Husbandry practices and reproductive performance of local Gamo sheep and their Bonga crosses in Geressie Zuria District, Southern Ethiopia

Context Sheep are crucial to smallholder livelihoods in Southern Ethiopia, but local Gamo sheep show low reproductive performance. Community-based crossbreeding with Bonga sheep has been introduced to improve productivity. Aims To assess traditional husbandry practices and reproductive performance of local Gamo sheep and their Bonga crossbreds across highland, midland and lowland agroecologies in Geressie Zuria District. Methods A total of 138 households were surveyed using structured questionnaires. Data on flock structure, housing, feeding and reproductive parameters (age at first lambing, lambing interval, litter size, reproductive lifespan and lifetime lamb crop) were collected. Quantitative data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and independent t-tests; categorical data were analyzed using the chi-squared test. Key results Average flock sizes were highest in highlands (12.69 ± 0.26) and lowest in midlands (7.31 ± 0.31). Most households provided separate sheep housing, and crop residues were the primary feed source. Local × Bonga crossbreds reached sexual maturity and first lambing earlier (12.0–12.3 months) than local Gamo sheep (13.1–13.8 months), had shorter lambing intervals (7.25–7.71 vs 8.0–8.16 months), and higher prolificacy (1.8–2.0 vs 1.33–1.39 lambs per lambing). Lifetime lamb crop was higher in crossbreds (14–16.4 lambs) than in local sheep (11.7–13.6 lambs), although crossbreds had slightly shorter reproductive lifespans (6.3–7.3 vs 7.5–7.76 years). Conclusions Bonga × Gamo crossbreds demonstrated superior short-term reproductive efficiency under prevailing management, whereas local Gamo sheep maintained longer reproductive life and lactation length. Agroecology influenced flock structure, landholding and reproductive traits. Implications Enhancing crossbreeding programs and improving husbandry practices, such as housing and supplemental feeding, can boost sheep productivity, strengthen food security and increase farmers’ income. To ensure sustainable flock replacement, management strategies should consider the shorter reproductive lifespan of crossbred ewes.