SMALL RUMINANT RESEARCH PROGRAMME

Objectives

Small Ruminant Research Programme conducts scientific investigations geared towards improving of sheep and goats in the different ecological zones of Nigeria. The research objectives of the Programme include.

The genetically improve litter size, birth weight, growth rate, milk yield and skin quality in indigenous sheep and goats through breeding and selection
The evaluate and improve available and potential feeds through feeding and nutrition technologies for increased productivity of sheep and goats.
To package management and husbandry practices for increased productivity in sheep and goats.
To evaluate the economics of production with a view to evolving cost effective practices.

To achieve these objectives, the Programme is organized into projects and units as follows:

Experimental Unit: The response of sheep and goats to various conventional, non-conventional or novel feeds are evaluated by feeding and digestibility techniques.
Yankasa Sheep Breeding Project: Yankasa sheep are bred and selected for large litter size, high birth weight, rapid growth rate and good performance of offspring. Evaluation through a selection index is used to identify top 15% of good stock for replacement in the Breeding Nucleus Flock while the next 30% is sold to the ADPs and farmers to upgrade their flocks.
Red Sokoto Goat Breeding Project: This breed of goats is bred and selected for large litter size, high birth weight, growth rate and milk yield. The selection procedure is same as for the Yankasa Sheep Breeding Project.
Ubiaja Outstation is located in Edo State within the rain forest zone. West African Dwarf sheep and goats, which are indigenous to this ecological zone are bred. They are selected and used for feed evaluation trials. They are also selected for high litter size, birth weight and growth rate.
A Health Unit is located within the Programme to maintain the health of sheep and goats through prophylactic and curative measures.

Linkages and collaboration
The Programme has vibrant research and development linkages and collaboration with the following national and international research centres; International Atomic Energy Vienna; Capacity Building Decentralized Development (a Project of Department for International Development); Centre for Extension Co-operation, University of Agriculture, Markurdi; University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA); Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) and Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI).

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS include the following:

A weight band was developed for estimating live weights of cattle, sheep and goats under market and field conditions.
There has been a systematic selection of Red Sokoto goats against pendulous udder, which constitute an impediment to milk production and nursing ability of dams.
Molasses-urea multinutrient block has been made as dry season supplement to maintain live weight when feeds are most scarce.
Agro-industrial by products such as brewer's dried grains (BDG), crereals offal, cassava peels, groundnut tops, cowpea forage, potato vines, etc, have been used as economic feeds to fatten rams and bucks within a period of 90 days.
Genetic improvement of sheep and goats through breeding and selection for multiple birth, increased birth weight, rapid growth rate and twice yearly lambing.
Improvement of Red Sokoto and Sahel goats for milk production through breeding, selection and enhanced nutrition.
Improved management practice in sheep and goat production to reduce pre-weaning mortality from over 30% to less that 5%.
Sale of genetically improved rams and bucks to Agricultural Development Projects, Institutional farms and local farmers to upgrade their indigenous flocks for higher litter size, growth rate and milk production.
Three workshops on Small Animal Production were organized to provide training to stakeholders on improved production techniques.