Evaluation of Socioeconomic Status, Animal Nutrition, Management Preferences and Reproduction Parameters of Sheep Breeding Enterprises in the Village

Ramazan Ayaş; Muhammet Mücahit Sarı; Muhammet Hanifi Selvi; Ayşe Sari

doi:10.29133/yyutbd.1809137

Evaluation of Socioeconomic Status, Animal Nutrition, Management Preferences and Reproduction Parameters of Sheep Breeding Enterprises in the Village

Abstract

This study is based on face-to-face surveys conducted with 42 sheep farm owners operating in the villages of Pınarkaya, Büyükkoraş, Kavaközü, and Küçükkoraş in the Ayrancı district of Karaman province. The aim of this study was to evaluate the socioeconomic status, nutritional habits, yield traits, and reproductive performance of these enterprises. The findings indicated that the average age of the farm owners was 52.5 years, and 100% of them continued this profession as their father's. However, only 33% of the farm owners were determined to continue this profession. Brucella zoonosis was detected in 26.2% of the farm owners. The average number of sheep on the farms was 207.8 head, the lactation period was 130 days, and the average milk yield per lactation was 71.4 kg. The average weaning age of lambs was 113.3 days. All farms fed pasture and kept their sheep on pasture for an average of 222 days. All farms were satisfied with the pasture quality but did not take any initiative to improve it. Furthermore, only 14.3% of the farms supplemented pasture with feed. All farms used the natural mating method for breeding, with one ram for every 30 sheep, and an average lamb mortality rate of 16.8%. In conclusion, ensuring the sustainability of sheep farming requires educational programs on modern feeding and reproductive practices, alongside structural incentives to encourage the younger generation to return to the sector.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

No funding

Ethical Statement

This study was prepared under the permission numbered 2025/131, dated 21/02/2025, from the Ethics Committee of Necmettin Erbakan University, Social and Human Sciences Scientific Research Ethics Board.

Thanks

The authors would like to thank all participants who took part in the survey for their time and valuable input.

References

Acıbuca, V., & Budak, D. B. (2021). Structural situation of small ruminant enterprises in Mardin Province. Yüzüncü Yıl Univ J Agric Sci, 31(4), 898–905. https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.925141
Aktürk, D., Savran, F., Hakyemez, H., Daş, G., & Savaş, T. (2005). Socio-economic Analysis of Animal Breeding Enterprises under Extensive Conditions in Gökçeada. J Agric Sci, 11(3), 229–235. https://doi.org/10.1501/Tarimbil_0000000576
Alkan, S., & Türkmen, Z. (2021). Determination of important diseases and problems in sheep enterprises in Ordu province. Acad J Agric, 10(2), 427–432. https://doi.org/10.29278/azd.907047
Arıtunca, D. (2019). The status of sheep enterprises in the central districts of Konya province. (Unpublished master's thesis), Selçuk University Institute of Science, Konya, Türkiye.
Atsan, T., Emsen, E., Yaprak, M., Dağdemir, V., & Gimenez Diaz, C. A. (2007). An economic assessment of differently managed sheep flocks in eastern Türkiye. Ital J Anim Sci, 6(4), 407–414. https://doi.org/10.4081/ijas.2007.407
Bilginturan, S., & Ayhan V. (2009). A Research on structural characteristics and problems of sheep breeding enterprises in burdur sheep and goat breeding association. Hayvansal Üretim, 50(1), 1–8.
Ceyhan, A., Şekeroğlu, A., Ünalan, A., Çınar, M., Serbester, U., Akyol, E., & Yılmaz, E. (2015). A Research on structural characteristics and problems of sheep breeding in Nigde. Journal Of Agriculture and Nature, 18(2), 60–68. https://doi.org/10.18016/ksujns.10904
Chaturvedi, O., Bhatta, R., Verma, D., & Singh, N. (2006). Effect of flushing on nutrient utilization and reproductive performance of ewes grazing on community rangeland. Asian-Australas J Anim Sci, 19(4), 521–525. https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2006.521

Çelikyurek, H., & Aygün, T. (2024). Least squares, simple linear regression, and pearson correlation analysis between the lactation milk yield of Norduz ewes and their lambs’ live weight. Yuzuncu Yil University Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 34(3), 381-392. https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.1463028
Demir, Y., & Tuncer, S. S. (2023). Structural characteristics of small ruminants enterprises in Hakkâri Province. Journal of Animal Production, 64(1), 27–35. https://doi.org/10.29185/hayuretim.1277515
Garzón, A. C. G., Orjuela, A. G., & Gallegos, J. S. (2021). Efecto del flushing sobre el desempeño reproductivo en ovejas de pelo en un centro de apoyo a la investigación y docencia en México. Rev Sist Prod Agroecol, 12(1), 38–57. https://doi.org/10.22579/22484817.737
Gül, S., Oflaz, N., Keskin, M., & Behrem, S. (2022). The structural characteristics of sheep farming in Aksaray Province. Journal of Erciyes Agriculture and Animal Science, 5(2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.55257/ethabd.1112668
Gül, S., & Örnek, H. (2018). Structural characteristics of small ruminant breeding in Gaziantep province I. sheep breeding. Mustafa Kemal Univ J Agric Fac, 23(2), 306–314.
Güntay, M. A., & Çam, M. A. (2024). Reproductive performance and meat production potential in sheep enterprises in Samsun province. Anadolu J Agric Sci, 39(2), 269–289. https://doi.org/10.7161/omuanajas.1393875
IBM Corp. (2015). IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows (Version 23.0) [Computer software]. IBM Corp.
Karadaş, K. (2018). Socio-economic status of sheep enterprises: The case of Hakkâri province. Atatürk Univ J Agric Fac, 49(1), 29–35. https://doi.org/10.17097/ataunizfd.322684
Karakaya, E., & Kızıloğlu, S. (2014). Organizational structure of small ruminant enterprises: The case of Bingöl province. Turk J Agric Nat Sci, 1(4), 552–560.
Keskin, M., & Bebek, D. T. (2018). Current status, some yield and structural characteristics of sheep breeding in Mersin province. Mustafa Kemal Univ J Agric Fac, 23(2), 315–323.
Köseman, A., Kul, S., & Şeker, İ. (2022). Structural characteristics of sheep enterprises and socio-economic status of breeders in Malatya province. Fırat Univ Vet J Health Sci, 36(1), 1–9.
Mohamud, A. H., & Çevrimli, M. B. (2023). Technical and Economic Analysis of Sheep Breeding Enterprises in Selcuklu District of Konya Province. Kocatepe Veterinary Journal, 16(3), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.30607/kvj.1278117
Oğuz, C., Özer, H., & Yılmaz, R. (2019). Determination of structural characteristics of sheep enterprises, the case of Konya province. Cat-In-Pub Data, 199, 1–10.
Oral, H. H., Kuz, H. İ., Dayanıklı, C., Önaldı, A. T., Alarslan, E., & Duman, E. (2021). Structural characteristics of extensive small ruminant enterprises and transition possibilities to organic animal husbandry: The case of Balıkesir province, Türkiye. Turk J Agric Res, 8(3), 320–330. https://doi.org/10.19159/tutad.996602
Özek, K. (2015). Factors affecting milk composition in dairy cattle and the relationship between feeding and milk composition. Bahri Dağdaş Hayvancılık Araştırma Derg, 4(2), 37–45.
Özsayın, D., & Everest, B. (2019). Socio-economic structure of sheep breeders and their practices related to sheep breeding activities. Journal Of Agriculture and Nature, 22, 440–448.
Özyürek, S., Türkyılmaz, D., Dağdelen, Ü., Esenbuğa, N., & Yaprak, M. (2018). Investigation of structural characteristics and problems of sheep enterprises in Erzincan province according to enterprise size. Akademik Ziraat Dergisi, 7(2), 219–226. https://doi.org/10.29278/azd.476651
Robertson, S. M., & Friend, M. A. (2019). Performance of sheep systems grazing perennial pastures. 3. Fertility, fecundity and lamb survival. Anim Prod Sci, 60(3), 414–422. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN18557
Sarı, A., Ayaş, R., & Selvi, M. H. (2025). Evaluation of fertility parameters and nutrition-fertility relationship in dairy cattle farms in Ereğli district of Konya province. Research and Practice in Veterinary and Animal Science, 2(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.69990/REPVAS.2025.2.1.4
Şimşek, G. (2019). Determination of technical and economic structures of enterprises engaged in small ruminant breeding in Kırşehir province. (Unpublished master's thesis), Institute of Science, Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, Kırşehir, Türkiye.
Taherti, M., Ait Isad, N., & Mimoune, N. (2024). Utjecaj sezone parenja i stanja tijela na zootehničke parametre ouled djellal ovaca u polupustinjskim područjima. Vet Stanica, 55(5), 489–501. https://doi.org/10.46419/vs.55.5.10
Tongco, M. D. C. (2007). Purposive sampling as a tool for informant selection. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 5, 147–158.
TUIK. (2024). Livestock statistics. Turkish Statistical Institute [TURKSTAT]. Retrieved June 6, 2025, from https://data.tuik.gov.tr
Vural, H., & Arslan, V. (2024). Historical development and general status of the Pasture and Meadow Law implementations in Türkiye. Cat-In-Pub Data, 241, 1–10.
Yıldırır, M., Çakır, D. Ü., & Yurtman, İ. Y. (2022). Effects of restricted nutrition and flushing on reproductive performance and metabolic profiles in sheep. Livest Sci, 258, 104870. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2022.104870
Zengin, Y., Behrem, S., Tütenk, S., & Gül, S. (2023). Investigation of structural characteristics of Central Anatolian Merino sheep farms and effectiveness of the breeding project in Ankara province. Livest Stud, 63(2), 69–76. https://doi.org/10.46897/livestockstudies.1416453

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Animal Feeding , Animal Reproduction and Breeding , Animal Growth and Development

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Ramazan Ayaş ^*
0000-0002-3400-243X
Türkiye

Muhammet Mücahit Sarı
0000-0002-9419-9123
Türkiye

Muhammet Hanifi Selvi
0000-0002-9785-9174
Türkiye

Ayşe Sari
0000-0003-4181-9509
Türkiye

Publication Date

April 7, 2026

Submission Date

October 23, 2025

Acceptance Date

March 2, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.1809137

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA53LZ28CK

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Ayaş, R., Sarı, M. M., Selvi, M. H., & Sari, A. (2026). Evaluation of Socioeconomic Status, Animal Nutrition, Management Preferences and Reproduction Parameters of Sheep Breeding Enterprises in the Village. Yuzuncu Yıl University Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 1, 1809137. https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.1809137