Study on Management Practices and Constraints of Black Head Somali Sheep Reared in Awbarre District of Fafen Zone, Somali Region, Ethiopia ()
1. Introduction
Ethiopia is among the few countries in the world with a huge livestock population due to its suitable environmental conditions within the different ecological zones [1]. These potentials make the country a noticeable source for animal genetic diversity [1] [2]. According to CSA [3], the country is home to about 70 million cattle, 42.9 million sheep, 52.5 million goats, and 8.1 million camels.
Contribution of livestock to the livelihood of the people especially in the rural area and the national economy of the country is momentous by generating income for the smallholder farmers, creating job opportunities, providing drought power, ensuring food security, providing services and contributing to the asset, social, cultural and environmental values and sustain livelihoods of the people and also sources of foreign currency [4] [5]. In terms of contribution to the national economy, livestock contributes about 16.5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 35.6% of the agricultural GDP, 15% of export earnings and 30% of agricultural employment and currently the subsector supports and sustains livelihoods for 80% of the rural population [6].
Small ruminants represent the largest proportion of the livestock population of Somali region. As reported by CSA [3], the region possessed 27.5 million sheep and goats which represent about 32.4 % of the national resources. The reports also indicate that there are around 807,519 sheep and 712,699 goats in Fafen zone.
The Blackhead Somali sheep is a widely distributed sheep breed raised throughout the arid and semiarid areas in the south eastern parts of Ethiopia and is the predominant sheep breed of the region. The breed, locally known as Wankie, is also internationally recognized by names such as the Ogaden or Berbera Blackhead sheep [7]. The breed has a distinguishing black color on the head and white on the rest of the body. The breed has small, short and sharply pointed ears with erect appearance. Generally, both sexes are polled with rudimentary horns occasionally seen in rams. It has a well pronounced fat rump at the base of the tail with heart shape in Appearance [7].
Improvement of sheep productivity is still marginal in Ethiopia and it’s more so in the Somali region [8]. The corner stone of the development of ovine husbandry begins with the identification of the production constraints, and then introduction of new technologies or refining of existing husbandry practices [8].
Detailed and up-to-date information on production system, indigenous knowledge of management practices of black head Somali sheep, identification of important constrains are prerequisites to set up improvement programs at the smallholder and pastoral levels [9] [10]. Information on management practices, production system and major production constraints are lacking for black head Somali sheep breed, in spite of its contribution and role in improving food security as a sole dominant sheep breed in the study area. This research study was designed to provide information on sheep management practice and production constraints.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Description of the Study Area
This study was carried out in Awbarre district of Fafen zone, Somali Region, Ethiopia. The district lies in 9˚18'N and 10˚12'N Latitude and 42˚37'E and 43˚26'E Longitude. It is bordered on the southwest by Jigjiga, on the west by the Sitti Zone, on the east by Somaliland, and on the southeast by Kebri Beyah. It is characterized by arid and semi-arid climate, warm climate and low relative humidity. Dominant climate of the agro-climatic zone of the area is characterized to be semi-arid; the mean temperature is 14˚C with minimum and maximum temperatures of 20˚C and 25˚C, respectively. The elevation of the area ranges from 1200 to 2117 meters above sea level and topographically it is characterized by an extensive flat to gently sloping topography.
2.2. Sampling Technique and Sample Size
A multistage sampling technique was employed in this study. At first stage, four kebeles namely: Guncadde, Wagarcadle, Cagar Wayne and Shed Dher were selected purposely based on sheep population and production system. Guncadde and Wagarcadle represented pastoral, while Cagarwayne and Shed Dher represented agro-pastoral production system. At the second stage, thirty sheep rearing households were selected randomly from each kebele bringing the total number of sample households to 120.
2.3. Data Collection and Analysis
A semi-structured questionnaire, key informant interviews, personal observations, and focus group discussions were used to gather the necessary relevant information. The data were analyzed using SPSS (version 20.0). Chi-square test was employed to examine the differences among categorical variables and the differences were considered to be significant at the level P < 0.05. The traits pertaining to constraints of sheep production, purpose of keeping sheep and health problems/diseases of sheep were evaluated using index formula. The following model was used for data analysis:
where, μ = the overall mean, ai = production system (i = 1, 2, pastoral & agro-pastoral), eij = error
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents
Sex, Age, education level and family size of the respondents are summarized in Table 1. Majority of the respondents in pastoral and agro-pastoral production systems were male headed households. The average age of the respondents was 44.78 ± 0.95. This finding is line with the report of Fikru and Omer [11] who found that majority of respondents in Awbarre district were between 40 - 50 years of age. The majority of respondent (72.5%) were illiterate followed by those who read and write (24.17%) (Table 1). Higher proportion of illiterate was also reported by Hassen et al. [12] and Ma’alin et al. [13] for Dehabur and Gode districts of Somali Region, respectively. The role of education is obvious in affecting household income, technology adoption, demography, health and the whole socio-economic status of the family as well [14]. Thus, households need to get basic education and understanding on livestock production and management measures.
The average family size in the study area was 8.86 (Table 1). This finding is higher than the report of Hassen et al. [12] who reported an average family size of 6.89 in Degahbur district, Ethiopia, which implies that the population density of the study area is higher than Degahbur district. The result also showed a significance difference (P < 0.05) in family size between the production systems whereby the higher family size (9.23) was reported from agro-pastoral, while the lower (8.48) was reported from pastoral system. This might be due to the higher population density of the agro-pastoral system.
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Table 1. Sex, age, educational background and family size of the respondents.
*Means with different subscripts differ across rows significantly at P < 0.05, X2 = chi-square.
3.2. Purpose of Sheep Production
The primary reason of keeping sheep in pastoral and agro pastoral in the study area was income generation with index of 0.27 and 0.24, respectively and the second reason being as saving with index of 0.26 and 0.21, respectively (Table 2). The third reason of keeping sheep in pastoral area was meat with index of 0.22 whereas the milk and social and cultural functions ranked as fourth. On the other side, the third reason of keeping of sheep in the agro pastoral area was for milk with an index value of 0.20, while meat and social and cultural functions ranked as fourth and fifth with index values of 0.19 & 0.14, respectively. Similarly, Fikru and Omer [11] reported that the main purpose of sheep and goat production in Awbare district is for subsistence and quick income cash from local and export markets. In addition, Hailemariam et al. [15] also reported that the primary reason for keeping sheep in Gamogofa zone in southern Ethiopia was for income generation.
3.3. Management Practices of Sheep
3.3.1. Feed Resources and Feeding of Sheep
The main feed resource of sheep during wet season in the study areas were communal natural pasture (65.8%) followed by privately owned natural pasture (37.8%) (Table 3). There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the availability of feed resources during wet season between the two production systems in the study area; this indicated that the higher proportion of communal natural pasture was found in pastoral area, whereas higher proportion of privately owned natural pasture and crop residues were found in agro-pastoral area and this implies that in agro pastoral area, the land was mainly privately owned and crop cultivation was practiced. Hailemariam et al. [15] in Gamogofa zone southern Ethiopia and Fikru and Omer [11] reported similar information.
As the respondents of the study area reported, the main feed resources during dry season were communal natural pasture (50%) and natural pasture with crop residues (37.5%) followed by crop residues (9.2%) and privately owned natural pasture, which accounts 3.3%. The result of this study indicated that the availability
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Table 2. Purpose of keeping sheep in the study area.
Index = ((4 for rank 1) + (3 for rank 2) + (2 for rank 3) + (1 for rank 4)) divided by the sum of all weighted purposes mentioned by respondents.
of feed resources during the dry season were significantly different (P < 0.05) among the production systems except the private natural pasture.
3.3.2. Water Sources and Watering Management
Sources of water and distance of watering points during wet and dry seasons are presented in Table 4. The availability of water sources during the dry season in pastoral and agro pastoral of the study area were significantly (P < 0.05) different between the production systems in the study area, this implies the major source
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Table 3. Major available feed resources of sheep in the study area.
*Values with different subscripts across rows differ significantly at P < 0.05, X2 = chi-square.
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Table 4. Major water sources and distance to the watering points.
*Means with different subscripts differ across rows significantly at P < 0.05, X2 = chi-square.
of water during dry season in pastoral and agro pastoral of the study area were spring and pipe water, respectively. The finding of this result is in contrast with the report of Demissu and Gobena [16] who indicated the major source of water for Horro sheep in Horro Guduru and East Wollega Zones, West Ethiopia was river this is due to the availability river in that area.
The majority (99.17%) of respondents in the study area reported that the major source of water during wet season was dam/pond; the other reported water source during wet season was well water (0.83%). On the other hand, the major (59.17%) water source of sheep during dry season was spring water followed by pipe water (38.3%) and 2.5% of respondents in the study area reported dam/pond water as least source.
The distance to the watering point in the study areas of sheep vary during the wet and dry season. The majority of respondents (95.8%) in the study area travel < 1 km to search water for their sheep during wet season, whereas 4.2% travel a distance of 1 - 5 km for searching water to their sheep during wet season. There was also significant (P < 0.05) difference between production systems in the study area. On the other hand, the majority of the respondents (59.2%) in the study area travel 1 - 5 km to the water point and 39.2% of the respondents also indicated to travel a distance of >5 km to the water point. The result of this study during wet season is in contrast with that of Ferew [17] who reported in Shinile zone of Somali region, the majority of pastoralist and agro pastoralist travel their sheep to search a water for 5km which higher is higher than the present study this may due to the availability of water point during the wet season in the study area better than that of Shinile zone of Somali region; however the distance of traveling to water point during dry season is consistent on the report of Ferew [17].
3.3.3. Housing System and Management
Housing provides opportunities to protect animals from predators and theft and sheep housing may vary based on the production system. Good housing can determine productivity by reducing stress, disease hazards and making management easier. The majority of the respondents (85.8%) in the study area reported that they use houses enclosed with thorn woody fence were the most important house, while 14.2% of the respondents reported houses enclosed with stone/brick fence (Table 5). There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the type of adult sheep between the production systems. All of the respondents in pastoral area used the houses enclosed with thorn wood fence for adult sheep, while 71.7% of agro pastoralist uses the same house. However, 28.3% of the respondents in agro-pastoral area reported that they use houses enclosed with stone/brick fences.
However, the limitation of housing system in the area is that animals are exposed to the rainfall and extreme weather conditions, especially during the severe cold winter-nights and high daily temperatures during the spring and autumn seasons. Thus, the housing system for sheep should be improved in order to maintain the animals healthy and productive.
The result of this study indicated that the majority of the respondents (98.3%) did not house the lambs with adult sheep (Table 5). This implies that as the respondents and the participants of group discussion indicated the lambs are separately housed and this result is in contrast with that of Wendimu [18] in Gode zone who reported that the lambs are mostly housed with adult sheep.
3.3.4. Breeding Practices and Management
Type of mating and source of breeding rams of black head Somali sheep in the study area are presented in Table 6. Majority of the sample households used controlled mating system for sheep. The reasons for controlled mating in sheep was due to that sheep are breed to lamb in wet season (when forage is plentiful) because are less drought tolerant than goats and to avoid unwanted breeding during dry season. Focus group discussion and key informants interviewed added that sheep are susceptible to drought and a great traditional management practice is applied in that area. The community agreed to breed sheep five months prior to rainy season. Rams are separated from female sheep most of the time except during breeding. Rams are kept with the lambs and great cares have been given throughout wet season. At this time, if rums escape to the female and breed, it is a grave and disaster to the animal owner, because sheep bred during
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Table 5. Housing of sheep in the study area.
*Means with different subscripts differ across rows significantly at P < 0.05, X2 = chi-square, SE=standard error.
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Table 6. Type of mating and source of breeding rams in the study area
X2 = chi-square.
wet season will give birth during dry season which can cost their lives. In dry season, no sheep were allowed to lactate and sheep lactate at this time death of both sire and lamp is common. This current finding is in contrast with the report of Feyissa et al. [19] who indicated that mating system of sheep in Borana low-land was generally uncontrolled. The difference might be due to feed resources availability and management system of the pastoralists.
Moreover, the study indicated that only 7.5% of the respondents used uncontrolled mating system and this occurs lack of awareness and only in communal grazing whereby ewes and rams graze together.
Majority of the respondents own their breeding ram (90%). Those who have no breeding males mated their female animal by using neighbor male and borrow males from others. The study showed that the breeding rams were born in the flock. This implies that the animals within the flock are very closely related and have narrow relationship which leads to inbreeding [19] [20].
3.3.5. Disease and Health Management
Table 7 shows the most common health problems of sheep ranked in order of prevalence. As the respondents in pastoral area ranked, the four most important diseases affecting the production of black head were circling disease, sheep pox, tick lameness and thick borne disease (tick paralysis) and PPR with index values of 0.26, 0.21, 0.19 and 0.13, respectively. The other reported diseases in pastoral area were bloating, FMD and throat swelling with index values of 0.09, 0.08 and 0.02 respectively. On the other hand, the three most important diseases affecting the production of black head Somali sheep in agro-pastoral area were circling disease, tick lameness and FMD with index values of 0.24, 0.21 and 0.16, respectively. The other reported diseases in agro pastoral area include bloating, PPR,
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Table 7. Most common health problems of sheep in the study area.
*Index = ((4 for rank 1) + (3 for rank 2) + (2 for rank 3) + (1 for rank 4)) divided by the sum of all weighted health problems mentioned by respondents, PPR = peste des petitis ruminants, FMD = foot and mouth disease.
abortion, throat swelling and foot and root with index values of 0.11, 0.09, 0.08, 0.04, 0.03, and 0.03, respectively. The result of this study indicated that the circling disease was the most important disease challenging the production of black head Somali sheep of the study area. The report of Wendimu [18] for the same of breed in Gode district indicated that the most prevalent disease of sheep were sheep pox, foot root, foot and mouth disease and tick lameness and tick borne disease. However, the report of Wendimu [18] did not indicate the circling disease and PPR as the most common disease affecting black head Somali sheep in Gode zone as the present study indicated.
The information generated through the focus group discussion and key informants revealed that pastoralists/agro-pastoralists used traditional (ethno-veterinary) practices using herbs and non-herbal methods and use of modern veterinary was limited. According to respondents, focus group discussion, and key informants report, Urowawayn (coriander) and xanshar (by product of coffee) were the herbs used to treat tick disease by means of smoking and dirking, respectively. The sheep pox diseases, the reciting of holy Qur’an was the only means of traditional medicine and in case of bloating sheep were only supplemented with minerals mainly soil containing mineral (caro). Burning was also common in the study area to treat sick animals. The diseases treated with burning were circling disease, throat swelling etc. Burning of the parts of body of sheep may result in some defects on skin and it indicates low awareness and understanding of the pastoralists/agro-pastoralists in the study area.
3.4. Constraints of Sheep Production
The major constraints of Black head Somali sheep in the study area are presented in Table 8. As the respondents of the study area are indicated the major constraints challenging the production of Black head Somali sheep in the pastoral area were shortage of veterinary service, feed shortage, scarcity of water, predators
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Table 8. Major constraints of sheep production in the study area.
*Index = ((4 for rank 1) + (3 for rank 2) + (2 for rank 3) + (1 for rank 4)) divided by the sum of all weighted constraints mentioned by respondents.
and prevalence of disease with index values of 0.23, 0.20, 0.18, 0.16 and 0.11, respectively. On the other hand, the major constraints of sheep in the agro pastoral area are predators, shortage of feed, scarcity of water, shortage of veterinary service, and prevalence of disease with index of 0.22, 0.19, 0.18, 0.14 and 0.11, respectively. The result of this finding is consistence with the report of Wendimu [18] in Gode zone of Somali region who reported shortage of veterinary service and predator as major constrains of sheep production. Feyissa et al. [19] also reported that the major constraints of sheep production in Borana lowland of Oromia region were disease, feed shortage and drought. The information generated through the focus group discussion and key informants revealed that feed shortage, poor veterinary service and predators. The poor veterinary service was caused by inaccessibility and high cost.
4. Conclusion and Recommendations
The study concluded that sheep had a multifunction such as regular cash income, saving as an asset for future use, meat consumption, milk production and other social and cultural functions. The main feed resources in pastoral and agro pastoral were communal natural pasture, private natural pasture and crop residues. The major sources of water were dumb/pond, spring and pipe water and the distance to the watering points may extend from 1 km to more than 5 km with respect to the season and the frequency of watering vary depending on the season and the distance to the watering point. The study indicated that the common house of sheep in the study area was enclosed houses with thorn woody fence. The source of breeding rams was from flock of household and controlled breeding practices were common in the study area. Important diseases which affected the production of sheep in the study area were circling disease, sheep pox, tick lameness and thick borne disease (tick paralysis), PPR and FMD. The study concluded the major constraints challenging the productivity of sheep in the study area were shortage of veterinary service, feed shortage, scarcity of water and prevalence of disease. Therefore, better management, establishing veterinary service centers and strengthening community based animal health worker to overcome health problems are necessary.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to sincerely thank Jigjiga University and Hawassa University.