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Sheep Rearing Process:
In this article, let us discuss about sheep rearing process.
Sheep Rearing Case Study:
Sheep rearing process is a very important component in dry land farming system. With very low investments it can be converted into a profitable venture for small and marginal farmers and landless labourers. Sheep rearing process and goat rearing process play an important role in the economy of India in general and sustainable livelihood of the poor people of rainfed agro-ecosystem in particular. Sheep are raised mainly for meat, milk and skin. They provide a flexible financial reserve during bad crop years for rural population. With the availability of synthetic wool and the quality of wool from several varieties of sheep in India being coarse, the sheep are now being reared mostly for their meat. However, the fleece can be used in wool insulation and extracting lanolin, the water-proof, fatty substance found naturally in sheep’s wool and used as a base for innumerable cosmetics and other products. Other products from sheep include sheep skin(used in making clothing, footwear, etc.), tallow (used in making soaps and candles), sheep bone and cartilage (used to furnish carved items), lamb intestines.
Download or Read a Case study on Sheep Rearing : Sheep Rearing – Case Study.
Sheep Rearing Process Emerges as Lifeline of Himachal Economy:
Livestock is slowly but steadily becoming a key component in strengthening the economy of the rural population of this hill state where opportunities are limited and land holdings small. not surprisingly, sheep-rearing is the chief vocation of most of the farmers in the state. the sharp increase in the quantum of wool production testify to the popularity of sheep rearing among the rural population. the quantity of wool manufactured rose to 1,600 tonnes of wool in 2000-2001 from 1,550 tonnes in 1999-2000.
According to an official spokesman, over 35 per cent of the agriclutural families in the state are engaged in sheep rearing and ironically, most of them live in the snow-bound and tribal pockets of the state. the total sheep population of the state is put at about 11 lakhs, he added. elaborating recent trends, he spoke about the declining demand for rampur bushairi and gaddi breeds, which were once favorite with the sheep rearers because of their low wool yield of about one kg per sheep per year, as compared to about 2.5 kgs per sheep per year of good quality wool from cross breed sheep. the official said that the state government was also taking a keen interest to improve the quality and quantity of wool produced and quality rams were being supplied from departmental farms for stud purposes to improve the breed of the local sheep. he said that wool analysis laboratories had also been set up at tal in hamipur district, jeori in shimla district and sarol in chamba district to provide services to farmers. “another important and good source of income and self-employment is angora rabbit breeding, which is also being given priorty by the state government.
Initially, the wool porduction per rabbit per year was 400 gms but it has now gone up to one kg per rabbit per year,” he added. the spokesman said that with assistance from the undp, a germ plasm centre had been established at nagwain in mandi district where pure lines of angora rabbits were being bred and provided to trained persons who were also being given the necessary infrastructure for further propogation. because of a congruence of these factors, himachal pradesh had today emerged as the source of rabbits and technical know-how on rabbit breeding for other states also, he added. the spokesman said that the himachal pradesh wool federation had been strengthened to benefit sheep breeders. during the last three years the federation had procured over 1,50,000 kg of sheep wool and about 14,800 kgs of angora wool.
Courtesy By : Times of India.