Small Ruminants: Sheep and Goats Classification
Small ruminants (sheep and goats) are a major source of livelihood in many areas of Nigeria. Unlike cattle, they are owned even by poorer sectors of the community, attempts to increase the productivity of small ruminants is an important route to improving the standard of living of the rural poor and landless peasants.
Since most of thee features, reproductive pattern and management practices of sheep and goats are similar, we shall be studying them together where there are differences that needs to be mentioned particularly, your attention will be drawn to such areas.
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Origin and History of Domestication
1. The Sheep
All domesticated sheep are included in the genus Ovis Aries. There are 4 major species of wild sheep. These are:
1. Moufflon (O musimon) mostly found in European and Western Asia.
2. Urial (O orientalis) found around Afghanistran to Western Asia
3. Argai (O ammon) found around central Asia
4. Bighorn (O Canadensin) found in Northern Asia and north America.
It is believed that the first 3 wild species have contributed to the make up of the present day sheep. Sheep and goats invade the first ruminants to be domesticated between 10,000 and 6000 BC.
About one fifth of the world’s sheep are found in the tropics. The sheep population has increased by about 13% during the lasr decade. Nigeria has about 22million sheep.
2. The Goat
The domestic goat belongs to the genus copra. This includes 3 species:-
1. The bezoar (C aegagrus aegagrus)
2. The ibex (C aegagrus ibex)
3. The marcher (C aegagrus falconer)
The domestication of goat is said to have occurred in the mountainous area of Western Asia around 9,000 – 11000 years ago. The goat is possibly the earlier domesticated animal after the dog.
The bezoar goat is considered to be the major ancestor of this present day goat. Goats represent about 15% of the total world domesticated ruminants population.
They perform best in the drier tropics and on lighter sandy soils. In Africa, the highest goat population is found in East Africa, Morocco and Northern Nigeria. Nigeria has about 34 million goats
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Advantages of Small Ruminants over other Ruminants in the Supply of Meat
In comparison to the worlds average of 6% Nigerian small ruminants contribute about 33% to the nations meat supply.
1. High Reproductive Rate: Small ruminants have a high fertility rate and high prolificacy ranging from 120 -135%. Twining rate is generally high in goats up to 55 -60% while that of sheep is about 20 – 22% Estrus cycle and estrus period are short about 18 days.
Estrus period ranges from 24 – 48hours up to 72 hours. These are generally shorter in yearlings. Estrus occurs all year round in the tropics. Kidding/lambing interval is about 8 months while generation. Interval is about 2 years, in cattle calving interval in 2 years while generation interval is about 4 years.
2. Less Food Needed: Because sheep and goats are ruminants they eat low quality food, particularly fibrous vegetation which cannot be eaten by humans and non ruminant animals such as poultry and pigs.
3. Products in Manageable Quantities: The finished product from sheep and goat provide less storage problems hence they are suitable for rural communities with low level of technology. The meat and milk produce from small ruminants can be consumed within a day the problem of cold rooms for storage is therefore eliminated.
4. Less Risk of Total Loss to Arable Farmers: In Sahelian countries, drought has demonstrated the greater resistance of sheep and goats over cattle. Small ruminants have survived such conditions and been able to make up for the meat shortage caused by cattle losses. To the traditional arable farmer, small ruminants offer security of continued food supply during periods of crop failure.
5. Low Initial Cost: The raising of small ruminants is less capital intensive. While up to 70% of production cost in the monogastric go to feed the small ruminants can be completely raised on browse, pasture and agricultural waste product. The cost of sheep is much less than the cost of cow and a small holder may be able to afford to have one or two ewes but not a cow.
6. No Cultural Barriers: There are almost no cultural barriers against keeping sheep and goats or eating the meat. In contrast Muslims and Jews do not keep pigs nor eat pork and Hindus do not slaughter cattle. Poor people as well as rich people own sheep and goats whereas it is usually only the rich who own.
Classification of Sheep and Goats
Several methods of classification of sheep and goats have been advocated based on origin, utility, body size, ear shape and ear length and function. Each of these has its special attributes and limitation.
Based on body size using height at withers as the criterion, there are, 3 categories of sheep in Nigeria:
1. Large long legged long tailed breeds.
2. Medium size breeds.
3. Short legged short tailed breed.
Nigerian Breeds of Sheep
There are 4 major breeds of sheep in Nigeria that fall into these 3 groups. Large long legged long tailed breed.
This group contains two breeds. The first is:-
1. Balami
This breed of sheep ha also been called the Bororo various times because it is associated with the people of Borno tribe.
Balami is the dominant sheep breed the features.
It is big predominantly white with a convex facial profits. Ears large and droopy, the tail is thin and long. Males have horns while horns are absent in females.
Matured males have dewlap Balami is a fast growing animal with a good potential for milk production. (About 3-5 kg) for singles, 2.5 -3.5kg for twins).
Weaning weight of 18kg is possible at 12weeks of age. Yearling weight is 35-45kg for ewe and 45 -60kg for rams. Its ability to survive under arid conditions is a character peculiar to this breed and can be exploited in the utilization of non arable lands.
2. Uda (Ouda)
Also called the Fulani or Bali-Bali. This breed is found throughout the sahel and savanna zones of tropical Africa. The cost colour is black or brown in front and white behind. They are large in size with matured males measuring up to 84cm height at withers.
The breed is long legged, thin and long tailed with a moderately long, floppy ears males carrying horn which could be large emerging sideways and slightly backwards with a Taoist mature rams weight 55kg while females weigh 45kg.
This breed thrives best in hot dry environment it is particularly adapted to extensive grazing and is known for its trekking ability. Uda its suffers poor survival outside domain medium size breed.
3. Yankasa
This is perhaps the most numerous and widely distributed Nigerian breed of sheep. Yankasa is found throughout the sahel, Sudan and guinea savanna zones. It is intermediate between large long legged uda and Balami and short legged West Africa Dwarf.
The breed has a typical white cost colour with black patches around the eyes ears and muzzle and sometimes the feet. Ewes may have pass around the neck. Males have horns which is curved. Matured rams weigh 30 – 45kg and ewes 25 – 30kg.
Short Legged Short Tailed Breed (West African Dwaft sheep)
Also called Fouta Djallon, the forest shwwp, Djallonke. This breed is found in the whole area of the forest belt. Colour ranges from all white, all black or brown to spotted black or brown on white coat.
The breed strives well in its area of occurrence which is known to be infected with tsetse fly hence the assertion that’s the breed is trymo-tolerant.
Matured females have tassels while matured males have spiral or crescent shaped horns and a heavy mane. The breed has a slow growth rate, maturity and cessation of growth is between 18 – 24months.
The breed is highly prolific and incidence of twining is high (55– 58%) matured females weigh 20 -25kg and matured males weigh 20 m- 30kg.
What has been described so far are the indigenous breeds of sheep found in Nigeria. There are very many breeds of sheep in the tropics and elsewhere. In the are sheep have shown a remarkable adaptation to local environment.
In the humid parts of west Africa where Tse-tse fly is common sheep have developed tolerance to trypanosomiasis by the evolvement of the west Africa Dwarf sheep. In the middle East and eastern Africa sheep have fat tails which are food reserve to lost through the dry season.
There has also been same selection by man for the kinds of animals he prefers. This has been extensively carried out in the developed countries there are therefore specialized breed for milk or wool production.
In general however, there has been little deliberate selection and there is often much variation within local breeds with respect to both appearance and productivity. For more information onbreeds of sheep you can read Payne (1990) and Catenly (1991).
In conclusion, small ruminants play vital roles in the rutal communities where they help to raise the living standard of the poor and kindles peasants. Several breeds are available which have been shown.
Sheep and Goats originated form Asia and the first ruminants to be domesticated. Being small when compared to cattle, small ruminants occupy a unique position in the livestock sector.
For the purpose of classification several criteria have been proposed each with its limitations. Body size and height at withers has been used to classify sheep breeds in this unit.
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