Assessment of consumer preference traits of indigenous sheep type and market channels in Bensa District, Southern Ethiopia

ABSTRACT This study was carried out in Bensa district of Sidama Zone, southern Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to assess consumer preference traits of indigenous sheep type in the study area. Data were analysed using SPSS versions 16. There are four towns where sheep was marketed in addition to many villages that were used as primary market outlets for sheep. Farmers, collectors, traders, brokers, restaurant/hotel owners and individual consumers were the major actors in the sheep market. There were five main market channels and three market outflow route of sheep in the study area. The most preferred traits by consumer in the study area were younger age, uncastrated, large frame size, good body condition and non-black colour. The demand for sheep was high during the time of crop harvesting and Christian holidays. It was concluded that understanding the consumer preferences of indigenous sheep can be used as first step in designing a sustainable breeding programme in the study area. Hence, this study recommended that community based selective breeding program should be implemented to control negative selection and improve the performance and productivity of sheep. Besides, effort should be geared to transform the system into market oriented system using value chain framework.