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🐄 Livestock
ANX-ANIMAL-0000005
Sheep
Ovis aries
Domesticated sheep raised in Kenya primarily for meat (mutton/lamb), with wool production a secondary consideration for most local breeds.
- Species
- Ovine
- Family
- Bovidae
- Climate requirements
- Wide tolerance, from arid rangelands to cooler highland pasture (1000-2500m); hair-sheep breeds common in hot lowland/rangeland areas, wool breeds better suited to cooler highlands.
Husbandry
Care & Economics
- Husbandry guide
- Graze or feed on pasture/crop residues supplemented with mineral licks; provide a simple, dry, well-ventilated shelter at night to protect against predators and weather. Deworm and vaccinate (enterotoxaemia, PPR where present) on a routine schedule, and practice controlled/rotational grazing to manage parasite burden and pasture quality.
- Economic importance
- An important meat and cultural-ceremonial livestock asset across pastoralist and mixed-farming communities, valued for its relatively fast turnover and resilience compared with cattle in drought-prone rangeland areas.
Genetics
Breeds
ANX-ANIMALBREED-0000008
Dorper
A hardy South African hair-sheep breed (no wool shearing needed), fast-growing and well suited to Kenyan rangeland conditions, bred primarily for meat.
Productivity: Rapid growth rate and good carcass quality; ewes are prolific and can lamb more than once every 12 months under good management.
Wide tolerance, from semi-arid rangeland to highland pasture
Animal health
Diseases
No diseases recorded yet.
Nutrition
Feeds
No feeds recorded yet.
Veterinary
Drugs & Medication
No drugs recorded yet.
Value chain