Abstract
Norway is the largest sheep meat producer among Nordic countries with more than 1.3 million lambs and sheep slaughtered in 2017. The sheep industry is limited by the need for in-house feeding during the winter months. In summer, Norwegian sheep are mainly kept on rangeland pastures, with sufficient feed for almost double the current sheep population. Lambs are slaughtered over a three- to four-month period from September to December with a peak in September–October, providing a surplus of lamb, much of which is subsequently frozen, followed by eight months during which fresh produce is in limited supply. Norwegian consumers eat an average of 5.4 kg of sheep meat per person per year, much of which is purchased as a frozen product. The Muslim (4.2% of the population) preference for year-round halal meat, with an increased demand on the eve of the Muslim meat festival (Eid al-Adha), has the potential to boost demand, particularly in Oslo. This paper provides an overview of the Norwegian sheep farming system, the current market value chains, and the potential to meet the demand for halal meat in Norway (specifically during the Muslim meat festival—Eid al-Adha) to the advantage of both consumers and sheep farmers.
Highlights
While sheep farming is a part-time endeavour for most of the 14,000 Norwegian sheep flock owners, the industry is still vital for rural employment in Norway [1]
This paper provides an overview of the Norwegian sheep farming system, the current market value chains, and the potential to meet the demand for halal meat in Norway to the advantage of both consumers and sheep farmers
Norwegian sheep farming is discussed as a case study to explore a new niche in meat marketing—the establishment of a sustainable halal meat value chain
Summary
While sheep farming is a part-time endeavour for most of the 14,000 Norwegian sheep flock owners, the industry is still vital for rural employment in Norway [1]. The main festival is Eid al-Adha, the Muslim meat festival (MMF), where animals (preferably sheep) of a specified age (>12 months old) are slaughtered, and meat is shared among the family (1/3), friends/neighbours (1/3), and the poor (1/3) [7] This meat festival offers a significant marketing opportunity for the industry. Norwegian sheep farming is discussed as a case study to explore a new niche in meat marketing—the establishment of a sustainable halal meat value chain. This opens the possibility for the more efficient utilisation of meat from older (>1 year) animals. We will briefly describe Norwegian sheep farming practices in the inland and coastal areas and the seasonal factors affecting out-of-season meat production in order to better facilitate sustainable halal meat supply in general and for the Muslim meat festival (MMF)
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