The Uttarakhand government has imported 240 Merino sheep from Australia under the National Livestock Mission to improve sheep breeding in the state and boost production of quality wool. “This is a revolutionary and progressive step which will prove to be a boon for the farmers of the State”, said Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra Singh Rawat.
The high quality Australian breed of sheep would be used for pure line and cross-breeding programmes under a well laid out breeding plan spread over 5 years, which will rid the state of the problem of inbreeding prevalent among sheep, Rawat further said.
High quality germplasm would be made available to the sheep breeders through use of modern artificial insemination in sheep and embryo transfer technology. Through the use of technology, State government aims to boost high quality wool productivity from 558 metric tonnes at present to more than 1,000 metric tonnes. It will also help people in the mountainous regions of the state to stay in their villages and engage in sheep breeding as a sustainable economic activity.
The 240 Merino sheep have been imported at a cost of Rs 8.5 crore, and 40 of them are male, while 200 are female, informed Meenakshi Sundaram, Secretory Animal Husbandry.
Sundaram also added that they have been quarantined currently at a village in Tehri district. They will be vaccinated in a month against foot and mouth disease and engaged in breeding activity in a phased manner.
