in the study area provided house and water for their
sheep. The major sheep production constraints in study area were feed and market with
primary rank followed by Disease, Predator, and Labor shortage. Concerning breeding
practice most of sheep owner do not have breeding ram. Lambing interval of ewes were 5.86 ±
0.54 and 6.26 ± 0.78 months in Sinana and Lemu Bilbilo respectively. Large body size, red
coat color, long and straight tail for males are the most preferred traits in the study area.
Similarly, size, color and tail formation were the most highly rated traits in selecting breeding
females in both districts. Lambing interval, mothering ability, age at first lambing and twining
rate were also considered in selecting breeding female. The mean body measurement of Lemu
Bilbilo ewes for Heart girth, body length, and height at wither and height at rump were75.55 ±
6.078cm, 77.65 ± 3.914cm, 68.32 ± 3.671cm, 70.63 ± 2.531cm respectively. The
corresponding mean values for males in the same district were 78.44 ± 2.684cm, 77.72 ±
5.839cm, 72.56 ± 2.357cm, 71.5 ± 2.479cm, respectively. For Sinana female sheep, the value
in the same order were 75.9 ± 3.905cm, 69.65 ± 9.219cm, 67.38 ± 3.886cm, 66.71 ± 2.791cm.
The value of the measurements for the male, were 78.33 ± 2.97cm, 78.33 ± 3.63cm, 70.78 ±
4.373cm, 68.83 ± 4.204cm respectively,. Morphometric measurements indicated that
significant differences (P<0.05) were observed between districts. In most parameters, male
shows significantly (P<0.05) higher value than female. Multivariate analysis was able to
correctly classify 85.5 percent of individual sheep into their original district. Lemu Bilbilo
sheep had the higher (87.0%) correctly classified while Sinana sheep had lower value
(84.0%).The Wilks’ lambda test for the female sample population was 0.382071 and 0.115649
for male sampled population. This study concludes that result from morphological differences
and multivariate analysis confirmed existence of two pop in the study Area.