Long-eared Somali

Large-White Somali, Galla, Digodi, Melebo, Boran Somali, Benadir, Gigwain

Somali family

Body size is relatively large (70 to 75 cm in height and 31 to 42 kg weight); coat colour is white and the shiny coat hair is short and fine; straight facial profile; up-to 19% males and 8% females have been reported as polled; ears are horizontal or semi-pendulous (FARM-Africa, 1996).

Widely distributed throughout the Ogaden, lowlands of bale, Borana and southern Sidamo in southern and south-eastern Ethiopia with the Somali and Borana pastoralists as well as in adjacent areas of Somalia and Kenya; the climate is semi-arid and arid with bi-modal rainfall; the production system ranges from pastoral and agro-pastoral to agricultural (Wilson, 1991; FARM-Africa, 1996).

Probably related to the descent of the Somali Arab goats in Somalia, which have been introduced from Arabia (FARM-Africa, 1991).