AGE AND SEX COMPOSITION OF SMALL RUMINANTS AT NOUAKCHOTT MARKETS, MAURITANIA

A survey of species, breeds, sex and age composition of sheep and goat s offered for sale was made at Nouakchott (Mauritania) livestock marke ts. Some 82.8% of animals presented at the markets were sheep and 95% of these were of the Short-haired Maure breed, the remainder being Lon g-haired Maure. Goats of the Sahel breed comprised 81% of all animals of this species, the others being Sahara and Eastern Dwarf types, but goats represented only 17.2% of all animals brought to market. Castrat ed Short-haired Maure sheep were 63.6% of this breed whereas castrates of Long-haired Maure sheep were 40.6% of the total. There were signif icantly more castrates than entire males presented for sale for sheep but the reverse was the case for goats. Entire males of both species w ere sold at younger ages than castrates and males and castrates combin ed were sold at younger ages than females. This study has provided som e indications of the types of stock offered for sale but further studi es at peak sale times would allow more detailed analysis. Such an anal ysis should be coupled with a survey of owners/herders and of traders in order to determine the factors operating on market forces.