Sheep productivity in private flocks in Kazakstan

Abstract

During the Soviet era, state or collective farms on the rangelands of Kazakstan moved livestock between winter, spring, summer and autumn pastures in different ecological zones. By the end of the Soviet era, livestock production was still based partly on the traditional migratory system, but had become heavily dependent on supplementary winter feed over the harsh winters. When the majority of former state and collective farms became cooperatives in the mid 1990s, they retained the same management structure, but individuals became members of the cooperatives or had the right to a share of the assets (e.g. livestock, machinery, access to land) and become private farmers. Many individuals, who remained cooperative members and are not private farmers, still keep private livestock. There are, in addition, an increasing number of private farmers. Most flock owners cannot now afford to follow a four-season migratory system of sheep management nor to obtain sufficient winter feed of good quality. Small-scale flock owners with less than about one hundred sheep lack the resources (e.g. family labour, transport) to move animals the long distance between the different pastures. There has been a large decrease in sheep numbers and there is now excess pasture in all ecological zones, as many sheep now spend the whole year within 10 km of the home village or private farm. However they need to be supplied with winter fodder since the vegetation ceases to grow in autumn and is often covered in snow from December to March. The aim of the present study was to determine current management practices and their effects on sheep productivity.