ANIMAL HUSBANDRY INFORMATION

SHEEP

Government Programmes and Extension Agencies

As per the 2003 Livestock Census there are about 561.47 million sheep and 124.36 million goats in the country. About five million households in the country are engaged in the rearing of small ruminants (sheep, goats and rabbits) and other allied activities. The main reasons for low productivity are poor exploitation of genetic potential of indigenous animals, low absorption of available technology, inadequate resource of feed and fodder, insufficient health cover, inadequate marketing and credit support etc. The estimated wool production was about 485 lakh kg during 2003-2004.

1. Central sheep breeding farm: The Farm was established during the Fourth Five Year Plan for producing and disseminating acclimatized stud rams to various State Sheep Farms for cross-breeding programmes and genetic stock upgradation. The farm also runs training courses in mechanical sheep shearing, grading of wool and maintenance of sheep shearing machines as well as sheep management. The farm supplied 3725 exotic and crossbred rams and 74 ewes to beneficiaries through the State Governments during Ninth Five Year Plan. During the year, the farm has supplied 1233 rams and 50 ewes till February, 2005. Besides this, the farm has trained 107 officials/ farmers in mechanical shearing and 143 persons in sheep management.

2. Conservation of threatened breeds: The population of some of the pure bred small ruminants, equines, pigs and pack animals has come down considerably and such breeds has come to the category of threatened breeds in the country. The farms or the farmers unit in their respective breeding tract are to be established with 100% central assistance for breeds of these animals wherein their population is less than 10,000, with active participation of State Governments and NGOs etc.

A centrally sponsored scheme for conservation of such threatened breeds was started during Tenth Five Year Plan. A sum of Rs. 876 lakhs has been released to the States of Arunanchal Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Predesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura and West Bengal for conservation of breeds like Pony (Spite, Bhutia and Manipuri), Horse (Kathiawadi, Grey Sindhi and Marwari), Pig ( Doom, Zovawk, Angamaly, Don, Mali and Ghoongro), Yak (Yak and Hazi), Goat( Long Haired Goat, Black Bengal and Malabari) and Sheep(Bandur and Bonpala) .

Realising the importance of sheep in Agrarian economy the Central Government had established the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSWRI) at Avikanagar in Rajasthan. Number of sheep breeding farms was established during various plan periods throughout the country for evolving (i) new fine wool breeds for different agro-climatic regions capable of producing 2.5 kg. of greasy wool per annum. (ii) New mutton breeds capable of attaining 30 kg live weight at 6 months of age under intensive feeding conditions. Sheep development activities were initiated under: DPAP, MFAL and SFDA programmes. Intensive Sheep Development Projects (ISDP's) were introduced in many of the sheep rearing districts. Setting up of wool boards in important wool-producing states was envisaged and States of Jammu & Kashmir and Karnataka have already set up these boards. Some of the states have set up wool development corporations / federations. The states having such organisations are given below.

State Sheep and Wool Boards / Federations / Corporations

Last updated: 26-8-2006