| Summary: | AbstractThe objective of the review is to suggest breeding and conservation strategies for the Tikur sheep population. Determination of breeding and conservation strategies for livestock improvement mainly relies on the breed merits of the animals. Tikur sheep are the dominant sheep types in the highlands of the North Wollo Zone. They have unique adaptive merits for a subalpine cool environment. The farmers primarily rely on sheep production in these areas. Adequate information on the production and reproduction performances of Tikur sheep is available in the works of literature. This information could aid future decisions on the management, conservation, and genetic improvement of the sheep. However, breeding and conservation strategies have not yet been documented in the sheep. More than 4500 Awassi crossbred rams have been randomly introduced nearly in all districts of the highlands of North Wollo Zone to improve the wool and meat production of the sheep for four decades and resulting in extensive and indiscriminate mating between Awassi crossbred rams and Tikur sheep ewes. The genetic diversities of Tikur sheep have been now threatened due to indiscriminate cross-breeding, lack of breeding policy, and production advantages. Besides, no effort has been made to conserve and improve the sheep in the research stations; but good attempts have been made to protect and improve the Menz, Horro, Bonga, and Afar in the research stations. Therefore, it is time to call for conservation-based genetic improvement approaches for sheep. In-situ conservation complemented with designing community-based selective breeding is the primary strategy to preserve and improve the sheep.
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