Abstract:

Animal production in Turkey has changed considerably in the last years. Although number of cattle (10.43%), sheep (46.20%), goat (52.35%) and buffalo (76.18%) production have decreased, number of poultry (61.38%) production has increased in the last nineteen years (1991-2009). According to recent statistics, 10 723 958 heads of cattle, 87 207 heads of buffalo, 21 749 508 heads of sheep and 5 128 285 heads of goat are raised in Turkey. Cattle and buffaloes population are 10 811 165 which is 24.00% of it is local breed, 40.75% of it is crossbreed, 34.44% of it is pure breed cattle and 0.81% of it is buffaloes. There is also small ruminant population which is 26 877 793, 80.92% of it is sheep and 19.08% of it is goats. Poultry population is 234 082 206, 28.41% of it is laying hens, 69.83% of it is broilers, 1.18% of it is turkeys, 0.40% of it is ducks and 0.18% of it is geese. Beekeeping are 21 469 in the villages of Turkey. The current number of hives are 5 339 224 units, 97.59% of it is new, 2.41% of it is old hives. According to Turkish Statistical Institute records, 12 542 186 tons of milk and 412 723 tons of red meat have produced from cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats, 1 323 624 tons meat, 13 832 726 000 eggs from poultry, 82 003 tons honey from bees have produced. Some problems of the animal production are lack of breeding animal material, high quality feed sources, protection against disease, capacity of the animal farms, infrastructure, agricultural workers practical breeding levels, marketing and financing etc. In this paper the levels of animal production in Turkey and its problems and their solutions are discussed.

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