Sheep and goat production and utilization in shifting and permanent farming systems in Assosa Zone of Western Ethiopia:A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the master of science degree in livestock production and pastoral development.

This study was undertaken in Western Ethiopia to develop an understanding of the existing sheep and goat production and utilization in shifting and permanent farming systems.Exploratory study was employed to have an overview of study components.Cross-sectional survey on 180 households was carried out to gather adequate data on production and utilizationIn variables of sheep and goats.A total of 676 observations were recorded in undertaking a market monitoring survey fortnightly.Five focus group discussions comprising of eight to ten members was also part of the data collection.JMP-5 and SPSS statistical software were used to analyze data using statisical tools of descriptive statisics, t-tests,chi-square test, analysis of variance, multivariate pair wise correlations, rank and qualitative analysis.Shifting farming system (SFS) was largely practiced by natives, who were mainly Muslime; whereas,permanent farming system (PFS) was a farming system (FS) for settlers, who were both Muslims and Christians.Unlike land holding and related characteristics, which were generally higher (P0.05) in PFS. In the integrated crop-livestock production practices; sheep and goat as a sub-sector are mainly reared for source of income, home consumption, manure supply, religious use and as live animal savings in both FSs. Goat,equine, and traditional bee colony holdings were higher (P0.05) in SFS than in PFS.Although they varied in abundance and season between the FSs, communal grazing/browsing lands are the sole sources of feeds for sheep and goats.Sheep and goats' houses are mainly elevated floor in SFS but ground floored in PFS.Mortality rates of lambs, kids, and goats (4 month-1 yr) were significantly (P0.05) higher in SFS.Average values of age at first mating, liter size, mating after lambing,slaughtering age, and marketable age of sheep were genraally higher (P0.05) in SFA than in PFS; Besides, kidding interval, days of mating after kidding, number of services per pregnancy, doe replacement/yr, annual kid production, and weaned kids/yr of goats were higher (P0.05) in the same FS.The largest offering and sales of sheep and goats to markets was recorded during Christmas followed by Eid Al-Adha, Eid Al-Fetir, and the normal market evernts in both FSs.Prices of sheep and goats significantly (P0.05) varied in relation to market events,color of sheep and goats, buyer types,and seller types.In both FSs,househod consumptions of sheep and goats were related to religious and cultural festivities and sheep were more preferred for consumption than goats.Sheep and goat manure were more utilized in PFS.In improving this management system and increasing sheep and goat productivity to contribute to the rural develpment and poverty alleviation endeavors, developmental interventions shall be based on the existing socio-economic settings,farming characteristics,management conditions,performances and utilizations of sheep and goats in the two major FSs.