National Livestock Mission

National Livestock Mission, GoI Supported Project

 
  1. Breed Improvement by introduction of Exotic Merino Sheep in Uttarakhand (2018-19
  2. Heat Synchronization and Artificial Insemination in Sheep and Goat (2020-21)
  3. Heat Synchronization and Artificial Insemination Using Imported Merino Rams (2020-21)

Objective:

  • Breed improvement in sheep of Uttarakhand state.
  • Artificial insemination in sheep and goats
  • Improvement in the quality of wool of the sheep of Uttarakhand.
  • To meet the demands of the Australian Merino Wool of the Textile Industry.

Outcome

  • Pure line Australian Merino sheep is being developed at Government Sheep Breeding Farm Kopadhar.
  • Pure bred Australian Merino Rams also distributed in other state sheep breeding Farms for cross breeding purpose.
  • The male progeny obtained from the above efforts are given to the local sheep farmers of the state at optimum reproductive age for breed improvement.
  • For breed improvement of sheep in the state of Uttarakhand, approval has been granted under the National Livestock Mission (NLM) by Government of India to Uttarakhand, Himachal, and Jammu and Kashmir for ‘Breed Improvement by Introduction of Exotic Sheep’ scheme.
  • In the last week of December 2019, 240 (199 females and 41 males) of high-quality Australian Merino sheep have been imported and kept at the Govt. Sheep Breeding Farm, Kopadhar in District Tehri Garhwal.
  • Imported Merino sheep have successfully completed more than two and half year in the climate of Uttarakhand state and have given birth to 2344 new offspring till date, out of which 322 are pure-line and 2022 are cross-line.
  • The Merino sheep have gained 15 to 20 % of weight.

Australian Merino Ram, Breeding Progress

Till 31st March 2023

S No Name of GSBF Farm Breed First Lambing Season Second Lambing Season Third Lambing Season Total
Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total
1 Pangu Cross 65 67 132 38 42 80 61 60 121 164 169 333
2 Barapatta Cross 36 32 68 28 42 70 23 28 51 87 102 189
3 Karmi Cross 80 82 162 37 43 80 44 61 105 161 186 347
4 Shamaliti Cross 21 30 51 18 28 46 51 36 87 90 94 184
5 Pipalkoti Cross 32 28 60 37 40 77 33 46 79 102 114 216
6 Bangali Cross 35 45 80 10 15 25 19 28 47 64 88 152
7 Kedarkantha Cross 22 22 44 9 9 18 12 7 19 43 38 81
8 Makku Cross 69 52 121 52 66 118 46 53 99 167 171 338
9 Khaliyan Banger Cross 15 11 26 0 0 0 11 9 20 26 20 46
10 Thankundi Cross 0 0 0 0 0 0 65 71 136 65 71 136
11 Kopardhar Pure 68 69 137 34 35 69 54 62 116 156 166 322
Total 443 438 881 263 320 583 305 346 419 461 880 2344

Pure Line

  • ‘Pure Line Structured Breeding Program’ is being run as innovation by rearing at Govt. Sheep Breeding Farm, Kopadhar, Tehri Garhwal.
  • Kopadhar farm has obtained 314 high pedigree Pure-line Merino lambs, with an average weight of 4.0- 4.50 kg.
  • In 03 months’ post lambing, the weight of the pure line merino lambs has attained 20 to 25 kg.

Cross-line

  • An innovative effort is being made to run ‘Cross-line Structured Breeding Program’ by using imported Australian Merino males for breeding at 09 State Sheep Breeding Farms.
  • Total 1803 Cross-line Merino Lambs of the highest quality have been obtained.
  • The average weight of which ranges from 03 to 4.30 kg.
  • In the 03 months, 18 to 20 kg of weight gain has been recorded in the Cross-line Merino Lambs.

 

Ram Replacement Program

 

  • The Merino males born cross bred progeny is being distributed to the sheep herders of the state as Ram Replacement Program to improve breed and wool quality by running natural insemination and artificial insemination programs at a rapid pace.
  • The program began from Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts and now has spread through the entire state.
  • In Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts, 37 rams have been replaced with Cross-bred Australian Merino.

  • Heat Synchronization and Artificial Insemination has been started in the state using imported Merino Ram semen and semen of different species of goat.
  • Under the National Livestock Mission (NLM) both Artificial Insemination scheme, Artificial Insemination of more than 3100 sheep and goat of local herders has been performed by collecting semen of high genetic value from imported Merino males and high quality goat semen.

 

Heat Synchronization and Artificial Insemination Result in Local Sheep under NLM-AI Scheme

S. No.% of LambingNo. of FarmersNo of Sheep SelectedLamb Born
1>60%12717
251-60%195
341-50%47534
431-40%1018867
521-30%1120255
610-20%1332153
7<10%616912
Sub Total46991243 (24.52%)
80%34804Info. not yet received

  • On 17 June 2022, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, Hon’ble Minister of State, Animal Husbandry, Government of India, Shri Subodh Uniyal, Hon’ble Forest Minister, Government of Uttarakhand, Shri Saurabh Bahuguna, Hon’ble Animal Husbandry Minister, Government of Uttarakhand, Dr. R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Secretary to Hon’ble Chief Minister and Dr. B.V.R.C. Purushottam Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Government of Uttarakhand inaugurated State Sheep-Goat Deep Frozen Semen Production and Artificial Insemination laboratory.
  • More than 4500 liquid semen doses of Merino sheep and 4000 frozen semen doses of different species of goat like Beetal, Jamunapari, Barbari, Boer etc. have been produced so far.
 

 

Artificial Insemination Training Program

 

  • In order to encourage and popularize sheep and goat artificial insemination technology in the state of Uttarakhand, training is being provided to youths as Sheep and Goat artificial inseminator thus, adding a source of income for them.
  • In the financial year 2022-23, training as artificial inseminator has been imparted to 37 workers in sheep and goat dominated areas of the state.

 

Output in Wool Quality and Weight Improvement

 

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Structure Breeding Program through Imported Australian Merino Ram's in Uttarakhand.

In accordance with call given by Honorable Prime Minister of India for “Doubling of Farmers Income”, the Uttarakhand imported 240 high quality fine wool and high weight Merino Sheep from Australia in last week of December 2019 under National Livestock Mission, Government on India and rearing them at the State Govt. Sheep Breeding Farm Kopardhar, Tehri. In spite of wide variation in the environment between Australia and Uttarakhand, the 240 Sheep have well acclimatized in Uttarakhand Climate and have produced high quality wool and healthy lambs.

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Vision of Uttarakhand Sheep and Wool Development Board