Abstract:
Sheep have contributed considerable portion to the integrated farming systems in Ethiopia.
This paper focus on the role of characterizing indigenous sheep breed, including their threat status in
genetic improvement and development of conservation programs. This paper review brifly sheep
genetic resources, description of farming systems, breeding objectives of the community, evaluation of
growth and reproductive performance studies. Information obtained from past characterization studies
can assist in designing and developing genetic improvement programs for sustainable utilization of the
most promising and widely used breeds in the country. The most crucial and urgently needed research
activity is on development of breeding programs suitable to the conditions of smallholder farmers,
particularly regarding the practical implementation of breeding programs.
