In a bid to improve the quality and productivity of its herds, Ethiopia has imported Dorper sheep and Boer goat breeds from South Africa to cross-breed with the local stock in six regions
under its livestock development programme, an official source said.
"These pure-bred and fast growing animals, once crossed with native sheep and goats, will produce higher quality off-spring to better meet the demands of the rapidly growing sheep and goat export market," said the official, who is associated with the programme but declined to be
named.
The arrival of the new breeds was part of the Ethiopia Sheep and Goat Productivity Improvement Programme that began in late 2005 at the cost of US$5.5 million, according to the source.
Before their distribution to permanent locations, the newcomers to the Ethiopian soil - 120 Dorper sheep and 123 Boer goats - are temporarily quarantined at the National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Centre at Sebeta, on the outskirts of Addis Ababa since their arrival on 30 June 2007. Twelve locations around the country are to serve as crossbreeding and distribution sites.
Ethiopia's livestock development programme is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and is implemented by Prairie View A & M University and Langston University (both in the US) in collaboration with the Ethiopian agriculture and rural development ministry.
The Sheep and Goat Productivity Improvement Programme is undertaken in the six major sheep and goat production regions in partnership with regional bureaux of agriculture, research institutes, universities, small-scale livestock producers, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations.
Africa Interactive
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