A Review of Studies on Improvement of Sheep Resilience to Climate Change Stresses

Abstract

Sheep are economically, nutritionally and culturally very important in the world, particularly in developing countries. However, there are many climate change stresses constraining sheep production. Climate change directly and adversely impacts on sheep production in terms of reduced quantity and quality of water and feeds, and increased animal health and husbandry challenges. Sheep with high water and feed use efficiencies can survive on less water and feed during drought periods. These efficiencies can be improved at the animal level (breeding animals with high water and feed use efficiencies, etc.), feed level (breeding drought resistant feed crops, etc.) and or at the water or feed resource management levels (increasing sheep product produced per unit of water or feed through cutting of water or feed wastage). This chapter reviews studies on the efficiency with which sheep products are produced from feed and water resources. It is concluded that selection of sheep that have high water and feed use efficiencies per unit of sheep product can be a mitigating option against limited water and feeds due to climate change.