Tariku Bachano^1,, Monenus Etefa²

Sheep fattening in Ethiopia has been recognized as a potentially profitable activity that enhances the income of smallholder farmers. Under traditional and extensive production systems, the level of production and productivity of sheep in Ethiopia is generally low. Feeding shortage is one of the limiting factors for increasing the production and productivity of small ruminants in most of the agro-ecological zones in Ethiopia. Diseases are the major constraints to improve small ruminant’s production and productivity. Health problems cause high mortality and reduced productivity and growth performance resulting in reducing the output per animal and flock off-take rates. It describes the challenges and opportunities likely to slow or enhance productivity in sheep fattening activities in Ethiopia and the prospects of improving sustained productivity. The results of action research showed, fattening of rams can commence as early as three months of age and the round cycle was three times in a year due to the addition of different values. Sheep fattening is constrained by feed scarcity, market access, poor husbandry practices, disease prevalence, and labour shortage. Thus, government as well as kebele development professionals should focus on key constraints to increase sheep fattening production, value addition, and marketing in the study area.

Bekiyo Bekit, improved, marketing, sheep fattening, value addition