الفهرس 
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Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess production performance of small ruminants, assess socio-economic situation of small ruminants keepers in Kharga oasis, which is one of the 3 oases, of the New Valley and identify constrains and opportunities for small ruminant’s production in Kharga oasis. One hundred and three farmers were randomly selected from seven villages and interviewed with a structured questionnaire. The survey was carried out during the period from October 2011 to February 2012. Also, information was collected from research station of New Valley Governorate in May and June 2014 to identify their production system of small ruminants.
Results revealed that the average age of households is 43.2 years old and (52.9%) of breeders have medium age between 30 to 50 years and 92.2% of them are married. The proportions of households who have basic education, high school, graduate education or without education were; 9.8, 54.9, 3.9 and 31.4% of respondents, respectively. Only 19.6% of respondents identified themselves as full-time farmers; i.e., derived that household income from the sale of crops and/or animals only. The average family size was 5.82 household members and who participate in agriculture activity were 2.22 from which 1.84 males and 0.38 females, respectively, participating in agriculture activities. The average farm size in the study area was 7.55 ± 1.36 acres .The area cultivated with animal fodder ranged from 30% to 32.5% around the year. On average, a household owned 4.18 cattle; 1.74 sheep and 1.76 goats. The percentage of cattle in the total herd size was 53.12% which was more than other species in the herd. Preference for buffalo was very low that is only 1.25%. The second important animal contributing towards the total herd size was goat (22.6%). Livestock alone contribute 49.43% of the total agriculture income in the study area. Thus, livestock production is the main means of livelihood in the studied area. Within the livestock sector; cattle contribute the highest (42.93%). Small ruminants contribute a mere 5.27%. In the study area, 27.45% of households kept only sheep, 7.84% only goats and 64.71% both species. The distribution by age almost follow similar trend for both sheep and goats except for suckling age and breeding females. Feed shortage (45.4%) is one of the limitations for small ruminant production in the area. Problems of input supply constitute 25.6% of the constrains of the interviewed households. Green fodder is the main feed resource for small ruminants while concentrates are not common. from the interviewed households 65.5% of them herd small ruminants alone and in summer season, 52.4% of households use grazing method. Cut and carry method is more practiced in winter season. Majority of the households supplemented small ruminants during suckling period (79.41%). The major reasons for culling in the study area were old age (38.4%) and infertility (32.1%), while they were growth weakness (57.1%) and old age (33.0%) in research station. Most diseases found in the studied area were Pneumonia and diarrhea (59%), followed by Sheep pox (21%). Vaccinating their animal against foot and mouth disease was reported by 58.3% of households. Parturition frequency in the study area was estimated at 1.14 and 1.33 times /year for sheep and goats, respectively while it was 1.13 and 1 times /year for sheep and goats, respectively under research station condition. The average litter size in study area was 1.29 for ewes and 1.6 for goats, while it was 1.08 for ewes and 1.11 for goats under research station conditions. The average pre-weaning mortalities in study area are estimated at 14 and 38%, respectively while mortality rate are estimated as 14.3% in both sheep and goats under research station condition. In pre-weaning period diseases was the most effective reason for mortality and pneumonia and diarrhea diseases were mainly reasons for mortality of kids, while it was secondly reasons for mortality of lambs. In post-weaning period the most effective reason of post weaning mortality in small ruminants in study area was pneumonia and diarrhea (32.3%), followed by other diseases (30.6%), heat stress (25.81%), while in research station Pneumonia and diarrhea diseases were the most effective reason in sheep, while other diseases were the most effective reasons in goats. The average weaning weights for lambs and kids in study area are estimated as 14.26kg and 7.29kg, respectively while it was 14.6 kg and 13 under research station condition. Age at first parturition was 14.00 ± 0.4 months for ewes and 11.76 ± 0.37 months for does in study area, while it was 16.2 ± 0.63 months for ewes and 15.1 ± 1.1 months for does in research station. Sire to female’s ratio in sheep was 1:9 while in goat was 1:8 in study area. lambs were more profitable in study area in fattening than kids because of its higher growth rate. Education has a significant effect on breeder’s interest for modern scientific tactics on animal production (38.2%) for literate against (23.5%) for illiterate. Agricultural guides and television were the best way to have information 25.6% and 23.3% respectively. Breeders depend on phenotype in selection of males and females, then twining rate for females and growth rate for males.
Nevertheless, the study concludes that small ruminant enterprise is economically viable .It provided a return of about 20% on capital invested. This exceeding the returns obtained from various crop production enterprises. These findings have important implication for the improvement of small ruminant enterprises of households in the oasis. Making farmers aware of the financial benefits of small ruminants may convince them to consider it as a better alternative to crop production in the study area in terms of income generation. This will probably influence their decision on the allocation of their limited resources to the competing alternatives. Also, surmounting constrains in the studied area will helping small ruminant’s keepers to developing their production system and breeders need for training and guidance and the system needs some scientific modifications and it should be by specialized staff in different agricultural fields. In research station difficulty of completion treatments such as replacement of sire as needed hamper developing their production system.
The objective of this study was to assess production performance of small ruminants, assess socio-economic situation of small ruminants keepers in Kharga oasis, which is one of the 3 oases, of the New Valley and identify constrains and opportunities for small ruminant’s production in Kharga oasis. One hundred and three farmers were randomly selected from seven villages and interviewed with a structured questionnaire. The survey was carried out during the period from October 2011 to February 2012. Also, information was collected from research station of New Valley Governorate in May and June 2014 to identify their production system of small ruminants.
Results revealed that the average age of households is 43.2 years old and (52.9%) of breeders have medium age between 30 to 50 years and 92.2% of them are married. The proportions of households who have basic education, high school, graduate education or without education were; 9.8, 54.9, 3.9 and 31.4% of respondents, respectively. Only 19.6% of respondents identified themselves as full-time farmers; i.e., derived that household income from the sale of crops and/or animals only. The average family size was 5.82 household members and who participate in agriculture activity were 2.22 from which 1.84 males and 0.38 females, respectively, participating in agriculture activities. The average farm size in the study area was 7.55 ± 1.36 acres .The area cultivated with animal fodder ranged from 30% to 32.5% around the year. On average, a household owned 4.18 cattle; 1.74 sheep and 1.76 goats. The percentage of cattle in the total herd size was 53.12% which was more than other species in the herd. Preference for buffalo was very low that is only 1.25%. The second important animal contributing towards the total herd size was goat (22.6%). Livestock alone contribute 49.43% of the total agriculture income in the study area. Thus, livestock production is the main means of livelihood in the studied area. Within the livestock sector; cattle contribute the highest (42.93%). Small ruminants contribute a mere 5.27%. In the study area, 27.45% of households kept only sheep, 7.84% only goats and 64.71% both species. The distribution by age almost follow similar trend for both sheep and goats except for suckling age and breeding females. Feed shortage (45.4%) is one of the limitations for small ruminant production in the area. Problems of input supply constitute 25.6% of the constrains of the interviewed households. Green fodder is the main feed resource for small ruminants while concentrates are not common. from the interviewed households 65.5% of them herd small ruminants alone and in summer season, 52.4% of households use grazing method. Cut and carry method is more practiced in winter season. Majority of the households supplemented small ruminants during suckling period (79.41%). The major reasons for culling in the study area were old age (38.4%) and infertility (32.1%), while they were growth weakness (57.1%) and old age (33.0%) in research station. Most diseases found in the studied area were Pneumonia and diarrhea (59%), followed by Sheep pox (21%). Vaccinating their animal against foot and mouth disease was reported by 58.3% of households. Parturition frequency in the study area was estimated at 1.14 and 1.33 times /year for sheep and goats, respectively while it was 1.13 and 1 times /year for sheep and goats, respectively under research station condition. The average litter size in study area was 1.29 for ewes and 1.6 for goats, while it was 1.08 for ewes and 1.11 for goats under research station conditions. The average pre-weaning mortalities in study area are estimated at 14 and 38%, respectively while mortality rate are estimated as 14.3% in both sheep and goats under research station condition. In pre-weaning period diseases was the most effective reason for mortality and pneumonia and diarrhea diseases were mainly reasons for mortality of kids, while it was secondly reasons for mortality of lambs. In post-weaning period the most effective reason of post weaning mortality in small ruminants in study area was pneumonia and diarrhea (32.3%), followed by other diseases (30.6%), heat stress (25.81%), while in research station Pneumonia and diarrhea diseases were the most effective reason in sheep, while other diseases were the most effective reasons in goats. The average weaning weights for lambs and kids in study area are estimated as 14.26kg and 7.29kg, respectively while it was 14.6 kg and 13 under research station condition. Age at first parturition was 14.00 ± 0.4 months for ewes and 11.76 ± 0.37 months for does in study area, while it was 16.2 ± 0.63 months for ewes and 15.1 ± 1.1 months for does in research station. Sire to female’s ratio in sheep was 1:9 while in goat was 1:8 in study area. lambs were more profitable in study area in fattening than kids because of its higher growth rate. Education has a significant effect on breeder’s interest for modern scientific tactics on animal production (38.2%) for literate against (23.5%) for illiterate. Agricultural guides and television were the best way to have information 25.6% and 23.3% respectively. Breeders depend on phenotype in selection of males and females, then twining rate for females and growth rate for males.
Nevertheless, the study concludes that small ruminant enterprise is economically viable .It provided a return of about 20% on capital invested. This exceeding the returns obtained from various crop production enterprises. These findings have important implication for the improvement of small ruminant enterprises of households in the oasis. Making farmers aware of the financial benefits of small ruminants may convince them to consider it as a better alternative to crop production in the study area in terms of income generation. This will probably influence their decision on the allocation of their limited resources to the competing alternatives. Also, surmounting constrains in the studied area will helping small ruminant’s keepers to developing their production system and breeders need for training and guidance and the system needs some scientific modifications and it should be by specialized staff in different agricultural fields. In research station difficulty of completion treatments such as replacement of sire as needed hamper developing their production system.