Distribution : The Karnah sheep breed is primarily found in Karnah, a mountainous tehsil of Kupwara district in North Kashmir.
Karnah sheep breed are large animals. The rams have large curved horns and a prominent nose line. The average age at first lambing is 23-25 months with a lambing interval of one year. Lambing takes place mainly in the months of March and April, before the flocks are taken for migration. The litter size is usually single, and very occasionally twin lambs. The wool is generally white in colour. The sheep are shorn twice a year, in spring and autumn, and produce between 1 to 1.5 kg of wool each per year. The staple length ranges from 12 to 15 cm and the average fiber diameter is between 29 and 32 μ.
Breeding. Cross-breeding with Merino has been introduced in Karnah, although the proportion of cross-breds is lower than for Gaddi, Bhakrawal and Poonchi.
According to the 18th Livestock Census of 2007 the total number of Karnah sheep in the country is only 1,836 due to which it has been placed on the ‘endangered species’ list by the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources.
Karnah sheep breed performance
| Adult Male | Adult Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Average Body weight (kg) | 31 | 38 |
| Average Body length (cm) | 59 | 54 |
| Average Height at withers (cm) | 54 | 54 |
| Average Chest girth (cm) | 82 | 77 |