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Of the more than one billion sheep in the world, many of these are owned by smallholders in developing countries who are part of extensive low-cost production systems. The sheep products are mostly consumed on local markets, with Australia and New Zealand playing the most significant role on the world market. Also in the developed world, sheep production tends to take place on marginal pastureland, is relatively of low cost and has limited large capital investment in breeding programmes. Due to the low value of individual animals (compared to dairy cattle) and the low reproductive rate of females (compared to pigs and poultry), sheep breeding programmes are characterised by relatively low levels of private investment or corporate involvement, and are therefore often running on a 'low-cost' principle. |
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