Reproductive and Productive Performances of Small Ruminants in East Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the reproductive and productive performances of small ruminants in the study area at Dodota Woreda in Ethiopia's Arsi Zone. The results are based on focus group discussion and a survey of 180 sample houses. Based on flock distribution, the Woreda was divided into three groups: mixed flock sites, goat dominating sites, and sheep dominating sites. In the research area, households typically kept 4.15 cattle, 6.91 sheep, 7.61 goats, 1.88 equines, and 5.85 chickens as livestock. From August to December and March to May, there was a lot of intensive lambing and kidding, with November and December appearing to be the peak months. The average litter size, age at first parturition, parturition interval and age of male at first service (months) for sheep had 1.21±0.03, 12.67±0.20, 7.55±0.15, and 6.91±0.14 respectively. For goats, the analogous values were respectively 1.52±0.04, 12.89±0.23, 7.70±0.17, and 7.55±0.21. Sheep were typically slaughtered or sold on average age of 7.43±0.23 months for males and 7.63±0.24 months for females, respectively. Goat comparable values were 8.09±0.25 and 8.30±0.26, respectively. In this study the reproductive and productive performances of small ruminants are extremely low due to different reasons. Credentials of alternative feed sources and strategic feeding management, water development, credentials of disease causes and their control strategies through appropriate policy, and information dissemination are areas of interference that can help farmers build up their flocks and increase productivity.