Animal Production in eastern Turkey
K.F. Thompson, N.D. Hart
Lincoln International Ltd., Box 84, Lincoln University, Canterbury,
New Zealand.
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 1994,
54: 189-192
Subsistence village livestock farmers in the eastern provinces farm
approximately 30% of the sheep and cattle of Turkey. Stock are housed for
winter and grazed on communally owned and managed pastures for the
remainder of the year. Typically farmers have 1 to 6 cows and 30 to 100 sheep
or goats. A survey of 91 farmers showed that 55% of the cattle were of the
local Anatolian breed and 37% were of exotic cross. Calving interval averaged
12.5 months, excluding the 10% barren cows. Female progeny were retained
as herd replacements, males were sold between 8 and 18 months old to
specialist cattle finishers who feed cattle indoors and aim to make a US$50 to
US$120 margin per beast in a 4 to 6 month period. Sale of surplus lambs and
milk products are the main sources of income for sheep farmers. Flocks
averaged 80% to 100% lambing with lamb mortality ranging between 5% and
40%, depending on the level of winter feeding. Technology exists in Turkey
for the improvement of winter feeding, and intensive lamb finishing, but
technology transfer is constrained lack of experienced staff and limited training
in livestock production of extension staff.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
eastern Turkey; sheep; cattle; extension.
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Last Updated 25-01-1997
