Despite concerns raised by some farmers, a livestock expert gave an assurance Tuesday that there is no shortage of the island’s native Blackbelly sheep.
Consultant to the Ministry of Agriculture and Blackbelly sheep specialist Dr Leroy McClean dismissed claims of a dwindling population, calling them unfounded and warning that such statements could undermine the ministry’s ongoing revitalisation project with Guyana.
McClean told Barbados TODAY that assertions about the lack of Blackbelly sheep, made by Rommel Parris, president of the Barbados Sheep Farmers Inc., were inaccurate. Parris had warned that the island could soon face a shortage of the local breed as Greenland Livestock Research Station, which provides top-tier genetic stock, had stopped distributing animals to farmers over the past two years.
McClean clarified that while farmers might not have been able to source sheep from Greenland, this was part of a planned initiative to reduce inbreeding, and it was not a reflection of population decline.
“The idea about there being a shortage of Blackbelly sheep is nonsense. That is not true. There is no shortage of sheep,” McClean said. “Almost every farmer in Barbados has sheep that either came directly from Greenland or are offspring of sheep from Greenland. This is based on scientific research where we found that Greenland sheep are all over [the island]. We cannot continue along that line.”
McClean emphasised that Greenland, a research facility, was working to restore its capacity, and sheep would not be available for purchase from the station for the foreseeable future.
He said the population of the native breed had declined over time due to poor breeding practices, as many farmers prioritised short-term profit by selling rams for slaughter during festivals like Eid-al-Fitr – the Muslim festival that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting observed by Muslims in March or April – rather than breeding to maintain the genetic stock.
“Some of these same farmers who complain about not getting sheep from Greenland…sell them to the Muslim community and other groups that want a big ram for their festivals. So a lot of our good genetics has been destroyed because of people selling the sheep for slaughter rather than for breeding and increasing the population,” he explained. “These farmers are responsible for the depletion of a lot of the strong genetic characteristics we have in Barbados. And they need to be honest about this.”
The sheep expert reaffirmed the importance of the Blackbelly sheep revitalisation project and dismissed rumours questioning its success.
He also countered claims by Parris that some of the sheep being shipped to Guyana as part of the project came from Greenland.
McClean said only six of the 1 003 sheep sent to Guyana were from the research station.
In 2022, Barbados and Guyana signed the St Barnabas Accord, a partnership on agricultural initiatives aimed at reducing the Caribbean’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025. Under this agreement, Barbados is providing Blackbelly sheep to help Guyana improve its livestock population, with a focus on crossbreeding in phase one of the project.
Phase two of the programme will see Barbadian farmers or private breeders rearing pure Blackbelly sheep for breeding purposes in Guyana to rebuild the local population.
Additionally, McClean highlighted the potential for developing a Blackbelly sheep leather industry, with Barbados poised to benefit from exporting leather, which ranks among the best in the world.
The Ministry of Agriculture, in partnership with the University of the West Indies, is also working to train farmers in improved husbandry techniques to enhance the quality of sheep on the island.
sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb
