author(s)
Seetha A, A Serma Saravana Pandian, M Thirunavukkarasu, S Senthilkumar and N Kumaravelu

abstract
Marketing of sheep and goat is associated with the unique set of conditions, which make it highly risky and laborious, besides the prevalence of relative imperfection in the marketing mechanism. The study was conducted in four districts of Tamil Nadu, viz., Salem, Tirunelveli, Villupuram and Virudhunagar. From the selected four districts, a sample of 120 sheep and goat farmers (30 from each district) were selected by multi-stage random sampling procedure. A personal interview method was adopted for the collection of primary data. The findings of the study revealed that the foremost constraint perceived by the sheep farmers was the foremost constraint perceived by the sheep farmers was the Unremunerative price for their animals followed by improper method of pricing by middlemen, non-availability of required fodder / grazing lands and absence of proper marketing agency for selling of small ruminants. The results of the study on the factors influencing the intensity of constraints showed that among the thirteen variables included in the analysis, six variables viz., Experience (P<0.01), family income (P<0.05), flock size (P<0.01), deworming practice (P<0.01), marketing channel and mortality (P<0.05) were found to be statistically significant. The variables, Experience, family income, flock size, deworming practice and marketing channel were found to be negatively associated with the intensity of constraints in sheep farming while the variable, mortality was positively associated with the intensity of constraints.