A nation that has more livestock resources remains moreprosperous even in this technological world. J&K being an agrarian state,33.63% of the agriculture GDP is being contributed by the livestock sector.Amongst various livestock species, small ruminants (sheep/goat) are usually rearedto provide meat, skins, wool, milk and manure with very little inputs and assuch are known as “poor man’s cow”, especially goat. In addition, these have anadditional character to utilize waste and barren lands that otherwise areunsuitable for agriculture activities. The current small ruminant population ofthe state is 5.7 million.
Prospects for small ruminant development
The potential and scope of the state in relation to smallruminants has been such that a separate sheep husbandry department (sheep/goathusbandry) has been created in 1962, that otherwise remains part of animalhusbandry department in other parts of India. In J&K Himalayas, an area of0.3 million hectares is under alpine & subalpine pastures, commonly calledas Behaks or margs like Tosamaidan, Gangbal, Dugwan etc. These beautiful meadowlands along with temperate & semi-arid climate of the Kashmir valley havemade it a place highly suited for small ruminant rearing. The presence ofbountiful pastures and meadow lands once carried nutrient grasses and herbagefor the pastoral activities that made it suitable for the small ruminantdevelopment. In J&K a semi-migratory system of rearing is practised. Thesmall ruminant flocks migrate to the sub-alpines and alpines from May to Novemberto rear their animals for efficient growth.
Role played by Sheep Husbandry Department
At inception the department mainly focussed on theproduction of fine wool breeds of sheep while little emphasis on the muttonproduction. Considering the potential and scope in the state, NationalAgriculture Commission recommended development of fine wool breeds in thestate. The local female sheep (ewes) were crossed with Australian Merino malesheep (Rams). The resultant F1 ewes were bred to Delain rams of USA. Theresultant F2 generation were bred among themselves in order to obtain betterwool and body weight animals; commonly named as Kashmir Merino, a fine woolbreed. The animals carry wool with fibre diameter of 20-24 microns and higherbody weight. Currently, there is 63% improvement achieved in wool traits. Amongtotal production, 70% of wool is being exported to neighbouring states and assuch J&K has earned an edge in fine wool production. In addition, otherbreeds like Russian Steveropol, Rambouillet, Corriedale & Merino’s havebeen imported from various countries like USSR, USA & New Zealand toimprove local blood. Such a crossbreed blood is being made available to thelocal dealers or breeders of the valley for effective upgradation of local genotype.However, crossbreeding to an effective level is yet to be achieved. Inaddition, demand from different corners of the society is to maintain the localbreed identity that further, complicates the situation.
Considering the demand and subsequent large imports ofsheep/mutton from outside state, emphasis on the local mutton production, inaddition to wool, has been laid down. Due to limited attraction towards chevon,limited emphasis has been put on goats. Recently, a workshop was organized byICAR-Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (ICAR-CSWRI), Avikanagar,Rajasthan in collaboration with the Sher-e-Kashmir University of AgriculturalSciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) to see prospects of introducingthe New sheep breeds (from ICAR-NTRS of CSWRI) in the valley under the purviewof J&K’s New Breeding Policy, 2019. The Livestock Breeding Policy forJ&K was formulated and recently approved by SAC headed by Hon’able Governorof the state. The sheep breeding policy aims to develop dual purpose breeds inorder to achieve self-sufficiency in mutton and wool. The import of Rambouiletand Merino sheep breeds is aimed to improve growth rate/carcass weight and stopinbreeding depression that has decreased genetic value of currently availablestock. Mere framing the policy for namesake won’t gonna suffice the purpose; itneeds to be critical keeping in view the state’s socio-cultural and climaticconditions. However, the policy drafting and implementation need sufficientfunds that currently are very much limited with the department.
Limitations in sheep husbandry
The department is generally alleged of its inefficiency tocater the needs of the meat in the state, especially of Kashmir division. Sucha concern is very much genuine and viable considering the major gap in supplyand demand with approx. 41.37% of such requirement is being met throughimports. The department as such cannot be blamed for such a gap, but concertedefforts through the other sectors have to be ensured. The main reasons andsolutions thereof are given as under:
The state is among the major consumers of mutton in Indiawith additional requirements during the wedding seasons or festivals. InKashmir, the major share is of mutton/ chevon. The requirement in other partsof India is less as compared to J&K and the demand is met through variousmeat types like bovine meat, pork, mutton and chevon. In India, major share ofproduced meat is bovine meat (60%) while only 15% is through small ruminants(10% chevon and 5% mutton). Further, due to chilling winter ‘autumn culling’ oflivestock is being done leading to the scarcity of mutton during winter months.
In addition, the steady growth rate (1 to 2%) of sheep andeven lower for goat (0.4%) keeps their population checked. Although, at presentthe population is in an equilibrium with natural resource and an eco-balance issomewhat maintained. The increase in livestock population including smallruminants beyond the carrying capacity may prove counterproductive and candisturb the eco-balance of the valley. Pastoral communities dealing with thesmall ruminant rearing usually lack facilities along their migratory routes fortheir produce and animals. In addition, indigenous knowledge to pastoralcommunities about animal maintenance and breeding has to be ensured and may beachieved by their active involvement. In a positive note, govt is providingvarious schemes like Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National LivestockMission (NLM) and Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Plan (SCATSP) inorder to boost sheep farming. The main concerns in development of sheep/goatsector in Kashmir will be explained as per the animal husbandry activities thatincludes breeding, feeding, weeding and heeding.
Breeding:
In breeding practices, availability of quality germplasm ismust in order to enhance the productivity and maintain disease free animals.Availability of limited germplasm at different govt. sheep breeding/farmcentres has resulted in inbreeding depression (lowered productivity especiallyof economic traits). In addition, such shortage of germplasm has resulted inlimited cross-breeding programme and as such 37% of animals are yet to beincluded under the ambit. The limited exotic germplasm is due to ban onimportation of exotic germplasm as a mark of strict health protocolrestrictions. Since recently new Livestock Breeding Policy has been formed andis aimed at developing different dual purpose breeds (mutton and wool), it maypave way to reduce such demand and supply gap of mutton. In addition, it willhelp to reduce inbreeding depression. The breeds / germplasm to be introducedshould be prolific, fast growing, early maturing with good feed conversionratio. Dorper breed of sheep, known for prolificacy is being bred at thebreeding station in Jammu farm. The percent exotic germplasm in the localbreeds have to be fixed at certain rate (63% to 75%) whichever may be feasibleand suitable for the state especially Kashmir. Further, research in the fieldof assisted reproductive technologies like artificial insemination, embryotransfer technologies, etc in sheep/goat need to be conducted to the logicalend. Such responsibilities are supposed to be taken by agriculturaluniversities (SKUAST of Kashmir and Jammu).
Feeding:
J&K especially Kashmir was once considered a land ofgrazing land (behaks and margs) bearing nutritious grasses and legumes. Theland (kahcharai) as such has shrunk and in J&K only 0.4 hectare of land perlivestock unit (comprising of both large and small ruminants) is available asagainst the national availability of 1.0 hectare. This has developed due tomassive urbanization and encroachment of common village grazing lands andtraditional migratory routes. In addition, the restricted movement of suchareas due to security concerns has added further problems. A positive andstrict approach from govt is therefore required to retrieve the grabbed land.Recently, news could be heard that 78,937 kanals of Kahcharai has beenretrieved from illegal occupation.
The continuous and indiscriminate grazing of superiorgenotypes of grasses and legumes has led to its depletion. The situation inKashmir worsens even further as about 1.5 million migratory sheep/ goat ofJammu migrate during summer. There is lack of any organized pasture managementsystem in relation to the development of viable technology to produce superiorgrass and legume genotypes and also in nomadic movement control. Theunavailability of local animal feed companies makes it costly affair to rearanimals. To pave way for efficient and economical feed production, fodderresources especially in orchard areas and from fodder trees have remainedunderutilized. There is no diversion from traditional rearing mode. Utilizationof orchards for sheep farming under horti-poultry system remains untapped.Other options like enrichment of fodder like straws / stovers (usually low innutritive composition) by 2% urea/ molasses that improve their criticalnutrients through additional nitrogen (protein) and increased fibre utilizationcan also be availed. Various feed forms like silage and foliage of fodder treeshas to be taken into consideration.
Weeding:
Weeding in husbandry practices means to remove theunproductive lot. There is need to detect and weed out the unproductive andunhealthy animals. The breeding stock, although limited, that does not performor carry genetic defects leading to various defects like contracted tendon,intestinal atresia, etc in progeny has to be weeded out. This helps to controlunhealthy and weaker animals. Incorporation of germplasm that carries earlygrowth traits and better early and mature weight, and good feed conversionratio can cater the growing needs. The role of Breeding Policy again here comesinto play and thus, effective measures need to be taken to produce improved lotboth in prolificacy and efficiency.
Heeding:
In husbandry practices, heeding conforms to the provision ofoptimal health care. Sheep husbandry department is mainly focussing onmanagemental aspects while the therapeutics has largely been ignored. There islack of sophisticated equipments at various dispensaries or hospitals fortimely diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Animals require timelyvaccination and deworming prior to their migration to the behaks or margs andalso when brought back. The health care specialist should be made availableduring their stay at behaks. Animals that are pregnant or become pregnantshould be provided due care in relation to the requirement of feed and medicalhelp. Ambulatory services have to be kept available for timely medicaltreatment. An upgradation in the disease surveillance programmes has to bemade. Check posts at entry points to the State and Valley has to be kept strongfor prevention of any kind of disease transmission. Such services though arebeing undertaken but needs stricter adherence to prevent losses.
In conclusion, rethinking and redrafting of policies inrelation to feeding, breeding, heeding and weeding practices have to be ensuredfor effective and sufficient mutton production. An influx of more central andstate govt. funding that are currently lacking may pave way for improvedhusbandry practices.
Dr. Mudasir Bashir is Assistant Professor, FVSc & AH,SKUAST-K