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Sheep have been reared by the Tzotzil Indians in Highland Chiapas in southern Mexico for over 450 years
. Following the failure of various government programmes intended to raise productivity, this study tried a new approach to improving sheep husbandry management. The researchers followed the herds, making observations and interviewing the shepherdesses individually. Previous programmes had failed because of a lack of understanding of the culture of the Tzotzil Indians, in which sheep are viewed as sacred animals. As a result, many of the recommendations were not only inappropriate, but opposed to Tzotzil culture. The study found that the shepherdesses have designed and perfected a management system, based on a blend of Spanish and traditional practices, that has proved very effective
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