A.S. Ismail and H.J. Ibrahim
1Department of veterinary medicine, 2Research and Projects office of the University of Burao.
Email: [email protected]
Abstract
Small ruminant production has become a common type of animal farming in urban communities whereby a considerable number of farmers tend to raise goats and sheep for different purposes in urban communities. While these farms contribute income generation in the GDP in both rural and urban communities, they also create problems for both the herders and public areas. In this regard, the research aimed to evaluate the small ruminant keeping characteristics in Burao town. Using purposive sampling, 128 small ruminant keepers were selected. In-depth interviews, structured questionnaires, and field observation were applied to identify the major problems created by these livestock in the selected communities. This study revealed a number of problems such as traffic accidents, public garden devastation, conflict between herders and their neighbors, theft, and predation. The possible sources of this announcement can be explained by letting the animal wander in the street without the supervision of the owners. Actually, the majority of the herders were female (86%) mostly illiterate, but can read the Qur’an (64%) in middle age (30-49) and they practice outdoor management systems (56.3%). According to this, the research concluded that the problems created by the rearing of small ruminants were absolutely common in the selected areas. Therefore, it is recommended that the small ruminant current management system should be changed into an indoor system. The municipality council should set appropriate regulations for small ruminants raised in cities. The research and academic institutions must assess and carry out further studies in order to set out a manual for animal owners who keep small ruminants in cities
Keywords
Small ruminants: goats and sheep
Herders: animal owners
