Small Ruminant Production

• The young couple invited their elderly pastor for Sunday dinner. While they were in the kitchen preparing the meal, the minister asked their son what they were having."Goat," the little boy replied."Goat?" replied the startled man of the cloth, "Are you sure about that?""Yep," said the youngster. "I heard Dad say to Mom, 'Today is just as good as any to have the old goat for dinner.'

• Why did the ram run over the cliff?*****He didn't see the ewe turn.

Class Discussion

• Present status of the world goat populations and their productivity – Mahmoud Abdel Azi (2010)

Density and Distribution of Sheep(FAO, 2005)

Density and Distribution of Goats(FAO, 2005)

World Population of Goat and Sheep (FAOSTAT, 2008)

Jamaica’s Sheep and Goat Population

Reasons not to enter into sheep/goat production

• Parasite problems• Predator problems• Fencing – keeping them in• Hoof problems• Weather problems (kidding, parasites)• Lack of infrastructure (marketing, veterinary

expertise, animal health products, feed products, knowledge, research)

• Not going to get rich quick

I STILL WANT TO RAISE SHEEP/GOATS, WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE ME?

Reasons to enter into small ruminant production

• Historically goats, the “cattle of the poor”, and sheep are reared as sources not only of milk and meat for family consumption, but also as source of liquidity.

• Sheep and goats are significant in socio-cultural activities such as funerals, dowries, festivities and holidays etc.

• Requires less land and investment compared to cattle

• Mutli-purpose animals• Efficient forage converters• Easy to handle

Economic Comparisons

Cattle

• 1 cow/calf unit 3 acres• 95% calf crop

• 500lb weaning weight

• 475 lbs./3 acres• $______/lb• $___________gross/ 3

acre• 158.3 lbs/ acres

• $___________gross/acre

Small Ruminants

• 8 goat/sheep unit 3 acres• 150% kid/lamb crop

• 60lb weaning weight

• 720 lbs./3 acres• $________/lb• $________ gross/ 3 acre• 240 lbs/ acres

• $_________ gross/acre

Increasing Inventory/EquityReproductive Efficiency

Cattle

• Start with 1 cow• Save all the females for 5

years-sell males

• 95% calf crop

• 50/50 heifer bull• At the end of 5 years:

– 5 females in the herd– 5 males sold

Sheep/goat

• Start with one doe/ewe• Save all the females for 5

years- sell males

• 150% kid/lamb crop

• 50/50 doe(ewe)/buck (ram) kids

• At the end of the 5 years:– 24 females in herd– 24 males sold

Number of Sheep Slaughtered and Weight of Mutton Produced

Year No. Sheep Slaughtered Mutton Produced (kg)

2000 421 8,338

2001 382 7,756

2002 387 9,209

2003 327 8,000

2004 437 9,362

2005 1,029 21,355

2006 498 8,384

2007 541 9,848

2008 1,877 25,872

2009 805 17,462

Number of Sheep Slaughtered and Weight of Mutton Produced

Share of Local Production and Imports of Sheep and Lamb in Total Consumption

Year Production (MT)

Imports (MT) Total Consumption

(MT)

% Production of

Consumption

2000 8.34 4,218.8 4,227.14 0.20

2001 7.76 3,278.5 3,286.26 0.24

2002 9.21 3,522 3,531.21 0.26

2003 8.0 2,355 2,363 0.34

2004 9.36 3,879 3,888.36 0.24

2005 21.36 3,701 3,722.36 0.57

2006 8.38 4,842 4,850.38 0.17

2007 9.85 6,477 6,486.85 0.15

2008 25.87 4,896.8 4,922.67 0.53

2009 17.46 2,590.6 2,608.06 0.67

Goats Slaughtered and Weight of Chevron Produced

Year No. Goat Slaughtered Chevron Produced (kg)

2000 40,467 550,928

2001 42,244 577,568

2002 38,647 559,428

2003 36,908 556,554

2004 39,944 625,220

2005 47,596 765,094

2006 39,515 680,893

2007 40,121 644,539

2008 41,369 680,807

2009 43,160 866,616

Goats Slaughtered and Weight of Chevron Produced

Share of Local Production and Imports of Chevron in Total Consumption

Year Production (MT)

Imports (MT) Total Consumption

(MT)

% Production of

Consumption

2000 550.93 659.31 1,210.24 45.5

2001 577.57 454.09 1,301.66 56.0

2002 559.43 1,414 1,973.43 28.3

2003 556.55 783 1,339.55 41.5

2004 625.22 704 1,329.22 47.0

2005 765.09 895.78 1,660.87 46.1

2006 680.89 1,297 1,997.89 34.4

2007 644.54 936.34 1,580.88 40.8

2008 680.81 1,198.95 1,879.71 36.2

2009 866.62 1,536.14 2,402.76 36.1

Sheep and Goat Breeds

Prepared by Michael Teague

Sheep

• Terminology• Ram – Male• Ewe – Female• Lamb – Young

Sheep

• Classes• Fine Wool – emphasis on

quality wool• Medium Wool –emphasis on

quality meat• Long Wool – large breeds

that produces a long coarse fiber

• Crossbred Wool – cross of FW and LW

• Hair Type – sheer free

Fine Wool

• Merino• Origin Spain

• Males Horned• Females Polled

• Rambouillet• Origin France

Merino Ram

Merino Ewe

Rambouillet Ram

Rambouillet Ewe / Lamb

Medium WoolMedium Wool

• Dorset – England

• Hampshire – England

• Suffolk – England, Large Breed, Popular,

• Southdown - England

Dorset Ram

Dorset Ewe

Hampshire Ram

Hampshire Ewe

Suffolk Ram

Suffolk Ewe

Dorset Ram

Long Wool

• Leicester – England

• Lincoln – England

• Romney - England

Leicester

Lincoln Ram

Cross Breed WoolCross Breed Wool

• Columbia – USA

• Corriedale – New Zealand

Columbia Wether

Corriedale Ewe

Hair Type

• Dorper – South Africa

• Barbado – Origin Texas, Trophy Animal on Game Ranch

Dorper Ram and Ewe

Barbado Ram

Goats

• Terminology• Buck – Male• Doe – Female• Kid – Young Goat

• Types• Angora – Origin Turkey,

Produce Mohair, 95% in Tex,

• Cashmere – Fine Fiber• Spanish – The “TX

Longhorn” of goats• Dairy – Bred for Milk

Production• Boer – S. Africa, Meat Type• Other – Pygmy and Fainting

Angora Buck and Doe

Cashmere Buck

Spanish Buck

Dairy Goats

• French Alpine

• Nubian – Africa, Polled

• Toggenburg – Switzerland,

French Alpine Doe

Nubian Doe

Toggenburg DoeToggenburg Doe

Boer Buck

Boer Doe

Pygmy

Fainting Goat