According to U.N. statistics, there are approximately 1.3 million sheep and goats in the Republic of Moldova. The numbers of sheep and goats, as well as other livestock, does not seem to have declined with the transition to a new economy. In fact, sheep production has increased in some areas, as there seems to be profit potential in the dairy and livestock sectors in Moldova. This differs from other former Soviet states and is probably a result of the dairy emphasis.
Milking a sheepBoth sheep and goats are milked. Goats are milked to provide milk and cheese for the family. Sheep milk is used to make cheese that is either consumed by the family or sold in the open market. The sheep and goats are of mixed genetics. The goats resemble crosses of typical European breeds: Saanan, Toggenburg, Alpine, etc. The sheep are significantly different than the breeds found in the U.S. and Canada. They have a noticeable fat tail or rump. They show indications of Karakul and other Russian breeds.
Lambing typically occurs in February. Single births are most common. Lambs stay with their dams for about three months. Peak milk production usually occurs in May. Ewes are milked twice daily. Everyone in a village combines their sheep to form a larger flock of about 75 to 100 animals. Most farmers have a few sheep, as well as a cow, some goats, pigs and poultry.
Sheep are grazed on public pasture lands. They receive no grain and do not seem to experience many health problems. There are no fences for containing livestock. Everyone shares in the cost of hiring someone to watch over the flock. A fee is paid to the government for using the land. It is assessed per head of livestock. Sheep are usually grazed separately from cows and goats.
There are also flocks of geese which graze the public pasture lands. Geese are very common in Moldova. They have paint marks on them to differentiate ownership. The sheep are brought into a fold every night for milking and overnight housing. In fact, all animals are brought home at night for supplemental feeding and housing.
There are no restrictions on the number of animals that graze the pasture lands, no restrictions on when the land is grazed, or for how long the animals are allowed to graze. The formation of grazing associations might be a way of managing this important land resource. Otherwise, animal agriculture will be limited by the availability of productive pasture land.
