Ownership pattern and management practices of small ruminants in The Gambia - implications for a breeding programme

In the framework of a genetic improvement scheme a countrywide survey of small ruminant owners was conducted in The Gambia to obtain information about the ownership pattern, reasons for keeping and especially about breeding and management practices including housing and feeding. The main results were the following: women play a major role in small ruminant production, representing 52% of the owners of sheep, 67% of the owners of goats and 43% of the owners of both sheep and goats. The average number of animals owned is quite low (about six head of sheep and goats each, out of which about three are breeding females). Most of the breeding males are born in their respective flock and there are fewer breeding bucks than breeding rams. However, there are sufficient numbers of breeding males around. Animals are mainly left free to roam around during the dry season, and are either tethered or herded in the rainy season. During night animals are housed or tied under a shelter. Supplementary feeding is not common and vaccination against Pest des Petit Ruminants (PPR) and Pasteurellosis is only partly carried out. Implications for the establishment and structure of a multiplication tier within a three tier breeding scheme, nucleus-->multipliers-->farmers are discussed.