Migratory livestock in the Igdir province

This study was conducted to determine the livestock practices and problems of livestock breeders living in Iğdır province, to find solutions to these problems and to contribute to the development of animal husbandry. This study was carried out with a survey of 174 business owners registered to the Sheep and Goat Breeders Association. In the study, the data were counted as numbers and percentages and 2 (Chi-Square) Test was used for analytical evaluation. According to these statistical evaluations; some productive performance characteristics of Morkaraman sheep is found as follows: Infertility rate is 4,54% while lambing rate is 90,25%. Conception rate is 95,46%, while twinning rate is 12,20%, aborting rate is 4,35%, rate of lambs dying within one month of birth is 4,88 and ewe death rate is 1,34%. Number of lambs per mating ewe is 0,99 head and number of lambs per lambing ewe is 1,11 head. The rate of mating is 82,2% in September and 17,8% in August, estrus was concentrated in an average of 28,19 ± 0,60 days, and the total duration of estrus was 58,51±1,40 days and the mean age of breeding was 16,83 ± 0,21 months. Lamb and goats are breastfed for about six months, milking is done in 2-3 months. While 86,8% of the breeders went to pastures in April, 75,3% went to highlands in June. In September, 83,3% of the breeders returned from highlands to pastures, while 79,9% returned to the plains in December. The breeders are grazing pastures for six months in spring (April-May-June) and in fall (October-November-December). Highlands are grazed for two months per year (July-August-September). 79,9%of the returning breeders graze their animals on previously-unutilized pastures within villages, stubbles and areas within stubbles, orchards and gardens and take their animals to barns in December. Thus, migrant breeders use pastures in spring and at the beginning of summer (April-May-June), highlands in summer and at the beginning of fall (July-August-September) and village pastures, stubbles and gardens in fall and at the beginning of winter (October-November-December).In addition to, 5,8% of the breeders graze their own herds while 68,4% hand over grazing to shepherds and 25,9% graze their herds in assistance of a shepherd. It was determined that 91,4% breeders do not feed their herds prior to mating while 7,5% feed their animals. According to the results of the study, it can be said that the migrants of Igdir province use their pastures, highlands and winters in accordance with the law of pasture law 4342 and they are experienced and conscious about small ruminants breeding.