Foreword

The economic transition in Central and Eastern European countries brought about significant changes also into the small ruminant production sector. Sheep and goat production, like the entire animal production sector, is forced to adjust its organization, structure and approach to the requirements of the market, while, at the same time - due to the lower standard of living - it becomes an essential subsistence activity for a growing number of household farms.

The genetic improvement, organization of breeding, research, extension services, alternative utilization of small ruminants as well as total quality management were among the main subjects discussed at the international workshop on “Sheep and Goat Husbandry in the Central and Eastern European Countries - A Struggle to Survive “ organized in Budapest (Hungary) from 29th November - 3rd December 1997 by the Research Institute for Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Herceghalom, Hungary in close collaboration and sponsorship of FAO Subregional Office for Central and Eastern Europe, as well as FAO-CIHEAM and the European Association of Animal Production (EAAP). Hundred twenty participants from 22 countries participated in the workshop, which was very timely organized, providing the excellent opportunity for exchange of information and experience, as well as discussing possible options and ways to remedy present difficulties.

The proceedings, presented here, provide complete set of papers delivered during the Workshop as well as summary of a round-table discussion conducted at the end of the Workshop. Final conclusion may be drawn that while some of producers are struggling to survive, the others are meeting the challenge of the change, looking for innovative approaches, diversifying production, introducing total quality management and opening for the market in the attempt to reach the main goal - the long term economical sustainability.

Z. S. Karnicki

FAO Subregional Representative

for Central and Eastern Europe

Acknowledgement

The initiative and effort of Dr. Sandor KUKOVICS, Research Institute for Animal Breeding and Nutrition to organize and conduct efficiently the Workshop as well as print the proceedings, is greatly appreciated and acknowledged.

Also excellent organizational arrangements for the Workshop provided by Mrs. Klara BISZKUP is recognised.

The summary of the workshop

Main purpose of the workshop

The aim of the workshop was: to summarize the situation of sheep and goat husbandry in the different countries within the Central and Eastern European region, to get the necessary information about the changes occurring in these countries, about the tendencies and the possible relationships in the future, to determine the possible conditions for the future development in the region.

Participants

There were eighty participants attending the technical tour, while one hundred took part in the workshop. In addition to participants for Central and European Countries experts from France, Germany. United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Greece were also present. In total 24 countries were represented.

The programme of the workshop

Breeding livestock as well as sheep and goat products exhibition

Within the animal show, those sheep breeds were presented which were bred in the north-east region of Hungary. The following companies and breeds could be seen within the show in Gelej:

  • Awassi Corporation, Bakonszeg (Awassi ewes and female hoggets);

Bábolna Corporation, Szendrő Branch, Szendrő (Suffolk-, Ile de France and Bábolna Tetra ewes and rams);

  • Csenger Co-operative, Tibota Co., Csenger (Fertile Merino ewes);
  • South-Borsod Co-operative for Fish and Sheep Farming, Gelej (Merino, [Merino x Pleven Blackhead] F1- and Pleven F1 x Black East-Friesian ewes);
  • Hajdúböszörmény Star Co-operative, Hajdúböszörmény (Hungarian Merino and Mutton Merino ewes);

Hortobágy Public Utility Company for Environmental Protection and Gene Conservation, Hortobágy (Black- and White Hortobágy Racka and Transylvanian Racka ewes and rams);

  • Ságia Agricultural and Trade Ltd, Tiszacsege (Texel ewes and rams).

The following sheep and goat products of different companies were presented within the products exhibition:

  • Awassi Corporation, Bakonszeg (different kinds of curds, cheeses and cottage cheeses, smoked and pickled meat products, wool products made for the automobile industry);
  • South-Borsod Co-operative for Fish and Sheep Farming, Gelej (different kinds of curds, cheeses and cottage cheeses, different wool products: blankets, cushions, mattresses, waist-warmers, etc.,);
  • Kistelek M+M Cheese Making Ltd, Kistelek (different kinds of feta type cheeses, cottage cheeses, light and hard cheeses);
  • University of Veterinary Sciences, Experimental Institute, Üllő-Dóramajor (goat cheeses, goat sausages and smoked goat meats);
  • Agricultural Public Utility Company, Szarvas (sheep and cow cheeses with different flavours);
  • Pilis Goat Farm, Pilisszentlászló (kefir and different cheeses based on goat milk);
  • Gyosa Family Farm, Hajdúszoboszló (special goat cheeses);
  • Nagykunság Goat and Sheep Milk Producers’ Society, Kunhegyes (sheep and goat cheeses);
  • Shepard’s Cheese Ltd, Berettyóújfalu (different light and hard cheeses, curds and cottage cheeses from goats and sheep milk);

Zemplén Goat Breeders’ Co-operative, Hollóháza (goat cheeses with different flavours).

Scientific programme

The sessions were started with so-called country reports, following the English alphabetical order; the representatives of four countries in each session presented the situation of sheep and goat breeding in his/her own homeland. These country reports were followed by different papers, short papers and posters.

Session 1.

Present situation in small ruminants sector (farming structure and size, production systems, type of products and their markets)

Following the country reports from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Croatia, the authors presented their most up-to-date results in seven papers and on five posters.

Session 2.

Organization of sheep and goat breeding and extension services, research impact on husbandry.

After the country reports of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary and Latvia, four papers and five posters were delivered.

Session 3.

Priorities of technical issues to solve (reproduction, nutrition, health, genetic improvement, etc.)

There were seven papers and five posters presented after the country reports of Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland and Romania.

Session 4.

Alternative utilization of small ruminants (environmental concerns of land management and its social aspects)

The country reports from Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Yugoslavia were followed by the presentation of four papers and two posters.

Session 5.

Achieving economic sustainability - a challenge

The present situation of the sheep and goat industry in Armenia, White-Russia and Ukraine were introduced; however, only the first one was a country report. After these presentations eight papers were delivered.

Round-table discussion

The participants were expected to find the proper answers to the following questions:

  • Which production systems can be managed most effectively in the region?
  • Which are the basic conditions that should be available for effective management?
  • Which are the possible means of improvement under the present circumstances?
  • What are the future possibilities?
Recommendations

The workshop concluded with the following general recommendations for countries of the region:

  • Size of the population of small ruminants should match market demand and economic profitability.
  • Efficient production systems should be introduced using the most appropriate breeds and technologies.
  • The market for sheep and goats and products made of them, including by-products should be further developed. This should include an increase in national consumption as well as better utilization of export opportunities.
  • Quality requirements of the market should be determined, met and maintained with the aim to increase consumer’s interest and confidence in the products.
  • An efficient extension system, able to deliver directly to farmers the most up-to-date scientific and development results, should be established.
  • The proper exploitation of pasture lands, landscape management as well as environmental protection are of growing importance and should be pursued.
  • Without the integration of producers, small farms will possibly be unable to survive in the near future, thus the creation of proper organizations is encouraged.
  • A network, linked to FAO-CIHEAM Co-operative Network on Sheep and Goats, able to assist in harmonization of research and development activities in the area of small ruminants in the region should be established.

Sándor Kukovics

Editor

The present state of sheep and goat farming

in Albania

Kume, Kristaq

Livestock Research Institute, Tirana

Albania

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ABSTRACT

During the years 1991-95 the number of the small ruminants increased, with about 47 percent in sheep and around 41 percent in goats. At the end of 1996 in Albania, 1453000 sheep and 895000 heads of goats were kept. From about 420000 private farms, nearly 49 percent of them do not keep goats and about 39 percent do not raise sheep. The small farms with 1-30 animals are the characteristic ones.

The farms with more than 100 sheep account for about 0.3 percent of the total number and those with more than 100 goats account for about 0.4 percent. The average farm-size is 1.5-2 hectares of cultivated land. The system of production is extensive. The animals are kept based on the traditional methods, principally through the exploitation of the natural pastures and the spontaneous flora resources. The cultivated pastures and concentrated feed provide a small percentage of the feed requirements.

The products from the small ruminants, in their biggest part, serve to fulfil the family needs. Their marketing is limited and difficult due to the lack of the required infrastructure. The process of milk collection and processing is in its first steps. The meat is sold as live animals directly to the market by the farmers themselves. Not any other product is exported except the fresh or half-processed skins.

The goat genetic fund is composed of the local indigenous populations and different ecotypes are distinguished. Because of the systems of production, the level of the production is relatively low, about 80-90 kg milk/goat/year. A limited number of two goat breeds, Saanen and Alpine, have been imported. Their crosses with local breeds are under study.

Almost the whole population has been crossed with Tsigaya and Merino breeds. The sheep found in the North and North-eastern zone of the country, which represent the group of the indigenous sheep populations, make an exception.

The actual strategy of sheep breed improvement in Albania aims at the creation of a meat producing sheep for coastal and plain areas and a milk and meat producing one for the hilly mountainous zone. The wool is considered as a by-product.

The practice of rented animals/barns does not exist in Albania. The pastures close to the village are in communal use. The alpine pastures are state owned and are leased. The pastures in lowland area are rented, too. Usually the labour used on the farm is provided by the family itself. For flocks with more than 80-100 sheep/goats the practice of employees paid in nature (products) is used. Generally, the lambing/kidding system is annual. The mechanization of the production on the farms almost does not exist.

The process of the farmers’ co-operation has just started. The state encourages and supports that process. The structures of the extension service are state ones and are established at the level of the commune. Farmers are taxfree producers and the government assists them through the establishment and functioning of animal health service structures. Actually, the problems to be solved are those linked with the setting up of the structures for processing and marketing of the animal products. The financial credit system needs to be developed and more active. Consultancy and the support for solving the problems of animal feeding present a condition to the specialization and the intensification of the production.

From the economical point of view, the farms with more than 100 animals, which also have solved the problem of milk processing, seem to be more efficient.

Along with the projects of the NGOs, the government has designed and is implementing programmes which aim to reactivate the centres of milk collection and processing, especially in the rural remote zones.

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INTRODUCTION

For centuries, the Albanian farmer has considered the sheep and goats as traditional animals. Even nowadays, the growing of these animals is one of the important directions in animal production. The statistics of 1996 show that the small ruminants provide 32.6 percent and 18.3 percent of the total national meat and milk production, respectively.

During the years 1991-1994, in which political and economic transformations towards the market economy took place, the populations of these two species significantly increased. In 1995, in comparison with the year 1991, the population of sheep was about 45 percent greater, and that of the goats around 43 percent. The year 1996 presents a decrease in the number of heads for both species: it is about 498000 heads of sheep (from these 283000 ewes) and about 400000 goats (from these 255000 does) less.

Among the principal factors which influenced that decrease, the fraudulent pyramid schemes can be distinguished as a factor with a strong effect. During this year, many Albanian farmers sold their animals for meat consumption, with the idea of getting financial means by being involved in these schemes.

The small ruminants on farms

There are 421800 private farms in Albania and from these 254000 keep sheep and 213000 raise goats. In about 40-45 percent of these farms both species are kept, in ratios that vary widely. The average number of the animals on the farms that keep small ruminants is different for different zones of Albania. Thus, in the farms situated on the coastal-plane area, flocks with an average number of 10-15 sheep are kept, and the average number of goats per flock vary from of 5 to 10 heads. In the hilly-mountainous zone of southern and south-eastern Albania, the farms keeping flocks with 40-50 sheep or 50-60 goats are more frequent, while in Albania's northern, north-eastern and eastern zones, the average number of sheep per flock varies in the limits of 20-30 heads and that of goats from 10 to 30 heads. This variability in the size of the flock is determined to a big part by the surface of the land the private farmers own and also by the surfaces of the pastures and terrain in communal use. As the average surface of the arable land per farm in Albania is 1-1.4 hectares, the availability of the communal pastures presents an important factor influencing the size of the small ruminants flocks. According to statistical data of the year 1996, the structure of the farms keeping sheep or goats in Albania is presented in Table 1.

As can be seen, about 45.7 percent of the farms keep 1-30 sheep and about 54.3 percent 1-30 goats. A characteristic in Albania is the existence of small-holder farms. However, during the last three years the number of farms raising more than 50 goats or sheep has increased from 0.7 percent to 2.0 percent and from 1.2 to 2.4 percent, respectively.

Table 1. The farm structure based on the number of animals kept

By number of
goats / No. of farms
x 1000 / % / By number of
sheep / No. of farms x 1000 / %
No goats / 208.8 / 49.5 / No sheep / 167.0 / 39.6
with 1-10 goats / 151.4 / 35.9 / with 1-10 goats / 180.9 / 42.9
11-30 / 41.3 / 9.8 / 11-30 / 48.1 / 11.4
31-50 / 11.8 / 2.8 / 31-50 / 15.2 / 3.6
51-100 / 7.2 / 1.7 / 51-100 / 8.4 / 2.0
101-200 / 0.8 / 0.2 / 101-200 / 0.4 / 0.1
more than 201 / 0.4 / 0.1 / more than 201 / 0.4 / 0.1
Total / 421.8 / 100 / Total / 421.8 / 100

The farming systems

In general, the small ruminants farming system in Albania is an extensive one. It is based on the traditional concept of year-round use of the natural grazing resources. Nevertheless, the characteristics of this system vary in the function of the flock size and geo-climatic conditions. Thus, the farmers who keep small flocks with 5-10 heads, group their animals in the pasture during the day under the supervision of a shepherd, and in the evening keep their flocks in environments close to the house. The flocks of 70-80 animals, are kept in the stable during winter and graze in the pastures close to the village, while in summer the animals are grouped in 2-3 bigger flocks and are transferred to the summer pastures on the mountain. The flocks of 100-200 animals are in motion all year. In the period November-March they move to the pastures of the coastal area and during April-October they move to the mountainous pastures. This system is especially common in sheep keeping.

The farmers who keep sheep in the lowland area, in order to fulfil animal feed needs and exploit the natural pastures, use the grazing of corn harvesting leftovers in the fields and cultivate forages such as alfalfa and green oat. These are used as green feed and also as hay during the winter time. In general, the concentrated feeds, principally maize corn and bran, are used in limited quantities and only 1-2 months before lambing. During the winter time the farmers of the hilly-mountainous zone feed the small ruminants with dried oak leaves or hay which have been prepared during summer. Farms with small ruminants having intensive production systems are not yet created in Albania, and there are very few sheep flocks where semi-intensive production systems are applied. The latter are found more in the lowland area and they are directed toward meat production. The small ruminants are raised by the Albanian farmers for meat, milk, wool and skin production, which in a large part are used for family consumption. The principal direction of the production varies according to the species and the geo-climatic zones. The goats in Albania are kept for a double purpose: milk and meat. The milk is consumed as fresh milk and a good part of it is processed into cheese, sometimes mixed with cow milk. The processing methods are skilled ones. Usually the milk is processed by the farmers themselves, but local processors also exist who collect the milk from the farms. The meat production is realized through raising kids, which are slaughtered after weaning time or at the age of 3-4 months. In the mountainous zones of Albania, the farmers use the wool and the skin for clothing and carpets (both sheep and goats). The direction of production in the sheep kept in different zones of Albania is different. Actually in the coastal-lowland zone which is more developed in the social - economical point of view and the most populated zone, which is more developed in the social-economical point of view and the most populated one, the principal direction of the production is meat. In the hilly-mountainous zone the flocks kept principally for milk production predominate. Today, the wool is considered as a by-product of a little value. The sheep milk is usually used for family consumption, fresh or processed curd and cheese. The surplus of the products beyond the quantities for family needs are sent to the market. Actually the predominant way of marketing milk is selling it to the milk collectors who further process it. The meat is marketed as live animals by the farmers themselves. This is done on fixed days of the week in the markets situated close to the towns. The export of the milk and its processed products and that of the meat has not yet started. The export of the skins has developed quick during the last five years. The main characteristic of the goat genetic fund in Albania, is the existence of the pure indigenous genetic material. The studies done on the Albanian goat population have shown that from the evolutionary aspect it may be classified in primary population groups, in which the process of the standardization is present. Although a variability among the populations kept in different geo-climatic zones of Albania exists, the variability in the visible genetic profile, in the morpho-biometric characteristics, the polymorphism of the milk proteins and the differences in the production and reproduction figures, the studies have shown that they can be considered as a genetic entity with the same origin in which the genetic niches are found. Classifying the goat populations in ecotypes, based on the surveys and measurements performed, we get the information shown in Table 2.