Production objectives and breeding practices of urban goat and sheep keepers in West Africa: regional analysis and implications for the development of supportive breeding programs

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Table 3 Average sheep and goat flock sizes (n) and flock composition (% of flock size) in the three West African cities of Kano (Nigeria), Bobo Dioulasso (Burkina Faso) and Sikasso (Mali)

Variable	Overall		Kano		Bobo Dioulasso		Sikasso
Variable	n	Mean ± SD	n	Mean^a ± SD	n	Mean^a ± SD	n	Mean^a ± SD
Flock size (n)
Sheep	302	9.2 ± 6.0	100	10.7^aA ± 7.2	102	8.1^aBC ± 5.1	100	8.9^aC ± 5.2
Goats	307	11.5 ± 7.8	100	8.8^bA ± 6.4	100	7.8^aA ± 5.6	107	17.4^bB ± 7.3
Flock structure (%)
Female mature (≥12 months)
Sheep	302	50.1 ± 15.2	100	50.8^aA ± 14.2	102	49.9^aA ± 17.2	100	49.5^aA ± 14.8
Goats	307	49.7 ± 15.6	100	44.0 ^bA ± 13.3	100	49.8^aB ± 17.9	107	54.9^bC ± 13.5
Female young (<12 months)
Sheep	302	16.2 ± 14.0	100	13.7^aA ± 11.6	102	14.4^aA ± 13.7	100	20.4^aB ± 15.6
Goats	307	21.0 ± 14.9	100	22.5^bA ± 15.8	100	21.8^bA ± 15.2	107	18.9^aA ± 13.7
Male mature (≥12 months)
Sheep	302	21.7 ± 15.3	100	26.3^aA ± 12.1	102	17.8^aB ± 17.1	100	21.0^aB ± 12.1
Goats	307	14.3 ± 12.3	100	18.2^bA ± 13.5	100	9.4^bB ± 13.4	107	14.9^bC ± 8.3
Male young (<12 months)
Sheep	302	11.7 ± 12.5	100	9.1^aA ± 10.7	102	17.5^aB ± 13.9	100	8.7^aA ± 10.7
Goats	307	13.2 ± 12.3	100	12.2^bA ± 11.7	100	18.6^aB ± 14.0	107	9.4^aA ± 9.5
Castrates
Sheep	302	0.3 ± 2.1	100	0.2^aA ± 1.7	102	0.3^aA ± 2.1	100	0.3^aA ± 2.3
Goats	307	1.8 ± 5.1	100	3.1^bA ± 2.0	100	0.3^aB ± 2.0	107	1.8^bA ± 4.6

^aMeans in columns followed by different lowercase letters are different at p ≤ 0.05 (Mann–Whitney U test); Means in rows followed by different uppercase letters are different at p ≤ 0.05 (Kruskall Wallis test followed by Mann–Whitney U test).