Flock management and lamb production practices in Karya sheep farms in Aydın

This study was conducted to determine the herd management and butchery lamb production practices in Karya sheep farms in Aydın province. For this purpose, in addition to personal interviews and questionnaires with Karya sheep breeders, observations were made on the farms. Most of the participants (63.3%) were between the ages of 40 and 59, 93.9% were men and 6.1% were women. 66% of the breeders graduated from primary school, 17.0% from secondary school, 12.8% from high school, 6.4% from university and 2.1% from master's degree. The rate of farming is 69.4%. The average duration of membership in the Sheep and Goat Breeders Association is 13.5 years, and the breeding experience is 21.7 years. 43% of the breeders described themselves as breeders. The rate of those included in the National Community Based Small Ruminant Breeding Project is 71%. While the free mating method is common with a rate of 85% as mating method, additional feeding is over 90%. The average number of ewes per ram is 23 at mating. Births are concentrated in the autumn-winter months, and the lambing pen utilization rate is 67.3%. The rate of twinning varies between 50-70%. The pasture utilization rate is 86%; The most frequently used months of pasture are April-June. 57% of the enterprises have a paternal herd. Hay and alfalfa are the most preferred animal feeds. Milking during lactation is not common, and 24.5% do not milk at all. Although all morphological characteristics are considered in the selection of breeders, milk yield and twinning rate are among the yield characteristics that are the basis for selection. All the farmers are vaccinating; diarrhea and mastitis are the most common health problems. It has been determined that the extensive breeding system is largely preserved, the management is largely done with traditional methods, but the breeders are open to development and guidance. To make the production system sustainable, public support and policies should be shaped by prioritizing domestic genetic resources and ancient breeding systems.