Genetic Resources, Breeding Objectives and Production Performances of Indigenous Small Ruminant Populations of Ethiopia: A Review
Authors: Mekonnen Teweldemedhn , Gebremariam Tikabo 
Published: December 2024

Globally, small ruminants (SRs) greatly contribute in food and nutrition security. The SRs in Ethiopia are diverse due to the diversified agro-ecologies and greatly contributed to the international SRs gene pools. Ethiopian SRs were under subsistence production and there was no national commercialized production system of SRs because the production system was low-input (mixed crop-livestock, pastoral and agro-pastoral production systems) followed by low-output system, and were not effectively used to contribute in the national food and nutrition security. The review objectives were to provide a synthesized information on the national indigenous goat and sheep genetic resources (IGSGRs) available and their national geographical distributions, on the breeding objectives of IGSGRs, production performances of IGSGRs and on the nationally imported goat and sheep genetic resources and their national impacts. There are controversial numbers of breeds of the IGSGRs, however, there were two more exotic sheep imported (9) than exotic goats (7) used for the national crossbreeding programmes (NCBPs) to improve the national SRs productivity. However, the NCBPs of the SRs were not successful due to incompatibility of the genotypes with the farmers breeding objectives, management methods and the low input production systems due to poor institutional supports. The unsuccessful NCBPs of the SRs were also largely confirmed by the higher national average percentages of the indigenous goat (99.94%) and sheep (99.69%) reports of the national CSA reported in 2016 through 2022. At national level, breeding objective traits of Menz, Bonga, Horro, and Afar sheep breeds were clearly defined, however, production system based participatory breeding objectives and associated selection traits of each goat and sheep populations were not identified. Average age at first mating (AFM) of the reviewed indigenous goats was 7.87 months whilst their average age at first kidding was 14.63 months. AFM of the reviewed indigenous sheep was 8.61 months whilst their average age at first lambing was 15.01 months. Average parturition interval (PI) and litter size at birth (LSB) of the reviewed indigenous goats were 8.91 months and 1.40 whereas the average PI and LSB of the reviewed indigenous sheep were 8.81 months and 1.33, respectively. Average six-month weight (6MW) and yearling weight (YW) of the reviewed indigenous goats were 11.50 Kg and 17.41 Kg whereas the average 6MW and YW of the reviewed indigenous sheep were 16.16 Kg and 21.75 Kg, respectively. Average daily milk yield of the reviewed indigenous goats was 0.65 liter milked for about 3.41 months, however, the reviewed indigenous sheep were not milked except Begait sheep (0.47 liter/ewe/day). Overall, the growth, reproductive and productive performances of the IGSGRs were very poor, and quick genetic and management improvements should be made to enhance their productivity. Research on meat and mutton characteristics and quality aspects of the IGSGRs was ignored. Therefore, national research institutions should be involved in identifying the meat and mutton characteristics and quality parameters of the IGSGRs. Revised national genetic characterizations should be conducted to properly identify the IGSGRs and avoid the controversy in the national breed numbers of both species. Modern breeding and husbandry practices should be used to extensively exploit the diversity and huge populations of the IGSGRs. Genetic improvement and conservation of the IGSGRs should also be of first national priority.