Management Practices and Consumption Patterns of Small Ruminants in the Fiji Islands

Despite their importance to Fiji’s food security due to their adaptability and ease of production, the production practices of sheep and goats in Fiji are not well understood. This study characterized small ruminant production systems and determined the meat consumption patterns in Fiji Islands. Data were collected from 270 sheep and goat producers in Fiji’s two main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, using a structured questionnaire that captured socio-demographic information, the importance of small ruminants to farmers, challenges faced, management practices, and household meat consumption patterns. Associations between geographical location and production practices were determined using the chi-squared option of PROC FREQ and logistic regression. Over 95% of the farmers in both islands used paddocking as their primary management strategy. Hindu farmers were four times more likely to use paddocks for raising sheep and goats than Muslim farmers (p < 0.05). More than 65% of the farmers reported scabby mouth and foot rot as primary diseases in Vanua Levu, compared to less than 30% in Viti Levu. In Vanua Levu, the preferred age for slaughtering sheep and goats was less than one year, whereas in Viti Levu, it was one and a half years (p < 0.05). Most farmers discarded offal and other byproducts, such as skin and blood. Management practices and meat consumption patterns were similar in Viti Levu and Vanua Levu; however, the age of slaughter for small ruminants differed.