Small ruminants production practices in upland ranges of Balochistan

摘要

A survey was conducted during the year 1999-2000 involving 120 farmers on a pre-tested questionnaire, out of which 32.70 and 18 farmers were from nomads, transhumant and sedentary classes, respectively. It revealed that mostly selection was done inthe male animals based on breeding efficiency, pedigree and individual performance of the animal. Males were selected within flock or taken from other flocks without any costs for some period. Majority of the farmers (57 percent) had adopted nutritionalsupplementation practices. For this purpose, they purchased fodder and concentrates rations. Nomads. for feeding their animals, were depending on grazing only, while transhumant and sedentary people were also growing fodder on agricultural land. Out of 120 respondents. 24.17 percent reported that they pay for grazing in the form of animals and their products. In nomads, transhumant and sedentary average losses of the mean flock size were 37.40.22.58 and 25.37 percent, respectively. Overall average animal losses were 39.48 with the standard deviation of 32.82 animals, which was 26.68 percent of mean flock size.