International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas
icarda.org cgiar.org
A CGIAR Research Center
Sheep Fattening: The Case of Ethiopia
Jane Wamatu, ICARDA
TAAT Small Ruminants Value Chain Inception Meeting, ILRI Addis, 22 June 2018

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Outline
 Review of Sheep Fattening Systems in Ethiopia
 Characterisation of the fattening systems in Ethiopia
 Pilots: On-farm sheep fattening trials
 Opportunities moving forward

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Review of Sheep fattening in
Ethiopia
 Long standing practice targeting festive seasons
 Perceived as low-risk and more profitable compared to large
ruminants
 Length of fattening: 6-12 months
 Tendency to fatten less than 5 per cycle
 Fattening cycles limited to 3 per annum
 Minimum progression towards commercial based fattening
associated with clear production objectives and financial
capacity
 Major challenges are feed scarcity, market access, poor
husbandry practices, disease prevalence, labour shortage.
 Four (4) predominant system; Rural smallholder, peri-urban
and urban, cooperative, large-scale.

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Characterisation of Sheep fattening
Systems
Rural Smallholder fattening systems
 Sheep fattening practice is more defined in the highlands, than
in the mid lands and the low lands. Highland sheep-barley
system, mixed crop–livestock system, pastoral and agro-
pastoral production systems
 Fattening production system is predominantly semi-intensive
even in better scoring areas and declines to extensive in most
cases
 Less than 10 sheep
Peri-urban and urban fattening systems
 Undertaken mainly by traders
 Prevalent use of agro-industrial by-products.
 Fattening cycles are on average 10% (twice), 60% (3), 30% (4)
Cooperative fattening systems
 85% start-ups by the Government, 15% NGOs
 Most are rural based, with 70% male membership
MSc. Theses
Characterization of sheep fattening at small
holder level in different agro-ecological zones
of Ethiopia.
Mekonnen, S. 2016
Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia
Characterization of sheep fattening
cooperatives in Ethiopia: Members’
satisfaction and women’s participation.
Ephrem, N. 2016
Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia
Urban and Peri-Urban Sheep Fattening in
Ethiopia: Status Challenges and Opportunities.
Degitu Alemu, 2016
Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia

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Piloting Sheep Fattening:
Modification of Feeding Practices to improve
fattening performance in Community-based sheep
breeding sites in Ethiopia
Components of the package:
 Short-term sheep fattening
 Ration formulation
 Management practices which include:
o Age to begin fattening
o Castration
o Vaccination
o Use of feed troughs
o Use of watering troughs
o Use of clean water
Two Phases:
 Phase 1 (2014): 191 households; 405 rams
 Phase 2 (2016): 171 households; 381 rams

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Sheep breeds
Doyogena
Bonga
Horro
Menz

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Effect of supplementation on fattening performance of rams
Breed Location Initial age Initial weight Final weight
Average daily gain
(g/day)
Control Supplement Control Supplement Control Supplement Control Supplement
Bonga Boka 11.8(1.41) 11.7(0.57) 25.7(0.624) 28.5(0.6) 32.4(1.5) 38.4(0.6) 64.2(14.4)b 94.7(5.9)a
Bonga Buta 11.7(0.7) 13.1(0.87) 27.8(0.813) 31.6(1.33) 31.7(0.8) 42.2(1.95) 37.1(7.2)b 98.7(9.3)a
Bonga Shuta 13(1.41) 13(0.59) 23.8(1.1) 30.1(0.73) 29.4(0.927) 40.2(0.78) 53.3(14.4)b 95.5(6.1)a
Doyogena Ancha 9(0.81) 7.7(0.53) 27(0.76) 27.6(0.64) . 38.6(0.866) . 107(5.4)
Doyogena Hawora . . . 25.8(0.48) . 36.7(0.582) . 99.9(5.7)
Horro Gitlo 13.2(1.19) 11(0.54) 21.6(1.01) 25.4(0.9) 23.6(0.83) 32(0.85) 19.0(12.2)b 62.6(5.5)a
Horro Leku 11.5(1.28) 10.9(0.63) 19.5(0.461) 27.6(1) 21.3(0.44) 35.5(1.6) 17.5(13.2)b 75.0(6.4)a
Menz Mehalmeda 11.5(0.81) 11.4(0.53) 23.9(1) 22.1(0.7) 34.8(1.4) 33.6(0.932) 9.4(8.6)b 51.4(5.5)a

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A comparison of alternative rations in Horro and Menz
Parameters Leku, Horro Mehalmeda, Menz Mollale, Menz
Noug cake (31%),
wheat bran
(30%), maize
grain (38%), salt
(1%)
Noug cake (47%),
ground maize
(52%), salt (1.0%)
Noug cake (48%),
wheat bran -
(50%), salt (2%)
Lentil elite
(broken lentil
grain, 98%), salt
(2%)
Noug cake (48%),
wheat bran -
(50%), salt (2%)
Lentil elite
(broken lentil
grain, 98%), salt
(2%)
Initial age 11.2(1.15) 10.6(1.1) 11.5(0.97) 11.6(0.91) 11.5(1.07) 10.6 (1.07)
Initial weight 26.2(2.68) 28.9(2.58) 23.9(1.04) 21.5(1) 23.6(0.92) 19.7(0.98)
Final weight 33(2.58) 37.8(2.74) 23.5(1.43) 23.9(1.47) 26.3(1.95) 28.3(2)
Average daily gain (g/day) 64.6(4)b 84.6(3.89)a 20.1(8.18) 23.5(7.94) 41.7(13.1)b 60.6(13.9)a
Estimated selling price 1529(219)b 1984(210)a 1043(261) 1053(244) 1603(147) 1378(158)
Selling price (ETB/head) 1600(647)b 2011(215)a 1460(197) 1271(165) 1410(135) 1341(136)
Price of kg 44.4(6.08) 45.9(2.03) 56.2(2.68) 47.7(2.26) 47.4(2.27) 50.6(2.28)
Fattening profit (ETB) 1386(247)b 1766(215)a 1251(228) 856(180) 1117(107) 1073(111)

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Cost-benefit analysis
Breed Location
Estimated selling price
(ETB/head)
Selling price (ETB/head) Price/kg Fattening profit (ETB)
Control Supplement Control Supplement Control Supplement Control Supplement
Bonga
Boka 1190(201)b 1765(82)a 1467(233)b 2773(73)a 43.2(3.36)b 72.1(1.06)a 1130(253)b 2839(309)a
Buta 1509(100)b 2391(130)a 1675(142)b 3000(116)a 47.3(2.06)b 71.2(1.68)a 1339(154)b 2764(309)a
Shuta 1050(201)b 2346(85)a 1200(403)b 2893(76)a 38.7(5.83)b 71.9(1.1)a 864(438)b 2547(253)a
Doyogena
Ancha 1654(166)a 1812(78)a 2038(142)a 1765(111)a . 43.5(1.75)a . 1530(121)a
Hawora . 1856(82) . 1500(92) . 43.6(1.55) . 1353(109)
Horro
Gitlo 771(208)a 1614(77)b . 1613(104) . 46.9(1.5)a 319(309)b 1739(138)a
Leku 566(225)a 1766(90)b 550(285)b 1970(127)a 26.1(4.12)b 45.8(1.84)a . 1382(113)
Menz
Mehalmeda 1407(147)a 1045(78)b 1325(201)a 1350(116)a 43.7(2.91)b 51.3(1.68)a 1084(219)a 1109(126)a
Mollale 1586(142)a 1522(78)a 1414(72)b 1650(107)a 49.2(1.55)a 49.7(1.06)a 1409(117)a 1173(78)a

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Effect of supplement on number of rams sold from different locations and breeds
Breed Location Control supplemented
Bonga Boka 3(9)b 30(100)a
Bonga Buta 8(40)b 11(92)a
Bonga Shuta 1(3)b 28(100)a
Breed summary 12(24)b 69(99)a
Doyogena Ancha 4(24)b 11(31)a
Doyogena Hawora 0(0)b 14(40)a
Breed summary 4(11)b 25(36)a
Horro Gitlo 0(0)b 15(44)a
Horro Leku 2(17)b 10(40)a
Breed summary 2(7)b 25(42)a
Menz Mehalmeda 4(24)b 12(36)a
Menz Mollale 12(27)b 30(88)a
Breed summary 16(26)b 42(63)a
Total 34(17)b 161(61)a

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Correlations between final live-weight, estimated selling price and actual selling price in control
and supplemented groups
Coefficient
Control Supplemented
Final weight with estimated price 0.713b 0.847a
Final weight with actual price 0.859a 0.773a
Estimated selling price with the actual selling price 0.507a 0.667a

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Liveweight estimations from heart-
girth measurements
Recommended models currently in use in Ethiopia are based on
maximum R2 generated from regressing LW on HG
Novel algorithms (data exploration, model construction and
model redeployment) were used to develop robust predictive
models for live weight of 1420 sheep of 4 different breeds using
heart girth (HG).
 Menz: Box-Cox model (LW0.75 = -9.71 + 0.289(HG)) Xx
 Doyogena: Log-transformed LW (SLM: Log(LW)= 0.408
+ 0.015(HG))
 Bonga: Log-transformed LW (SLM: Log(LW)= -36.6 +
0.882(HG))
 Square-rooted LW (SLM-LS: √(LW)= -1.26 + 0.085(HG))
for Horro
Submitted Publications
Simple and robust model to estimate live
weight of Ethiopian Menz sheep using a novel
algorithms
Wamatu et al. 2017
Robust models to estimate live weight of
sheep using novel algorithms
Wamatu et al. 2017
 The studies showed that models used to
accurately and robustly predict LW of sheep
cannot be generalized across breeds and
pinpoints to the importance of using correct
algorithms to produce robust predictive models.

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Liveweight estimations from heart-
girth measurements
Recommended models currently in use in Ethiopia are based on
maximum R2 generated from regressing LW on HG
Novel algorithms (data exploration, model construction and
model redeployment) were used to develop robust predictive
models for live weight of 1420 sheep of 4 different breeds using
heart girth (HG).
 Menz: Box-Cox model (LW0.75 = -9.71 + 0.289(HG)) Xx
 Doyogena: Log-transformed LW (SLM: Log(LW)= 0.408
+ 0.015(HG))
 Bonga: Log-transformed LW (SLM: Log(LW)= -36.6 +
0.882(HG))
 Square-rooted LW (SLM-LS: √(LW)= -1.26 + 0.085(HG))
for Horro
Submitted Publications
Simple and robust model to estimate live
weight of Ethiopian Menz sheep using a novel
algorithms
Wamatu et al. 2017
Robust models to estimate live weight of
sheep using novel algorithms
Wamatu et al. 2017
 The studies showed that models used to
accurately and robustly predict LW of sheep
cannot be generalized across breeds and
pinpoints to the importance of using correct
algorithms to produce robust predictive models.

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Ongoing:
Understanding farmers’ intention to adopt improved sheep fattening practices using the theory
of planned behaviour
Aim: To determine the key factors and mechanisms required to achieve widespread adoption of improved sheep fattening
technologies.
Objectives:
 To assess farmers’ intention to use improved sheep fattening technologies
 To understand the factors that underpin their attitudes, norms and perceived control to adopt improved fattening
practices
Methodology: The Theory of Planned Behaviour .The model predicts the intention to perform a particular behaviour based
on three factors.
(i) Attitudes towards the behaviour which can be either positive or negative,
(ii) Subjective norms (i.e. social pressures to adhere to a certain behaviour) and
(iii) Perceived behavioural control (i.e. to what extent the individual perceives to have control over engaging in the
behaviour).

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Success factors
 Model breeds have high growth/fattenning
potential
 Model farmers are within the CBBP context
 Enabling environment
Aligned with Government initiative towards
promotion of sheep fattening cooperatives for
youth
 Sheep are a major source of livelihood in the
respective production systems.
Pull-factors
 Market linkages
 Availability of feed supplements (protein and
energy sources)
 Knowledge/awareness creation/training
 Improved feed options
 Forage options