Livestock Farming in Oman: Goats, Sheep and Camels Guide

Livestock farming in Oman is built mainly on goats, followed by sheep and camels, kept by family farms in the coastal plains, the mountain villages and the desert. Goats suit Oman's rocky terrain best, camels carry deep cultural value, and the main selling peaks come before the two Eids at the traditional habta markets. Profit depends on feeding well through the dry months and planning births and sales around those dates.

Oman differs from its Gulf neighbours in having real grazing in some areas: the Hajar mountains, the desert plains and especially Dhofar, where the summer monsoon turns the hills green. That mix of grazing and hand-feeding gives Omani breeders more options, but also more variation to manage.

Local context: three farming worlds in one country

Omani livestock systems roughly follow the landscape:

• Al Batinah and the coast. Mixed farms with date palms, vegetables and fodder, often irrigated by wells or the traditional aflaj channels. Goats and sheep are kept in pens and fed alfalfa (locally qatt), Rhodes grass, date by-products and concentrates.
• The Hajar mountains and interior. Village herds of goats that browse on rocky slopes by day and return to shelters at night, with supplementary feeding when browse is short.
• Dhofar and the desert. Larger herds of camels, goats and local cattle. During the khareef (the monsoon season, roughly June to September), mist and rain make the Dhofar hills green and herders move animals to take advantage of the grazing.

Along the coast there is also a long tradition of feeding dried sardines to animals as a protein supplement, particularly in the south. Whatever the feed, the principle is the same: match what you give to the season and to the animal's stage.

Species and breeds

Goats are the backbone of Omani livestock. The best-known local types are named after their regions:

• Batinah goat: a medium to large coastal type, kept for meat and some milk.
• Jabal Akhdar goat: a mountain type, larger framed and valued for meat.
• Dhofari goat: a smaller, hardy southern type adapted to grazing.

Many farms also keep Shami (Damascus) goats and crosses for milk, and Gulf-type Ardi goats are common too. Our guide to Gulf goat breeds: Ardi and Shami covers these in more detail.

Sheep. Omani local sheep are small, hardy and adapted to heat. Imported Arabian breeds such as Naimi are also kept for the meat market.

Camels. Omani camels are famous for racing and for their endurance. Dhofar and the Sharqiya sands hold many traditional herds, kept for milk, racing and heritage. See our camel herd management guide for day-to-day care.

Seasons and demand

Eid al-Adha is the year's main selling season, and Eid al-Fitr is a second peak. In the days before each Eid, towns across the country hold the traditional habta markets, where families buy animals for sacrifice and festive meals. Nizwa's livestock market is the best known, with lively auction-style selling.

Other demand drivers:

• Ramadan, for family meals and charity.
• Weddings and family occasions throughout the year.
• Camel races and festivals, which keep the value of good racing camels high.

On the production side, the cooler months from about November to March are the comfortable period for kidding and lambing in the north, while in Dhofar the khareef brings the best grazing of the year.

Main challenges

Heat and dry months. Outside the khareef zone, summer heat is intense and browse becomes scarce. Animals lose condition if feeding is not increased in time.

Feed cost and water. Alfalfa and Rhodes grass need a lot of water, and concentrates are mostly imported. Feed is usually the largest cost item.

Overgrazing. In some mountain and desert areas, too many animals on limited browse slow regrowth and push farmers towards more bought feed.

Disease risk. Animals mix at habta markets and grazing areas, so contagious diseases can spread. Quarantine for new animals and a vaccination programme that follows your vet and the official national schedule are essential.

Mixed records. Many herds are shared between family members, or managed by a worker while the owner lives in town. Without written records, nobody knows exactly how many kids were born, how many died, or what the herd really costs.

Practical management advice

1. Time births before the hard season. In the north, aim for kidding in the cooler months; in Dhofar, plan so that young stock and milking does benefit from khareef grazing.
2. Supplement before condition drops. Watch body condition from late spring and add feed early. Recovering lost weight costs more than keeping it.
3. Prepare Eid animals in advance. Choose candidates 3 to 4 months before Eid, treat them for parasites on vet advice, and feed them gradually. Our Eid al-Adha preparation plan gives a full timeline.
4. Separate groups. Keep pregnant does, mothers with kids, growing stock and breeding males apart so each gets the right ration.
5. Choose breeding males carefully. A good buck or ram affects the whole next generation. Keep track of who sired what to avoid close inbreeding.
6. Keep a quarantine pen for animals bought at market.

How digital records help Omani breeders

With herds spread between the farm, the mountain and the khareef, a written or digital record is the only reliable way to keep the picture together. Throf lets the owner record each animal by number and tag colour, with breed, sex, birth date, mother and father, so the herd's pedigree is clear when choosing breeding stock.

Pregnancies, births (including twins and triplets) and weaning are tracked, with alerts as birth approaches. Vaccinations and treatments are logged with reminders, and expenses and sales show the real net profit and cost per head before each Eid. Family members or workers can be added with their own permissions, and the herd can be followed from the phone app or the web.