Table 1.
Selected cumulative data collected during the mapping of 444 small ruminant farms in a countrywide investigation in Greece, classified according to animal species in the farms.
| Sheep Flocks (n = 325) | Goat Herds (n = 199) | p-Value 1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Details | |||
| Management system 2 | Intensive: 13.5%, semi-intensive: 43.1%, semi-extensive: 35.7%, extensive: 7.7% | Intensive: 7.5%, semi-intensive: 24.4%, semi-extensive: 51.3%, extensive: 16.8% |
<0.0001 3 |
| Infrastructure | |||
| Year of the initial establishment of the farm | X: year 1981 ± 1 year 3 | X: year 1977 ± 1 year | 0.09 |
| Availability of a main building for animals | Yes: 97.8%, no: 2.2% 4 | Yes: 98.3%, no: 1.7% | 0.75 |
| Availability of a milking parlour | Yes: 78.5%, no: 21.5% | Yes: 55.5%, no: 44.5% | <0.0001 |
| Type of milking parlour | Fishbone: 0.4%, circular: 3.9%, linear parallel: 35.7%, linear one-sided: 59.6%, other: 0.4% | Fishbone: 0.0%, circular: 6.1%, linear parallel: 31.8%, linear one-sided: 62.1%, other: 0.0% | 0.85 |
| Number of animal positions in the parlour | X: 25 ± 1 positions | X: 25 ± 2 positions | 0.65 |
| Total number of feed troughs available | X: 28 ± 2 troughs | X: 26 ± 3 troughs | 0.71 |
| Total number of drinking points available | X: 10 ± 0.5 points | X: 9 ± 1.0 points | 0.46 |
| Total grazing land | X: 510 ± 50 acres | X: 1322 ± 390 acres | 0.002 |
| Animals | |||
| No. of female animals (small ruminants) in the farm | X: 325 ± 13 ewes | X: 237 ± 20 does | 0.0006 |
| No. of male animals (small ruminants) in the farm | X: 15 ± 0.5 rams | X: 16 ± 1.5 bucks | 0.47 |
| Breed of female animals | Assaf: 9.2%, Awassi: 0.3%, Boutsko: 0.6%, Chios: 13.5%, Crossbreds: 13.2%, Friesarta: 3.7%, Friesian: 4.0%, Karagouniko: 1.5%, Kefallinia: 0.3%, Lacaune: 29.2%, ‘Local’: 16.9%, Mytilini: 5.5%, Sfakia: 1.8% |
Alpine: 7.6%, Crossbreds: 15.1%, Damascus: 15.1%, Kefallinia: 0.8%, Indigenous Greek (Capra prisca): 42.0%, Murciano-Granadina: 10.9%, Saanen: 4.2%, Skopelos: 4.2% |
n/a |
| Average age of culling ewes/does | X: 5.9 ± 0.1 years | X: 6.9 ± 0.1 years | <0.0001 |
| Production Characteristics | |||
| Month of the start of the lambing/kidding season | October (January–December) 5 |
October (January–December) |
0.11 |
| Annual milk quantity per animal obtained during the preceding milking period | X: 207 ± 5 L | X: 201 ± 10 L | 0.55 |
| Total number of lambs/kids born per female animal during the preceding lambing/kidding season | X: 1.33 ± 0.1 lambs | X: 1.30 ± 0.2 kids | 0.15 |
| Average age of lambs/kids at slaughter | X: 50 ± 1 days | X: 65 ± 3 days | <0.0001 |
| Average carcass weight of lambs/kids at slaughter | X: 10.0 ± 0.1 kg | X: 9.4 ± 0.2 days | 0.012 |
| Health Management | |||
| The two health problems in lambs/kids considered to be of higher importance (top three outcomes presented) | Diarrhoea: 71.7%, pneumonia: 27.4%, contagious ecthyma: 7.7% | Diarrhoea: 69.7%, pneumonia: 22.7%, clostridial infection: 10.1% | n/a |
| The two health problems in adult animals considered to be of higher importance (top three outcomes presented) | Mastitis: 66.2%, pneumonia: 17.5%, lameness: 6.2% | Mastitis: 42.9%, paratuberculosis: 19.3%, pneumonia: 14.3% | n/a |
| Incidence rate of total deaths, of any cause, in adult animals during the preceding season | 5.2% (5.0–5.5%) 6 | 5.9% (5.8–6.0%) | 0.023 |
| Collaboration with a veterinarian | Yes: 87.1%, no: 12.9% | Yes: 84.9%, no: 15.1% | 0.55 |
| Use of laboratory diagnostic examinations | Yes: 40.9%, no: 59.1% | Yes: 43.7%, no: 56.3% | 0.60 |
| Maintenance of prescribed withdrawal periods after administration of pharmaceuticals | Yes: 98.8%, no: 1.2% | Yes: 98.3%, no: 1.7% | 0.72 |
| Overall incidence of mastitis during the preceding season | 3.9% (3.8–4.0%) | 2.8% (2.6–3.0%) | <0.0001 |
| Overall incidence of abortion during the preceding season | 2.0% (1.9–2.1%) | 2.5% (2.7–2.9%) | <0.0001 |
| Overall incidence of lameness during the preceding season | 2.8% (2.7–2.9%) | 1.2% (1.1–1.4%) | <0.0001 |
| Overall incidence of respiratory problems in young animals during the preceding season | 1.4% (1.3–1.5%) | 1.1% (1.0–1.2%) | <0.0001 |
| Overall incidence of diarrhoea in young animals during the preceding season | 7.9% (7.8–8.0%) | 10.4% (10.0–10.7%) | <0.0001 |
| Reproductive management | No hormonal control: 66.8%, administration of melatonin: 7.1%, administration of progestogens: 27.4% | No hormonal control: 83.2%, administration of melatonin: 4.2%, administration of progestogens: 13.4% | 0.0007 |
| Duration of mating period | 2 (1–12) months | 2 (1–12) months | 0.09 |
| Age for lamb/kid removal from their dams | X: 50 ± 1 days | X: 65 ± 3 days | <0.0001 |
| Daily number of milking sessions | 2 (1–3) | 2 (1–3) | 0.0001 |
| Duration of the dry-period | X: 3.0 ± 0.1 months | X: 2.9 ± 0.1 months | 0.84 |
| Vaccination against Chlamydia infection | Yes: 40.0%, no: 60.0% | Yes: 32.8%, no: 67.2% | 0.16 |
| Vaccination against Brucella infection | Yes: 100.0%, no: 0.0% | Yes: 100.0%, no: 0.0% | n/a |
| Vaccination against clostridial infection | Yes: 97.2%, no: 2.8% | Yes: 99.2%, no: 0.8% | 0.23 |
| Vaccination against mastitis | Yes: 39.7%, no: 61.2% | Yes: 28.6%, no: 71.4% | 0.047 |
| Vaccination against contagious agalactia | Yes: 57.2%, no: 42.8% | Yes: 54.6%, no: 45.4% | 0.62 |
| Vaccination against bacterial respiratory infections | Yes: 44.3%, no: 55.7% | Yes: 32.8%, no: 67.2% | 0.028 |
| Vaccination against paratuberculosis | Yes: 3.4%, no: 96.6% | Use: 26.1%, no: 73.9% | <0.0001 |
| Administration of anthelmintics to sheep/goats in the farm | Yes: 99.1%, no: 0.9% | Yes: 98.3%, no: 1.7% | 0.50 |
| Administration of ectoparasiticides to sheep/goats in the farm | Yes: 33.5%, no: 66.5% | Yes: 58.0%, no: 42.0% | <0.0001 |
| Application of disinfections in the farm | Yes: 91.1%, no: 8.9% | Yes: 85.7%, no: 14.3% | 0.10 |
| Foot care | Yes: 68.9%, no: 31.1% | Yes: 60.5%, no: 39.5% | 0.10 |
| Nutrition | |||
| Provision of hay as fodder to animals | Yes: 99.7%, no: 0.3% | Yes: 97.5%, no: 2.5% | 0.029 |
| Total quantity of hay consumed during the preceding season | X: 84 ± 5 tons | X: 46 ± 7 tons | 0.0003 |
| Provision of straw to animals | Yes: 79.4%, no: 20.6% | Yes: 65.5%, no: 34.5% | 0.003 |
| Provision of silage to adult animals | Yes: 22.2%, no: 77.8% | Yes: 15.1%, no: 84.9% | 0.10 |
| Total quantity of silage consumed during the preceding season | X: 142 ± 31 tons | X: 98 ± 35 tons | 0.50 |
| Provision of finished feed to animals | Yes: 93.5%, no: 6.5% | Yes: 86.6%, no: 13.4% | 0.018 |
| Total quantity of finished feed (concentrate) consumed during the preceding season | X: 86 ± 6 tons | X: 66 ± 8 tons | 0.12 |
| Premix purchase for use in diets | Yes: 88.0%, no: 12.0% | Yes: 81.5%, no: 18.5% | 0.08 |
| Human Resources | |||
| Age | X: 47 ± 1 years | X: 47 ± 1 years | 0.64 |
| Length of previous animal farming experience | X: 24 ± 1 years | X: 25 ± 1 years | 0.80 |
| Highest level of general education | Primary: 17.5%, secondary: 69.2%, tertiary: 13.2% | Primary: 16.8%, secondary: 74.8%, tertiary: 8.4% | 0.35 |
| Farmer by profession | Yes: 89.8%, no: 10.2% | Yes: 88.2%, no: 11.8% | 0.63 |
| Personal opinion regarding occurrence of transmission of diseases from animals to the farmer or members of the family | Yes: 13.5%, no: 86.5% | Yes: 22.7%, no: 77.3% | 0.020 |
| Farm worker employment | Yes: 37.8%, no: 62.2% | Yes: 28.6%, no: 71.4% | 0.07 |
1 p-value for comparison between sheep flocks and goat herds; 2 Management system classified according to the system of the European Food Safety Authority [24]; 3 Figures present mean ± standard error of the mean (X ± σM.); 4 Figures present proportions of farms for each category within the variable; 5 Figures present median (minimum–maximum) value; 6 Figures present average (95% confidence interval) value.