The extension service developed by the Sine-Saloum Association of Sheep Producers (AGROPROV) in Senegal is directing breeders towards a more intensive production system. Young rams are sold early for slaughter and young ewes for breeding, while ewes are culled after serving for reproduction from the age of two to four years. Efficient meat lamb production has been achieved through the intensive feeding of male lambs reared in loose housing which reach an average weight of 40.6 kg before the age of two. Female lambs, on the other hand, are raised exclusively by grazing and achieve their adult weight of 38 kg at three years of age.
The performance of the eight flocks selected for this study has been satisfactory: the numerical productivity rate has reached 90.5 percent and the growth rate of rams varies between 32 and 88 g/day from birth to two years. A comparison of these results with those obtained at the Institut National de Développement Rural (INDR) experimental farm (numerical productivity rate, 126 percent; growth rate for rams, 80 to 100 g/day) would indicate that, with additional improvements in feeding, even better performances could be achieved.
