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