O. Khadjikov1 and O. Annamuhamedov2
1. Institute of Livestock and Veterinary Association, Turkmenlari, Turkmenistan
2. Farm Animal Institute, Turkmenlari, Turkmenistan
The Republic of Turkmenistan, in Central Asia, covers a total area of nearly 49 million hectares, 80% of which lie in the Karakum desert. There are an estimated 38.7 million hectares available for grazing and 12 million hectares of cultivated land, 2 million hectares of which are irrigated and used mainly for cotton production. River and ground water resources together supply about 0.034 billion m3 of water. The country is in a period of transition from a centralised to a market economy.
Cotton is the most important crop, with an estimated annual production of 1 million tonnes. Cereal production in 1997 was about 0.9 million tonnes. It is hoped that the production of cereals will increase to 2 million tonnes.
At the beginning of 1997 there were an estimated 6.14 million small ruminants and 1.2 million cattle in Turkmenistan. About 50% of small ruminants and 25% of the cattle are privately owned. There were also 668,000 poultry, 106,000 camels and 27,000 horses, including 2500 of the famous Alkhatikeen breed.
Seventy per cent of the sheep population are black or grey Karakul. The remaining 30% are from the local Saradjin dual-purpose (meat and wool) breed. The average weight of Saradjin ewes is 50–55 kg and average annual wool production is 1.5–1.8 kg. Cattle are mainly Red Steppe (50%) or Swiss (25%). Cattle are kept indoors, with little or no grazing. Potential dairy production is 4000–4500 kg per lactation, actual milk production is often lower because of lack of feed.
Turkmenistan can be divided into two main zones: irrigated and desert.
The irrigated zone is found in the lower and middle Amudarinskaya and Murgab-Tedjenskaya regions. Soil salinity is an extremely serious problem, particularly in the Aral region. Cattle and poultry production predominates.
The desert zone is in the Pre-Caspian, Karakumskaya, foothills and mountain regions, where temperatures can reach 45°C in summer. The desert ecosystems will not support year-round grazing by sheep and camels and overstocking in these areas has resulted in soil compaction and degradation.
A livestock owners’ society (Turkmenlari) was established in 1997 to privatise and reform the livestock sector and to improve livestock management and distribution. Because of villagers’ resistance to reform and their lack of confidence in privatisation, it was decided that land should be released as a transitional stage. Every leaseholder is given 0.5 ha/animal and is expected to maintain their livestock numbers. Experience suggests that this is a successful way of achieving transition to full privatisation.
The main research priorities are to improve the desert rangelands and establish sustainable livestock systems, to increase feed production using salt-tolerant plants, to improve the Karakul and Saradjin sheep breeds and to develop cattle production.
- available data indicate that it would be possible to produce 1.5–2 t of fresh matter per hectare, with the forage being palatable to sheep and camels. This would supply 1 million tonnes of forage, sufficient to meet livestock demand.
- camels, because of their particular sole formation, do not disturb the soil surface and plant rooting systems; they also use the upper shoots and branches of bushes, which sheep do not eat.
- research carried out at the Livestock and Veterinary Institute in Kushinsk indicates that planting of bushes and shrubs could double or treble forage production in south-east Karakum times within 3 or 4 years
- use of local mineral resources in feeds
- reduction of the gossypol content of cotton seeds for poultry feed.
- improved lambing rates and the development of new colours in the Karakul breed
- improved meat and wool production from the Saradjin breed.
- selection for improved dairy and meat production.
The Turkmen Livestock and Veterinary Institute has enough scientific staff but has limited technical and financial support. Co-operation with international bodies such as the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is, therefore, essential if the Institute is to carry out much needed research.
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