Directorate of Sheep Husbandry Kashmir

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About the Department

Around 2200 sheep and goat units have been established during last 10 years under RKVY, MSF, TSP etc.

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Direct employment to 2200 persons.

Fodder Development

Provisions to progressive breeders/farmers:-

• High quality fodder seeds

• Chaff cutters

Fodder Production (hay) in Departmental Farms

Human Resource

LiveStock Development

 Besides various fine wool breeds like Australian Merino, Russian Merino, Russian Su the Department has introduced some dual purpose breeds of sheep like Corridale and Polldorset in areas like Sonawari, Shopian and Kulgam to quickly enhance the production of mutton. The Corridale breed has adapted well to the local environment and proved quite popular among the breeders in Orchards.

Breeds maintained: Besides various fine wool breeds like Australian Merino, Russian Merino, Russian Stevropol, the Department has introduced some dual purpose breeds of sheep like Corridale and Polldorset in areas like Sonawari, Shopian and Kulgam to quickly enhance the production of mutton. The Corridale breed has adapted well to the local environment and proved quite popular among the breeders having orchards. However, the details of breeds maintained at various farms are given as under:

Sheep Shearing/Dipping

  1. WHY SHOULD WE SHEAR SHEEP?
               Shearing must be practiced for the health and hygiene of each individual animal. Unlike other animals, most sheep are unable to shed. If a sheep goes too long without being shorn, a number of problems occur.
 

• The excess wool impedes the ability of sheep to regulate their body temperatures. This can cause sheep to become overheated and die.

• Urine, faces and other materials become trapped in the wool, attracting flies, maggots and other pests. This causes irritation, infections and endangers the health of the animal.

• Sheep with large amounts of wool can become immobilised by physical obstacles in their path and are more susceptible to predator attacks.Preparation for Shearing

   o Don't use any non-approved non-scourable marking crayons or colour sprays in the weeks leading to shearing.
   o Don't use any insecticide chemical on the fleece for 6 weeks before shearing.
   o Remove all collars from pet sheep.
   o Remove any foreign material from the fleece (leaves, pieces of wire, hayseeds, etc.)
   o Warn shearers of any ear tags.
 

The Act of Shearing, and there after

o     Shearing can be stressful for sheep.

o    Shearing requires skill to shorn efficiently and quickly, without causing harm to sheep or shearer.

o    Try not to feed sheep the night before shearing so their stomachs are empty making it more comfortable for them while being shorn.

o    Because newly shorn sheep become colder faster, place them in paddocks with windbreaks and plenty of pasture.

o     The best time to apply louse and fly strike prevention treatments is right after shearing.

o     Providing sheep with coats or covers are a good option on small farms when the weather is cold or wet.

"To be a good shepherd is to shear the flock, not skin it"

2.     SHEARING OF SHEEP 

                Sheep make a valuable contribution to the livelihood of the economically weaker sections of the society especially in the mountainous areas by its multifaceted utility of producing wool, meat, hides and manure etc. Wool is an important product of sheep which continuously grows on it and its utility and value depends upon its quality. The fibre fineness and the staple length are two very important characteristics of the wool determining its value and utilisation. The finest wool with good staple length is used in the worsted system of yarn production and for manufacture of best quality suiting. Kashmir Merino developed in Kashmir is a fine wool breed of sheep comparable to the best wool breeds of the world. Its wool has a fibre diameter of 21 to 22 microns which is considered as the best by all standards.
              The act of cutting or removal of wool from the body of sheep is termed as shearing. Sheep are washed at least two days before shearing in order to remove dirt, suint and grease which hinder shearing. Shearing is generally done twice a year in Kashmir during spring and autumn months. Some producers prefer to shear pregnant ewes before lambing. If ewes cannot be completely shorn before lambing, they should be “crotched out” by shearing the wool from the udder and dock area and from the head and eyes of those breeds with wool on the face. This will make lambing and nursing easier. Shearing before breeding in summer season tends to increase the heat loss from the body and cools the ewe and ram, thus inducing oestrus in the ewe and stimulating spermatogenesis in the ram. The traditional way of clipping wool is the hand shearing by using shearing scissors. It is now an out dated practice and is getting replaced by machine shearing.
             Shearing doesn't usually hurt a sheep. However, shearing requires skill so that the sheep is shorn efficiently and quickly without causing cuts or injury to the sheep or shearer. Most sheep are sheared with shears or shearing machines. The fleece is removed in one piece. Some sheep are sheared manually with scissors or hand blades. While some farmers shear their own sheep, many hire professional sheep shearers. In many countries, including the United States, there is a growing shortage of qualified sheep shearers. Many states hold annual sheep shearing schools. A professional shearer can shear a sheep in less than 2 minutes. The world record is 37.9 seconds. It was set in 2016 by Ivan Scott from Ireland.
"It is the duty of a good shepherd to shear his sheep, not to skin them". (Tiberius)
 

3. METHODS OF SHEARING:-                            

1        Hand shearing

2        Machine shearing

Hand shearing:

Blade shears consist of two blades arranged similarly to scissors except that the hinge is at the end farthest from the point (not in the middle). The cutting edges pass each other as the shearer squeezes them together and shear the wool close to the animal's skin. Blade shears are still used today but in a more limited way. Blade shears leave some wool on a sheep and this is more suitable for cold climates such as the Canterbury high country in the South Island of New Zealand where approximately half a million sheep are still shorn with blade shears each year. For those areas where no powered-machinery is available blade shears are the only option. Blades are more commonly used to shear stud rams.

Machine shearing:

Machine shears, known as handpieces, operate in a similar manner to human hair clippers in that a power-driven toothed blade, known as a cutter, is driven back and forth over the surface of a comb and the wool is cut from the animal. The original machine shears were powered by a fixed hand-crank linked to the handpiece by a shaft with only two universal joints, which afforded a very limited range of motion. Later models have more joints to allow easier positioning of the handpiece on the animal. Electric motors on each stand have generally replaced overhead gear for driving the handpieces. The jointed arm is replaced in many instances with a flexible shaft.  Smaller motors allowed the production of shears in which the motor is in the handpiece; these are generally not used by professional shearers as the weight of the motor and the heat generated by it becomes bothersome with long use.

Advantages of Machine Shearing over hand shearing:

1. It is less time consuming as it requires just 4 to 5 minutes for shearing of each animal against 20 to 30 minutes by hand shearing.

2. It causes a smooth or uniform shave over the animal body as against hand shearing where the wool cut is irregular.

3. Staple length is more in mechanical shearing than in hand shearing.

4. Chances of injuries and wounds in mechanical shearing are less than in hand shearing.

5. It does not exert stress on and is convenient for the animal as compared to hand shearing.

6. Machine shearing is a value addition to the wool and it fetches more prices.

7. Prevent buildup of manure and urine that can lead to parasitic infection.
    

4. PROCEDURE OF MACHINE SHEARING IN SHEEP        

1) The sheep must be held properly in a comfortable position to prevent its struggling during shearing. Most shearers use the method in which the sheep is set upon its rump and supported firmly between the shearer's knees.

2) The skin should be stretched so that it is smooth in the area being shorn.

3) Wool fibres should be cut only once next to the skin to avoid "second cuts" or short fibres of reduced value.

4) Belly wool, leg wool and tags have a lower value and should be kept separate from the higher-quality wool from the back, neck and sides.

5) The fleece should be removed in one piece so that it will remain together when tied.

6) The fleece should be tied only with paper wool twine to prevent contamination.

Step by Step Procedure of Shearing

Catching and Holding	Start at the top of the brisket
Move to the first back leg	Don't forget the tails
The undermine	The neck
The Shoulders	The long blows
Cheek and right front leg	The Final Sweeps

5. PRECAUTIONS DURING MACHINE SHEARING OF SHEEP

1) Cutters and combs should be sharp; and they should be cleaned, resharpened and lubricated after each job of shearing.

2) The shearing floor should be clean and free of straw or chaff. It should be swept clean of second cuts and manure tags after each shearing.

3) Sheep must be dry before shearing. Wet wool tends to heat up and become discoloured.

4) Be extremely careful when shearing around the udder, scrotum, sheath, loose skin of the flank and hamstring.

5) Never lift the unshorn fleece with the left hand and attempt to shear it off. This lifts the skin as well, which will be cut in shearing. Instead, use your left hand to stretch the skin away from the shearer.

6) Use a shearing glove on the non-shearing hand to protect yourself against injury from the handpiece.

7) Keep the electric cord of the shearer behind you so that it cannot be cut, thus preventing electric shock.

8) Do not rush through the shearing procedure in an attempt to increase speed. The appearance of the shorn sheep (which should have a minimum of cuts) and the condition of the fleece are as important as speed. An experienced shearer can shear a sheep in 5 minutes or less, which works out to about 100 sheep per day.

9) Newly shorn sheep should be protected from the cold and rain until they have had time to regrow some wool cover.

6. PREVENTION OF WOUND BREAKDOWN IN SHEEP SHEARING WOUNDS

Shearers should take care to avoid causing shearing wounds. When stitching a large shearing wound, shearers can minimize the risk of contamination and assist the healing process by taking the following steps:

- Keeping needles and cotton in antiseptic solution

- Washing the wound site and your hands with a suitable antiseptic solution

- Keeping stitches less than 3cm apart

- Spraying the stitched wound with a suitable antiseptic spray

- Marking the sheep so it can be easily identified and the healing wound can be assessed. Usually, a wound is completely healed between two and four weeks, depending on its size and location. Severe wounds that involve more than the skin layer (deep hamstring wounds or open belly wounds) and wounds to sensitive areas (the pizzle and teats) are painful and stitching must not be attempted. Seek immediate veterinary advice or humanely euthanase the animal.

Sheep suffering pain or distress from any severe wounds or wound infections must not be transported. If you are unsure whether or not the animal is fit to load, seek veterinary advice.

DIPPING

Dipping means putting or washing animal in medicated water in order to cure or prevent from ectoparasites, sheep scab, mange, get clean wool, remove waste materials and dung from fleece and keep away sheep blow flies. It is usually done once in a year before post winter shearing or before post autumn shearing. It is also done when the incidence of ectoparasites is high. After about 10 days shearing is followed by dipping.

Methods of Dipping:

A.    Hand bath: it is used for small flock. Sheep are lifted one by one into a tank of galvanized iron (1.2 x1.0x0.5 m) and kept for 2 minutes. Sheep are then placed on drain board to drain off surplus dip back into tank.

B.     Swim bath: it is used for large sized flock. Two to three sheep are dipped at a time. Examples:

1. Injectibles: Ivermectin, Doramectin and Moxidectin (@200 μg/kg b.w s/c ) in Late spring (1 to 31 May) and late autumn (1st to 30th November ).May be repeated after 7-15 days, if needed, in case of severely affected animals.

2. Insecticides: like Diazinon (0.01%), Flumethtrin (0.5%), Coumaphos (0.1%). Spraying or dipping with insecticides may be repeated in case of heavy infestations as per circumstantial evidences
   Precautions:

1.      Avoid dipping in advanced stage of pregnancy.

2.      Always water the sheep before dipping to avoid drinking of dip solution.

3.      Avoid dipping on rainy days so that dip may not be washed off.

4.      Avoid dipping of sick animals, animals with wounds and young lambs.

5.      Avoid dipping in rams in breeding season to guard from injury to pen

Kashmir Merino

The National Agriculture Commission recommended development of fine wool breeds in the state. Local Kashmir valley ewes were crossed with Australian Merino Rams & F1 Ewes were bred to Delain Rams of USA. F2 were bred among themselves after proper selection on the basis of wool quality & body weight. The matting among F2 generation continued till a breed with steady & uniform characters evolved which was named as "Kashmir Merino".

The breed is comparable to some of the finest wool breeds of the world with fiber diameter of 20-24 Microns, besides attaining higher birth weaning & adult body weight.

Some traits of economic importance of Kashmir Merino are as under:

Characteristics of some local/Indigenous sheep

           The Department established sheep breeding farms at different locations for under taking cross breeding & other research programmes on scientific lines. Rams are being produced in these farms for serving the private flocks for their up gradation. Presently the Department runs 8 such farms in the various districts of the valley.

           Simultaneously sheep Extension Centers were opened at length & breadth of the state to facilitate cross breeding & genetic improvement of local livestock, and other technical programmes like Castrations, Lamb markings, Docking, Health cover, Mechanical shearing & Education of farmers about Scientific farming practices. The Department has so far distributed about 29000 breeding rams produced in its farms for crossbreeding in private flocks. Importation of livestock was also made on many occasions & breeds like Russian Stavropol, Rambouillet, Corriedale & Merino?s were imported from countries like USSR, USA & Newzealand for introducing the blood into the local livestock. Corriedale a dual purpose breed known for producing more wool and lamb has been introduced in belts of Shopian and Sonawari and reared in orchards and silvipastoral practices are encouraged.      

EVOLUTION OF KASHMIR MERINO

Forage Production

Department of Sheep Husbandry Kashmir has a separate wing of Agriculture meant for fodder development out of its own resources to meet the requirement of the departmental livestock at various Sheep Breeding Farms. Moreover, the department is also engaged for improving the fodder production of the farmers associated with sheep & goat rearing. In this regard many initiatives have been taken in the past under various centrally sponsored schemes like RKVY, ATMA, NLM and Feed & Fodder development. Various inputs have been provided to the farmers which include distribution of quality seed kits like Red Clover, Annual/Perennial Rye Grass, Tall Fescue, White Clover, Hybrid Oats, Berseem etc. and provision of machinery like chaff cutters, brush cutters on subsidized rates.
   During the past few years the department has distributed Seed mini Kits & Chaff Cutters (Hand/Power driven) to various beneficiaries.
   The department has a total land availability of 3,000 Kanals for fodder production and efforts are on to reclaim more and more areas for fodder production to meet the requirement of departmental farm animals. Since the stall feeding of farm animals extends from 15th November to 15th April, the department has to spend a large amount of budget on feed & fodder requirement of livestock and the department makes all efforts through its Agriculture Section to achieve self-sufficiency in the fodder requirements. On an average an adult farm sheep requires 2.25 quintals of fodder during stall feeding and on an average the department requires 9,000-10,000 quintals of fodder annually. The department is marching towards self-sufficiency as regards the production of quality fodder. Presently the department grows the Rabi crops of Oats and Rye Grass on about 2000 kanals and Kharief Crops of M.P Charri (Sorghum) on the same area of land and perennial crops of Rye grass & Clovers on about 1000 kanals of land.

   The annual production of fodder grasses of the department currently is about 8000 quintals. The major fodder production stations of the department are as follows:-
 

Achievements of Department

Major Achievements

Contribution to Economy

Demand and Supply (2019-20)

Current Scenario

Huge local demand for mutton and wide gap between demand and supply
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Focus is on increasing the mutton production and sustaining the gains (fineness etc) already achieved in wool.
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Emphasis on growth and weight gain characteristics for obtaining a progeny with traits of more and quick growth.

Accelerated Breed Improvement

In order to boost the ongoing breed improvement programme and to negate the ill effects of inbreeding, which have crept-in for last several, the department has just imported 420 sheep of Merino breed from Australlia. These shall be bred in departmental farms and their progeny supplied to field for dessemination of high quality germplasm with ultimate aim of significantly increasing the mutton and wool production.

New Technological Interventions

Introduction of Assisted reproductive techniques in Sheep & Goats.

• Introduction of Embryo Transfer /A

• Artificial Insemination techniques to enhance reproductive rates and productivity is in pipeline.

• Sufficient trained manpower has been developed in such techniques.

• Civil works for ETT and AI laboratory have been completed. Only pendency is strengthening of laboratory in terms of equipments.

• The techniques are expected to be introduced shortly.
   

Promoting Multiplicity

Project for increasing twin/triplet births through introgression of Fec-B gene, has been underway at Sheep Farm Goabal for last several years.

Department is now propagating Fec B gene in field, through supply of Fec B Rams, for better returns to farmers in terms of twin/triplet births.

Infrastructural Strengthening

For ensuring better delivery of services to farmers and timely health care to livestock, the department constructed 42 structures like centres, dispensaries, hospitals & laboratories during last ten years. Additional 9 such structures are under construction.

PROPOSED TARGETS OVER THE NEXT 7 YEARS

• Increase mutton production by about 60 percent from present 112 lac kgs to 175 lac kgs.
• Increase wool production by about 40 percent from present 34 lac kgs to 50 lac kgs.
• Creation of about thousands of jobs through sheep farming via establishment of units in private sector.

Citizen Charter

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GOVERNMENT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR

DIRECTORATE OF SHEEP HUSBANDRY KASHMIR

C I T I Z E N S      C H A R T E R

SERVICES OFFERED BY THE SHEEP HUSBANDRY DEPARTMENT KASHMIR

Right to Information

Citizen Charter            RTI,Act 2005        Guide on RTI Act

Nomination of First Appellant Authority/Public Information Officers/Assistant Public Information officers in the Department of Sheep Husbandry Kashmir

Inception of Department

Sheep Husbandry Department came into existence in the year 1962 with the main objective of promoting sheep and goat development in the state having sufficient scope and potential owing to bountiful pastures and meadow lands presenting nutrient grasses and herbage for the pastoral activities. The department so established was headed by a Director with a Deputy Director for each Jammu and Kashmir divisions. In early seventies a major expansion took place with the creation of joint Directors, Deputy and Assistant Director level officers.

          In the year 1982, the Department of Sheep Husbandry was bifurcated into two parts and accordingly two separate Departments of Sheep Husbandry one for Kashmir and another for Jammu came into existence. As a result of this bifurcation, the sheep husbandry sector got sharp focus at provincial level. The Department of Sheep Husbandry Kashmir, having its area of operation in Kashmir Division comprising of ten districts of Kashmir Valley and two districts of Ladakh, witnessed vast organisational expansion both vertically and horizontally.

          At present, the Department has a staff organisation consisting of various subject matter specialists and two major line organisations one looking after the farms and the other field extension activities. Each organisation is headed by a Joint Director. In the area of farm management, the Joint Director (Farms) is assisted by senior level officers to run the nine farms established so far in Kashmir Division. Similarly, to implement and monitor various field programmes/activities, the Joint Director (Extension) is assisted by ten District Organisations each headed by a District Sheep Husbandry Officer and 10 Sheep and Wool Development Organisations
 

Sheep Breeds

Sheep Breeds of Jammu and Kashmir

        Favourable agro-climatic conditions and other natural endowments including rich alpine pastures made the sheep and goat rearing as the core activity of rural masses of the Jammu and Kashmir State from the times immemorial to play a vital role in the socio-economic up-liftment of the most weaker sections of the society viz Chopans, Gujjars , Gaddies, and Bakerwals. However, at that time, the economic returns from sheep and goat rearing were non-significant due to low productivity of the available genetic material.

       As the developmental activities related to sheep and goat were carried out in the State under the auspices of Animal Husbandry Department, no concrete sheep developmental programme could be under taken except some cross-breeding experiments/trials till 1962, when Sheep Breeding and Developmental Department was carved out of Animal Husbandry Department for look after of sheep husbandry Sector. The newly formed Department of Sheep Husbandry right from its inception laid maximum emphasis on cross-breeding programme which resulted in substantial progress in production of wool and mutton. With a view to improve quantity and quality of the traits of the indigenous sheep of the State up to desired level, it is essential to have knowledge of the indigenous material i.e. types or strains of sheep found in the State. Initially no survey of sheep in this regard has been made in the State. However, efforts made by some researchers are appreciable in this respect.

        Some types of breeds found in Jammu and Kashmir State are given below which is expected to serve useful purpose for those research workers and technocrats who are interested to know about the types of sheep present in the State.

Disease Investigation Lab

DIL, Nowshera of SHD Kashmir is the leading laboratory amongst four divisional labs of departments of Animal/Sheep Husbandry Jammu & Kashmir in terms of:

• Launching highly effective programme of control of Sheep Pox after getting conducted successful trials of Killed Sheep Pox vaccine.

• Orchestrating the most successful cross breeding programme in India in sheep by way of development of Kashmir Merino breed through strategic disease control program and monitoring production parameters.

• Starting PCR for molecular diagnosis of diseases.

• Marker assisted selection studies in breeding programmes including Fec B genotyping contributing to doubling production.

• Initiating work on Cell culture mode of vaccine production.

• Initiating work on Embryo Transfer Technology and A.I. in sheep and goat.

• Conducting Drug trials.

• Analyzer based analysis of feed and fodder and pathological investigations.

• Studying indigenous sheep breed Gurezi and extensively study cross breed Kashmir Merino.

• Printing research journal, Disease Bulletin and Breeder’s Manual besides several papers in national or international journals/abstracts for national level conferences.

• Conducting several studies on ethno-veterinary medicine, cross breeding programmes, Brucellosis, presence of E coli toxins in locally slaughtered sheep, trials on commonly used dosings, review of ethics of industrial farming etc. Research work continued in DIL on Gene sequences of two different genes of Orf virus strains prevalent in Sheep and Goat of Kashmir Valley submitted to NCBI GenBank have helped put DIL staff on international map.
   

    Its other distinctions include:

• The first in India to identify Clostridium septicum from field outbreaks (Nucleotide sequence GENBANK Accession No. KtY440186) and report Eperythozoon.

• Standardizing protocols (PCR based) for confirmation of diseases such as Enterotoxaemias (C. perfringens A, B, C, D & E), Braxy (C. septicum). Brucellosis (Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis) and is currently providing PCR based diagnosis of almost all economically important diseases including PPR, Sheep Pox, Goat Pox, Orf, FMD, CCPP sparing the need for approaching other labs for diagnosis in most cases.

• Achieving exemplary control of menacing Sheep Pox and Fasciolosis and lately PPR. No outbreak of any disease has been allowed to flare up beyond control in last few decades. The laboratory has played a pivotal role in facilitating timely diagnosis and control of Brucellosis in farms and tackle outbreaks in field.

• Publishing Teur, Teur Chu Son Seur and pamphlets on major diseases like Brucellosis.

• Launching massive regular weekly outreach/awareness cum training programme with field extension agencies field.
  Working on several projects on disease prevalence and monitoring, using local resources without any significant financial implications.

• Collaborating with other institutions for various studies including with FVSc & AH for diagnosis of Campylobacter fetus ssp. fetus, studies on poisonous plants in Kashmir valley,

Journals of

Deputy Director Research

Technical Papers

Acute Fasioliasis in Flocks of District Srinagar

Dr. Syed Moin ul haq

            The susceptibility to the diseases is always higher in exotic or improved breeds than the native or local ones, and ever since the exotic blood was introduced in the sheep flocks of J&K, prevalence of the diseases also increased. The department of sheep husbandry responded well and a very good mechanism of flock health care with more emphasis on preventive medication and disease control was set in position. The department has been laying more stress on control of parasitic diseases and more than half of the budget allotted for drugs and therapeutic agents is utilized on anthelminthic drenching and rightly so as these infestations not only sometimes cause heavy mortality among the flocks but also cause great economic losses due to reduction in production.

             Srinagar district though more than eighty percent urbanised has a substantial and good quality crossbred sheep population reared in around 110 peripheral villages or suburbs. Topographically, the district can be divided grossly into three sheep rearing zones.
Hilly areas in east and south east of Srinagar like Dara, Faqirgujree, Brane, Nishat, Khimber, Khanmoh, Zewan and Zawoora etc

• Plain and marshy areas in the west and north west like Mujgund, Panzinara, Malroo, Laweypora, Palpora and Sangam etc.

• Plain and orchard areas of central Srinagar like Zakura, Gulabbagh, Batpora Saedpora, Telbal, Noubugh and Umerhair etc.

              In the marshy lands of west and northwest of the city, with about sixteen thousand sheep population, some big flocks of sheep are reared and during spring and autumn maintained by grazing on the banks of the river Jehlum. Acute Fascioliasis associated with Black Disease has been affecting and causing deaths in these flocks for many years.

TABLE SHOWING VILLAGE WISE MORTALITY DUE TO ACUTE FASIOLIASIS

YEAR 2009

YEAR 2010

YEAR 2011

          Acute fascioliasis is caused by Fasciola hepatica which has liver as its site of predilection. The intermediate stage involves snails. The two primary requirements for establishment of the liverflukes are snails and an environment that suits fluke eggs, the snails and the larval flukes such as slow moving streams with marshy banks, irrigation channels and seepages. The affected areas in Srinagar present optimal conditions and in the months of late autumn, November and December, mortality was recorded during the years in question. Deaths in almost all the cases were peracute. Post mortem examination conducted in most of the cases by experts of Disease Investigation Laboratory revealed liver damage caused by migrating young flukes and severe haemorrhage with blood in abdomen. The condition was associated in almost in all cases with Black disease as the damage by young flukes provides suitable environment for germination of spores of Clostridium novyi type B.

Liver of ram showing acute fascioliasis and juandice	Liver of an ewe showing damage due to acute fascioliasis	Liver damage due to Black Disease associated with

                                                                                                 
Control measures adopted:
The department being sensitive to the losses that occurred during the previous year's took appropriate measures during 2011 and the flocks in the risk areas were given strategic drenching of oxyclozanide and closantal during the months of September and October and then Triclabandazole @ 10mg/kg body wt. every three weeks during November and December in the high risk villages where deaths due to the disease had previously occurred. Flocks in the area were also given MCC vaccine. Farmers were also sensitised and advised to improve the plan of nutrition during winter months and both morbidity and mortality drastically reduced during the season.

ASSESSMENT OF GROWTH IN PURCHASED RAMS OF DISTRICT SRINAGAR
Dr. Andleeb Rafiq   
Technical Officer

District Sheep Husbandry Office, Srinagar

District Srinagar, which is spread over an area of 293 sq. kms is about 80% urbanized with very little agriculture and allied activities. Out of a total of 136 villages in the peripheries, sheep rearing is practiced in about 110 villages with farmers having average holding of 30-40 sheep. Sheep have multi-faceted utility including meat, wool, skin, manure, and to some extent milk & transport and thus helps it to play an important role in the agrarian economy. District Srinagar has an important history as the cross breeding programme in the state has started from the Zakura area of Srinagar and this area has always been rich in sheep farming and some prominent sheep farmers have been from this area. The cross breed sheep population in the district is almost 100% percent and the Departmental activities including further upgradation of the flocks in terms of mutton and wool growth are continuing. Since the flocks in Srinagar are quite superior in terms of productivity than the rams from the Departmental farms, the Department as its one of the most important programmes provides the flocks with good quality rams for genetic improvement and up gradation of the flocks. The Department has in absence of any foreign importation of rams in the recent past and least likely to be in near future, developed a policy of introducing "elite" or the best amongst the best Rams obtained from the local gene pool into the flocks. These elite rams with phenotypic characteristics of quick growth without compromising on the wool quality are identified, selected and purchased from local sheep farmers on encouraging and good remunerative prices and kept under local conditions with the flocks.
In District Srinagar, the purchase and use of such rams started during December, 2009 when 12 rams were purchased upto March, 2010 under Centrally Sponsored scheme RKVY. Out of the 12 Rams, 8 were Milk tooth (age group of 11-14 months) and 4 Ram were two teeth (age group of 18-21 months).
The body weight statistics of the Rams at the time of purchase was:
Mean body weight of MT Rams =40.8 kgs
Maximum body weight =49 kgs
Minimum body weight =36 kgs
Mean body weight of 2T Rams =46.66 kgs
Maximum body weight =49 kgs
Minimum body weight =43 Kgs
 
During the month of November 2010, 26 more rams were purchased under another Centrally Sponsored Scheme, SWIS and were put in the field for breeding. 12 rams purchased were milk tooth (MT) and rest 14 rams were two teeth (2T), age group of 18-22 months.
The body weight statistics of the Rams at the time of purchase:
Mean body weight of 12 MT Rams =36.8 kgs
Maximum body weight = 43 kgs
Minimum body weight = 33 kgs
Mean body weight of 14 2T Rams = 47.90 kgs
Maximum body weight = 64 kgs
Minimum body weight = 41 kgs

Furthermore, during the month of October 2011, 15 more rams were purchased under RKVY and 5 rams under SWIS and again put in the field for the purpose of breeding. 6 rams purchased were MT, 5 rams were 2T, and out of the remaining 4 rams, 2 were 4T and 1 ram was 6T.
The body weight statistics of the Rams at the time of purchase:
Mean body weight of 6 MT Rams =55.25 kgs
Maximum body weight =67 kgs
Minimum body weight =40 kgs
Mean body weight of 14 2T Rams =60 kgs
Maximum body weight =63 kgs
Minimum body weight =58 kgs

In September 2012, 9 rams were purchased again under RKVY; out of which 1 ram was MT and rest 8 rams were 2T.
The body weight statistics of the Rams at the time of purchase:
Body weight of one MT Ram =50 kgs
Mean body weight of 8 2T Rams =51.75 kgs
Maximum body weight =57 kgs
Minimum body weight =50 kgs

All the purchased animals were kept with the local flocks in field conditions doing unrestricted breeding, shifted to high land pastures mostly in the Sonamarg sector during summer months and adjusted with breeders during winter months of 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12. The farmers during winter months feed the livestock with fodder mostly straws and hay, tree toppings and concentrates mostly wheat bran and rice bran in very little quantities.
The body weight (in kgs) of all these rams was recorded in the following intervals for the assessment of growth and the statistics as under:

OBSERVATIONS ON GROWTH OF RAMS FOR A PERIOD 36 MONTHS

OBSERVATIONS ON GROWTH OF RAMS FOR A PERIOD 24 MONTHS

OBSERVATIONS OF GROWTH OF RAMS FOR A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS

OVERALL OBSERVATIONS
        The data reveals that the overall body weight has shown an increasing trend in both the categories of rams i.e. rams purchased as milk tooth as well as those purchased as two teeth. The body weight recording in Milk tooth rams for a period of 36 months has shown an overall gain of +8.2 kgs and with substantial increase of 6 kgs in maximum body weight and a 8 kgs gain in the minimum body weight. Similarly, recordings of 23-24 months period have shown an overall gain of +7.07 kgs in the body weight in Milk tooth rams with maximum body weight showing a gain of 2 kgs and the minimum body weight showing an increase of 6 kgs, indicating a satisfactory growth pattern of these rams. In case of 11-12 months recording of body weight, there was a growth of 1.17 kgs in Milk tooth rams with a negative gain in the maximum body weight and an increase of 2 kgs in the minimum body weight.
        In case of 2T rams, over the period of 36 months, there has been a growth of 1.34 kgs with maximum body weight showing an increase of 1 kg and minimum body weight showing an increase of 4 kgs in weight. In a period of 23-24 months, a growth of 2.28 kgs was recorded with a gain of 6 kgs in maximum body weight and a gain of 2 kgs in the minimum body weight. However, in 11-12 month period, there was a negative growth of 1.35 kgs with a decrease of 9 kgs in the maximum body weight and an increase of 3 kgs in the minimum body weight. The decreases could possibly be attributed to breeding stress as these mature rams were continuously in the flocks during breeding season.

Further, the raw data also revealed that the mortality was more in two teeth rams as compared to the milk tooth rams.
CONCLUSION:
It appears from the study that the animals purchased as MT have grown better during 1st, 2nd and the 3rd year of their purchase as compared to those purchased as 2T during these years. It also appears from the study that animals purchased with less body weight have shown more increase in body weight during the 1st, 2nd and the 3rd year of their purchase probably due to reason that heavier rams might have undergone stress due to more breeding.       

EFFICACY AND ACCEPTANCE OF COMMONLY USED ANTHELMINTIC FOR CONTROL AND TREATMENT OF SHEEP PARASITES IN DISTRICT BANDIPORA IN DISTRICT BANDIPORA   

Vaccination Schedule

Dosing Schedule

When to suspect parasitic Infestation:

• Stunted growth.

• Prolonged diarrhoea.

• White or pale mucous membrane of eyes.

• Get faecal examination done before going for dosing.

IN ENDEMIC AREAS, MARSHY WATER-LOGGED LANDS OR WHERE ANIMALS ARE FED PADDY STRAW, THREE DOSING WITH BROAD SPECTRUM ANTHELMINTICS ON THE FOLLOWING DATES ARE SUFFICIENT PROPHYLAXIS AGAINST HELMINTHES:  
      

NEED BASED DOSING AFTER PROPER TESTING AND ASSESSING PARASITIC LOAD MAY ALSO BE DONE AT ANY TIME.

 Dos and Don'ts
*Don't overdose or under-dose.
*Pregnant animals can be dosed with pregnancy safe anthelmintics like Closental whenever required. However avoiding of any medication during pregnancy is desirable.
*Don't use Albendazole and Mebendazole –in 1st trimester of pregnancy.
*Frequently change the drug for dosing to avoid development of resistance.
*Chop the paddy straw 2 inches at the base and then feed the animals to prevent Fascioliasis.
*Coccidiostats should be given to lambs and kids whenever required.
*More concentration of animals in a grazing area warrants greater attention on parasitic diseases. It also calls for one dosing in high land pastures after some time of migration as worm load accumulates.
*Give appropriate dose of medicine as per recommendation of qualified veterinarian.

Livestock Statistics

of Kashmir Division

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