Abstract
Sheep and goats are important components of farming systems in the semi-arid sertao zone of the Northeast region of Brazil. Small ruminants are usually grazed with cattle as components of mixed farms that also produce cotton, maize and beans. Research to improve sheep and goat production in this environment and in this agro-ecosystem was initiated to answer basic questions related to specific biological and socio-economic characteristics of the production systems under which small ruminants are produced. This information was then synthesized into a model of the traditional farming system that is used to evaluate the on-farm impact of research results and to help establish research priorities. This paper describes the process followed in collecting information on the farms to characterize traditional small-ruminant production systems, and describes the bio-economic model that was developed to assess the potential impact of alternative technologies.
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