Adapting Seasonal Sheep Production to Year-Round Fresh Meat and Halal Market in Norway

Norway is the largest sheep meat producer among Nordic countries with more than 1.3 million lambs and sheep slaughtered in 2017. The sheep industry is limited by the need for in-house feeding during the winter months. In summer, Norwegian sheep are mainly kept on rangeland pastures, with sufficient...

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Main Authors: Muhammad Azher Bhatti, Thomas Williams, David Laurence Hopkins, Leif Jarle Asheim, Geir Steinheim, Michael Campbell, Lars Olav Eik, Peter Charles Wynn, Tormod Ådnøy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-03-01
Series:Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/6/1554
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spelling doaj-2d9d89ef586f4a3ca9140e2f0631a5d32020-11-24T21:40:41ZengMDPI AGSustainability2071-10502019-03-01116155410.3390/su11061554su11061554Adapting Seasonal Sheep Production to Year-Round Fresh Meat and Halal Market in NorwayMuhammad Azher Bhatti0Thomas Williams1David Laurence Hopkins2Leif Jarle Asheim3Geir Steinheim4Michael Campbell5Lars Olav Eik6Peter Charles Wynn7Tormod Ådnøy8Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences (IHA), Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Ås, NorwayGraham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, AustraliaGraham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, AustraliaNorwegian Institute of Bio-economy Research (NIBIO), P.O. Box 1430, Ås, NorwayDepartment of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences (IHA), Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Ås, NorwayGraham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, AustraliaDepartment of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric), Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1433 Ås, NorwayGraham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, AustraliaDepartment of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences (IHA), Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Ås, NorwayNorway is the largest sheep meat producer among Nordic countries with more than 1.3 million lambs and sheep slaughtered in 2017. The sheep industry is limited by the need for in-house feeding during the winter months. In summer, Norwegian sheep are mainly kept on rangeland pastures, with sufficient feed for almost double the current sheep population. Lambs are slaughtered over a three- to four-month period from September to December with a peak in September–October, providing a surplus of lamb, much of which is subsequently frozen, followed by eight months during which fresh produce is in limited supply. Norwegian consumers eat an average of 5.4 kg of sheep meat per person per year, much of which is purchased as a frozen product. The Muslim (4.2% of the population) preference for year-round halal meat, with an increased demand on the eve of the Muslim meat festival (Eid al-Adha), has the potential to boost demand, particularly in Oslo. This paper provides an overview of the Norwegian sheep farming system, the current market value chains, and the potential to meet the demand for halal meat in Norway (specifically during the Muslim meat festival—Eid al-Adha) to the advantage of both consumers and sheep farmers.http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/6/1554halalmeat consumermeat marketsheep farmingsustainable meat production
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Muhammad Azher Bhatti
Thomas Williams
David Laurence Hopkins
Leif Jarle Asheim
Geir Steinheim
Michael Campbell
Lars Olav Eik
Peter Charles Wynn
Tormod Ådnøy
spellingShingle Muhammad Azher Bhatti
Thomas Williams
David Laurence Hopkins
Leif Jarle Asheim
Geir Steinheim
Michael Campbell
Lars Olav Eik
Peter Charles Wynn
Tormod Ådnøy
Adapting Seasonal Sheep Production to Year-Round Fresh Meat and Halal Market in Norway
Sustainability
halal
meat consumer
meat market
sheep farming
sustainable meat production
author_facet Muhammad Azher Bhatti
Thomas Williams
David Laurence Hopkins
Leif Jarle Asheim
Geir Steinheim
Michael Campbell
Lars Olav Eik
Peter Charles Wynn
Tormod Ådnøy
author_sort Muhammad Azher Bhatti
title Adapting Seasonal Sheep Production to Year-Round Fresh Meat and Halal Market in Norway
title_short Adapting Seasonal Sheep Production to Year-Round Fresh Meat and Halal Market in Norway
title_full Adapting Seasonal Sheep Production to Year-Round Fresh Meat and Halal Market in Norway
title_fullStr Adapting Seasonal Sheep Production to Year-Round Fresh Meat and Halal Market in Norway
title_full_unstemmed Adapting Seasonal Sheep Production to Year-Round Fresh Meat and Halal Market in Norway
title_sort adapting seasonal sheep production to year-round fresh meat and halal market in norway
publisher MDPI AG
series Sustainability
issn 2071-1050
publishDate 2019-03-01
description Norway is the largest sheep meat producer among Nordic countries with more than 1.3 million lambs and sheep slaughtered in 2017. The sheep industry is limited by the need for in-house feeding during the winter months. In summer, Norwegian sheep are mainly kept on rangeland pastures, with sufficient feed for almost double the current sheep population. Lambs are slaughtered over a three- to four-month period from September to December with a peak in September–October, providing a surplus of lamb, much of which is subsequently frozen, followed by eight months during which fresh produce is in limited supply. Norwegian consumers eat an average of 5.4 kg of sheep meat per person per year, much of which is purchased as a frozen product. The Muslim (4.2% of the population) preference for year-round halal meat, with an increased demand on the eve of the Muslim meat festival (Eid al-Adha), has the potential to boost demand, particularly in Oslo. This paper provides an overview of the Norwegian sheep farming system, the current market value chains, and the potential to meet the demand for halal meat in Norway (specifically during the Muslim meat festival—Eid al-Adha) to the advantage of both consumers and sheep farmers.
topic halal
meat consumer
meat market
sheep farming
sustainable meat production
url http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/6/1554
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