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SHEIKH TECHNICAL VETERINARY SCHOOL (STVS)

Burao Fieldwork report

Period from 4th

- 7th

July 2010

Student Name: Abdirahman Mohamed Muse

Registration No: 0095

Date of submission: 17th July 2010

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Declaration

I, Abdurrahman Mohamed Muse declare here that the data presented here is my original work and

does not appear anywhere else.

Student name: ………………………………………………………….

Signature……………………………………………………………….

Supervisor name: ………………………………………………

Signature ………………………………… Date: ……………………..

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Acknowledgements

All praise is to Allah who bestowed the health and strength to utilize this opportunity and to apply

my theory in the field, and also thanks to Burao community for their collaboration and their

support.

I also thanks to my parents for their prayers and their encouragements to learn and educate myself.

I am also give thanks to STVS administration and tutors who are mentioned below:

Dr. Nuuh Haaji Abdi

Dr. Abdiqaadir Khaliif

Dr. Abdullahi Sheikh

Dr. Ibraahim Osman

Mr. Mohamed Abdulatif

Mr.Tindhih Shelton Heshbone

Mr. Joel Owani

Ms Jocelynn

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents Page number

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION…………………………………..1

1.1. Introduction of the fieldwork………………………………………….1

1.2 Background of the Study Area…………………………………………1

CHAPTER TWO: AIM, OBJECTIVE AND METHODOLOGY…........2

2.1. Aim………………………………………………………………………2

2.2. Objective…………………………………………………………………2

2.2. Objective…………………………………………………………………2

2.4. Materials………………………………………………………………....2

CHAPTER THREE: ACTIVITIES………………………………………..3

3.1. Burao livestock market …………………………………………………..3

3.1.1. Facilities and main features of livestock market………………………..3

3.1.2. Prices of animal in livestock market……………………………............4

3.1.3. Market agents and actors………………………………………………..4

3.1.4 Role of municipality in the livestock market…………………………….4

3.1.5 Role of veterinarians in livestock market ……………………………….5

3.1.6. Constraint of livestock market…………………………………………..5

3.2. Burao milk market ………………………………………………………..6

3.2.1. Milk price in the market ………………………………………………..6

3.2.2. Constraints of milk market……………………………………………...6

3.3. Maandeeq Camel Dairy Farm…………………………………………….7

3.4. Alla magan Traditional Tannery………………………………………….7

3.4.1. Procedure of skin processing ……………………………………….…..8

3.4.2. Constraints of Allah magan traditional tannery………………………....8

3.5. Burao traditional slaughter house………………………………………....8

3.5.1. Role of municipality in slaughter house………………………………...8

3.5.2. Postmortem inspection in slaughter house……………………………...8

3.5.3. Constraints slaughter house……………………………………………..9

3.6. Burao Holding Grounds (International Livestock Company)…………….9

3.6.1. Facilities of the holding grounds ……………………………………….10

3.6.2 Objective of establishment of holding grounds …………………………10

3.6.3Experience/skills acquired………………………………………………..10

CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION..........11

4.7.1Conclusion……………………………………………………………….11

4.7.2Recommendations………………………………………………………..11

References……………………………………………………………………..11

Annex………………………………………………………………………….12

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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1. Introduction of the fieldwork

STVS first year students are usually given the opportunity to go to field at the end of second

semester to practice what they have learnt in class for the last 2 semesters. The first year students

are usually sent to Burao which is usually close to STVS and has different activities going on. This

year the student had the opportunity to see different activities for the four days fieldwork. During

the fieldwork the students visited various facilities that do work related to the livestock and are

relevant to the courses the students are pursuing. The area visited include; - Livestock market, milk

market, traditional slaughterhouse, new Burao holding grounds (International Livestock company),

Maandeeq camel dairy farm and traditional tanneries, among others. The main purpose of the

fieldwork is to expose the students to the various activities going on in the field so as to practice

what they have learnt in the class for the last 2 semesters and to interact with the various

stakeholders of the livestock sector. After the end of the report the students are required to write a

report on the fieldwork. The tutors were divided into 2 groups comprising of 17 and 16 students.

1.2 Background of the Study Area

Burao is the center of Togdheer region and it is the second city of Somaliland, it is popular with

livestock and it has several functioning institutions and factories.

Its population is estimated to be 300,000-350,000 also its temperature varies according to seasons

but it is usually between 25°C to 30°C

Study area

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CHAPTER TWO: AIM, OBJECTIVE AND METHODOLOGY

2.1. Aim

The main purpose of the fieldwork is to expose the students to the various activities going on in the

field so as to practice what they have learnt in the class

2.2. Objective

At the end of the fieldwork, the following objectives should be attained. The objectives include;-

1. To develop and strengthen the previous skills and possibly acquire further skills from the

field

2. To observe the various facilities and interact with different stakeholders

3. To enhance and develop communication skills, and,

4. To analyze, and write report on the data collected

2.3. Methodology

The methodologies used during the field work are the following:

A. Observation: Through observation information like activities going on, infrastructure,

various facilities were collected

B. Interview: Interviewing different market actors and all individuals who involves all

visited are

C. Postmortem examination: Examination of organs and collection all abnormalities found.

2.4. Materials

Various materials were utilized during the field so as to facilitate data collection. The materials

used include;-

- Postmortem kit

- Protective equipments (aprons, gloves, rubber boots

- Disinfectants

- Digital Camera

- Notebooks and pens

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CHAPTER THREE: ACTIVITIES

3.1. Burao livestock market

Burao livestock market was established in 1955 and it is located at west side of Burao district. The

Market has an area about 2km² and it is the largest livestock market in Somaliland.

The livestock market operates from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm daily

This market is where the exchange of livestock and cash take place as well as where the producer,

broker, and trader meet.

In the livestock market there were a considerable numbers of animals, majority of them were sheep

and goats, their body condition were good and moderate.

The animals were gathered in groups according to the owners before they are sold

Both animal and people were in stressful condition because they were exposed to the sun

Sheep and goats play an important role in the market being the most preferable and exported from

Berbera port. Countries that mostly import Somali livestock are Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and UAE

Camels are not sold in the main market but they are sold in a flat area away from market about

1km. there are also small number of camel exported from Berbera port.

Cattle are neither found in the market nor consumed locally in Burao district because cattle are

rarely found in Togdheer region since it can’t survive in the harsh climate of the region.

3.1.1. Facilities and main features of livestock market

The Market has four rooms one for the local government market office which is used for taxation,

the other one is for veterinarians to store their equipments and drugs to provide services in the

market when diseased animal are brought to the market.

The other two rooms are for the security staffs to hold people whenever there is a dispute among

people in the market before they are transferred to the police station and also for conflict

resolution. But only the municipal office operates fully.

Apart from the offices there were also some other important facilities in the market, below are

some of them,

Pens: Are used to rest the animal after the traders buy from the producer and feeding them

before the transportation to Berbera port for export purpose. They are usually private

owned.

Ramps : There are 8 ramps in the market used for loading and unloading the animal from

and to the truck when brought to the market and when transporting to Berbera port

Comment [T1]:

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Disposal tank: is used to store rubbish to keep the area clean and it has been brought by

the municipality. It was however not used properly as there were dirts flying around the

disposal tank.

Restaurants: This is where soft food and drinks are made available for the market

attendants

Taxes/buses: Used to transport people form and to the market

Money exchanger: Facilitates the exchange of money for the various market actors

3.1.2. Prices of animal in livestock market

Prices of the animals in the market vary according to the demand, supply, season and body

condition of the animal. Animal demand is higher during Iddul-fitri (after ramadan) and Iddul

Adha (Hajj) due to the religious event and is low during the drought period due to lack of water

and forage, poor body condition and low demand and supply

Price of goats and sheep is $40 to $45 and camel is $600 to $750, cattle are not available in the

market.

3.1.3. Market agents and actors

There are several actors that are involved in the market activities at different levels and each one

has his own role in the market, and they are;-

Producers: Mainly pastoral who bring their animals to the market to sell, producers

who are far from the market transport their animals by trucks and the ones that are near

the market trek their animals

Brokers: They mediate between producers and traders or local butchers, they also

facilitate the activities in livestock market, plays a big role in price negotiation

Traders: In general traders consist of local and export traders, the local ones sell their

animals within the country while the export ones export the animals

Butcher: Buy the animals to be slaughtered in the traditional slaughterhouse for local

consumption

3.1.4 Role of municipality in the livestock market

Collect taxes

Maintaining hygiene

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Table 1: taxation of animals

3.1.5 Role of veterinarians in livestock market

Animal inspection

Treating the animal

Condemn if the animal is pregnant or had any clinical signs

3.1.6. Constraint of livestock market

Poor and inadequate shelter

Poor veterinary services

Poor hygiene

Lack of organization of the market activities

Figure 1. Burao livestock market chart

Species Taxation

Camel $0.2

Goat $0.1

Sheep $0.1

Cattle $0.2

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3.2. Buroa milk market

Milk market located at the center of Burao town and it receives milk from Burao district and its

surrounding villages including Wagar, Suuqsade, Calishahl, and Qoyta

Milk supply reaches its highest peak during rainy/green season and is low during drought season

due to lack sufficient forage for the animal so the animals are moved a way from the town to look

for pasture and water.

Since the milk source is away from some distance to Burao the only means for milk supply is by

trucks and it takes time to supply milk to the market so that milk market operates from 9:00 am to

3:00 pm

Most of milk supplied in the market is goat milk and camel milk but cattle milk is very rare

because Buroa region is not common for rearing the cattle so that the only source of cattle milk is

Suuqsade which is 60 km away from Buroa.

Milk containers are mostly plastic or Jerican in which the buyers and sellers use it again and again

which may accelerate milk change rapidly

3.2.1. Milk price in the market

Milk prices and its supply are seasonal dependent; the price of milk is lower during green/rainy

season and higher in dry season and also its supply is higher during rainy/green because of rainy

season animal fed well thus producing plenty of milk and also majority of producers come close to

the town making its transportation easier.

Camel and goat milk price is $1.6 per a litre and cattle milk price is $1.8 a litre

3.2.2. Constraints of milk market

Poor hygiene

Poor shelter

Poor transportation

Poor government support

Contaminated milk containers

No market of its own, thus milk is sold with other commodities

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3.3. Maandeeq Camel Dairy Farm

Maandeeq camel dairy farm locates western part of Buroa city covering an area estimated to be

100 hector, it was established in 2004.

Initially it was planned to rear camel in modern production system, about 150 camel were there

and also milk was exported out of the country once every three day

Currently there were only 8 camel two of them are male, three of them are calves and three of

them are lactating camel. The rest of the camel was moved away due to insufficient forage and

grass and will return back to the farm during the rainy/green season when the forage and grass

are available.

The three lactating camel produce 36 liters per day and are sold and consumed in Burao city

Farm divides in to two zones one zone is for mineral Water Company (Xareeda mineral water).

This company came into consideration after camel dairy project failed. It produces packaged

water used by locally in whole Somaliland regions.

The other zone belongs to the farm within the farm there is pen which is used to shelter camel

during the night and protect them from coldness when weather is cold.

The pen consists of four zones, two of them are for adults and the two remaining are for calves.

There is space at the walls of the pen which is used for camel to take fresh air.

The structure was planned for employees of the farm, who had specific function which

includes: - Manager, foreman, camel herders and camel milkers

3.4. Alla magan Traditional Tannery

ALLMAGAN traditional tannery is private traditional tannery which was established in 2003,

it is located western part of Burao district, this traditional tannery receives skin from the Burao

traditional slaughter house and the surrounding villages.

Several factors are put into consideration when buying skin, such as, skinning process, external

appearance of the skin and also hair coat.

Skin has grade A and grade B and their price differ from one to another for example if there is

damage on the surface of skin the price will be lower than that without damage

The most preferable and mostly exported skin is that of small ruminants (sheep and goats) but

camel is used locally. Cattle is absent from the tannery and it’s very rare

The price camel skin is $1 while sheep and goat is $0.8.The number camel skin processed per

day is 10 and 50 for sheep and goats.

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3.4.1. Procedure of skin processing

First tannery receives fresh skin from Burao town and the surrounding villages. The following

procedures are then followed.

Salting and drying for sheep and goat to be exported, but the process continues for

camel skin

Soaking with water, calcium carbonate and sodium sulphide a period of six days to

make skin softer and also remove the hair easily

Preservation with water, acid, and chromium for a period of six days

Drying and exposing to the sun for one day (camel and cattle are used locally)

3.4.2. Constraints of Allah magan traditional tannery

Inadequate protective cloths such as gloves and boots

Workers met difficulties of skin collection from various places

3.5. Burao traditional slaughter house

The Traditional slaughter house is located at the eastern part of Burao city and it covers

An area estimated to be 500m2

Slaughter house has two sections; one section is used for slaughtering sheep and goat

The other section is used for slaughtering camel. The section for the camel is open and elevated

for 2meters from the ground

Slaughterhouse contains facilities include: - main slaughterhouse, three water tanks, two offices

for the local government, four toilets, and drainage. The number of sheep and goats slaughtered

per night are 100-120 and number of camel were 8-10 but increases at Fridays because people

consumes more meat during Fridays

3.5.1. Role of municipality in slaughter house

Maintaining hygiene

Taxes collection

Maintaining the security of the slaughterhouse

3.5.2. Postmortem inspection in slaughter house

During the inspection students examined different species of animal including sheep, goat, and

camel using different techniques including: observation, palpation and cut-section.

Majority of animal inspected were female which locally knows daabax and is consumed locally

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Species No. of animal Infected organs Abnormalities

Sheep 3 fore stomach Plastic bags,

Sheep 1 Intestine Torsion

Sheep 6 Liver Fatty degeneration

Goat 4 Liver Focal necrosis

Goat 3 Fore stomach Plastic bags, stone

Goat 2 Intestine Swollen, hemorrhage

Camel 1 Intestine Swollen and reddened

of payers patch

Table 2: This table shows findings in slaughter house

3.5.3. Constraints slaughter house

Lack of electricity

Poor hygiene

Lack of protective clothes

3.6. Burao Holding Grounds (International Livestock Company)

The construction of Burao holding grounds was initiated in October 2009 and still going on. It is

located in western side of Burao district near by Kabadeer which is 8 kms away from Burao city, it

covers an area of 360 hector and it is privately owned. But only 85 hectors are under construction

currently.

It composed of two zones, one is for quarantine and other is free zone, the quarantine zone is

designed to be the first zone in which all new animals pass through, this is where inspection,

testing and possibly vaccination is done, before the animals are moved to the free zone. Free zone

is designed to be the shelter of healthy animals and it is here where the animals are fed with

mashed feed and water. The reason for the development of the holding ground is to fatten export

bound animals so that they fetch good price at the export market. The animals to be kept in this

facility are sheep, goats, cattle and camel. Each species has specifically designed pens.

The potential source of livestock will be from all over the Somali eco- system

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3.6.1. Facilities of the holding grounds

The facilities include;-

Laboratory, large holding grounds with shades, forage storage, water tanks, big machines for

electricity supply, specially designed feeding, crush, borehole, machine for crushing grass, tubes

for water, and toilets, farms for growing grass.

3.6.2 Objective of establishment of holding grounds

To increase the quality of Somali livestock by fattening

To increase and enhance the weight of livestock

Production of milk and meat

To practice modern production systems

To get international certification by creating disease free zone

3.6.3Experience/skills acquired

On a positive note, it can be confidently said that the objectives of the fieldwork was attained.

Different experience have been acquired in the process of the field, the most important are skills of

data collection, interpretation and most importantly improved in communication skills. Different

stakeholders were interviewed and I particularly learnt not to ask sensitive questions. Since this is

my first report, hence a good opportunity in leaning how to write scientific report. I also had the

opportunity to see how different actors in the livestock market interact, especially in the selling

and buying of livestock. Different ways of skin processing and factors to be considered was also

learnt. I now know how important animal skins are.

In the slaughterhouse I applied steps of general clinical examination which are history taking,

visual appraisal, and physical examination.

In new Burao holding grounds I obtained information on ways of modern production systems.

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CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

4.1. Conclusion

Field was generally successful and almost achieved the intended objectives and students improved

their knowledge and practical skills. There were no major problems encountered during the

fieldwork.

However, there were some concerns. For instance, majority of people were complaining about lack

of feedback by saying that the visitors from STVS always come to the stakeholders, take

information but no feedback. Therefore they were asking whether the problems they are facing

could be improved by the policy makers of the livestock sector.

Majority of producers were complaining about enclosure of public land by individuals and plastic

bags. There was no electricity in the slaughter house, and also there was no shelter in milk market.

Skin processing factories were complaining about competition. Slaughterhouse workers are non-

skilled. Producers were complaining about lack of veterinary services as well as drugs. During

fieldwork some of visited places were not functioning or little activities was going on.

Moreover, I feel the time allocated for the fieldwork was not enough to visit all the facilities that

are of relevant to our syllabus.

4.2. Recommendations

The report would not be complete without giving suggestions on the concerns met in the field so

that future improvements are made to the various constraints mentioned in the report. Key among

the recommendations made are as follows; -

electricity should be made available by whatever means to the Burao slaughterhouse

The workers in the slaughterhouse should be given sufficient training on the ways of

slaughtering and keeping the hygiene of the meat

Government should support and provide shelter for the milk market

Government should control plastic bags and orient community to burn plastic bags

Government should create legislation on the illegal enclosures

Government should support financially and provide technical knowhow to the

international livestock company

People interviewed should receive feedback

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References:

Tutor’s handout

Information liberated from interviewing

Annex1

Livestock market Traditional tannery

Milk market holding grounds

ANNEXES 2

Questionnaire Form

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The questionnaire of livestock Market

1- How do you evaluate the animal buying and selling?

................................................................................................................... ..

2- What are the main aspects you consider during buying and selling?

..........................................................................................................................

3- How do the market agents and market actors work together?

..........................................................................................................................

4- Where do you get the animal that you supply?

............................................................................................. .............................

5- Do you take the producer directly or you take from middle traders?

..........................................................................................................................

Questionnaires of slaughter house

1. When was the slaughter house established?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

2. How many meters does the building of the slaughter house occupy?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

3. Who established the slaughter house?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

4. How many people operate in slaughter house?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

5. When does the slaughtering starts?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

The questionnaire of Tannery

1.When was the tannery established?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

2.What is the aim which this factory was established?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

3.Who took part in the establishment of the factory?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

4.Where do you mainly get the skin you process?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

5.Which skin species do you process mostly?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

6.Is there any standard age of skin you prefer?