ANIMAL HUSBANDRY DEPARTMENT

[ Animal Husbandry | Sheep Husbandry ]

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY DEPARTMENT

Introduction

Animal Husbandry Department is the most leading sector for with potential for changing the living standard of poor tribal people of the district. The economy of the farmers can be improved by increasing the Milk, Eggs and Poultry meat. This can be achieved by adopting the scientific measures of improved breeding, feeding and disease control. The growing season is very short and climate is very hostile, hence economy of the farmers mainly depend upon the dairying. The common species of livestock of the district are Yak, Cattle, Horses, Poultry, Sheep and Goat. The livestock population as per census 2003-04 is as under:-

1. Cross bred Jersy 23043
2. Local bred 22575
3. Yak and its crosses 22994
4. Equine 14232
5. Poultry 50982

Institutions :

 

S.No. Name of Institution / Office Numbers
1 Diseases Investigation Office 01
2 Cattle Breeding Farm & Research Farm 01
3 Yak Breeding Farm 01
4 Equine Breeding Farm 01
5 Poultry Farm 01
6 Mini Poultry Project 01
7 Block Level Poultry Unit 04
8 Vety. Clinical Laboratory 01
9 Vety. Hospitals 03
10 Vety. Sub Unit 01
11 Intensive Cattle Development Centre 03
12 Livestick Development Centre 57
13 Frozen Semen Centre 01
14 Auxiliary Centres 09
15 Frozen Semen bank (LN2 plant) 01
 

Programme at hand

Genetic upgradation of local livestock: This is done to produce higher yielding cross breeds and eliminates scrub cattle. this is under taken by :-

  1. Natural Services
  2. Artificial Inseminations

Natural Services: On the basis of livestock population the livestock development centres have been opened in the premier villages. These centres are provided with the bulls of Exotic blood produced at Govt. Farms / imported from out of the District.

Artificial Insemination: This is a new technology introduced in the district in the year 2001-02, at present this department is remaining this scheme in 18 Livestock Development Centres and Cattle breeding farm. the advantages of this programme is :-

  1. The semen of the good proven bull can be preserved for 10 to 15 years, even after the death of the bull at 196 centigrade.
  2. The scheme will cover the cent percent population of breed-able cows. That is any nos of cows in a day, where bull can cover 2-3 cows in a week.
  3. It prevent spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
  4. It avoids keeping bulls at centres, this saving huge exchequer.

Poultry Development: The importance of poultry development is well under stood from the point of balanced diet which as assumes added importance in this district where it is not available, with the efforts of Animal Husbandry Department the people have started rearing birds readily. The department is providing birds in the age group of 2-3 months. The department provide birds and eggs through poultry units during winter months when Zojila pass us closed.

Source : Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Kargil

SHEEP HUSBANDRY DEPARTMENT

Introduction

Sheep Husbandry Department was established in order to built and re-orient the Sheep Industry in the backward District Kargil and to introduce the scientific method of sheep management and disease control under Govt. order no:G.o.LA-40 of 1973 dated:30/06/1973, during the year 1973 to 1982 both the department Animal and Sheep Husbandry worked jointly and in 1982 the two departments were bifurcated and Sheep Husbandry department started as independently worked under the control of Project Officer Intensive Sheep Development, Kargil.

Objectives

The objectives of the department are as under:-

  1. To bring the entire population of Sheep under the orbit of modern sheep development and management

  2. To infuse Merino / Karakul blood in the entire sheep population of the district

  3. To improve quality and quantity of wool and mutton industry

  4. To provide health coverage to all the Sheep / Goat population of the District and to prevent them from contagious and non contagious diseases.

  5. From 1996-97 Pashmina Development was also taken in hand at District Kargil by starting a Pashmina Goat Farm at Khangral, where from Pashmina Bucks shall be produced and distributed in Shergole / Chiktan Blocks for breeding and converting local goat population in Pashmina goat.

Sheep & Goat Population

As per the Census conducted by the Revenue authorities, the Sheep / Goat ppulation of District Kargil are as under:

Livestock Census 1988 Census 1992 Projected figures 2003-04
Sheep 1.60 lacs 1.79 lacs 1.63 lacs
Goat 0.90 lacs 0.95 lacs 0.92 lacs

Due to draught and continious shelling from across the border in the Border areas of District Kargil for last many years, it adversely effected upon population of Sheep and goat of the area, as the breeders were forced to sell their Sheep / Goat due to shortage of grazing / fodder.

The cross breed population of the District are as under:

Sheep 0.47 lacs
Goat 0.16 lacs
Pashmina 0.05 lacs

The block wise Sheep/Goat population as per the Census conducted by the I/C sheep Extension Centres (covered areas only) of this organisation are as under:

S.No. Name of block Population
Sheep Goat
1. Drass 11,600 4,600
2. Kargil 14,400 16,200
3. Sankoo 19,000 12,400
4. Taisuru 11,700 8,500
5. Shergole 13,000 13,700
6. Chiktan 10,000 13,400
7. Zanskar 26,000 24,000

Wool and Mutton Production

S.No. Year Production (estimated)
Wool Mutton

1.

 2002-03 1.10 lacs 4.00 lacs Kgs
2. 2003-04 1.11 lacs 4.05 lacs Kgs

Breeding Programme:

Keeping in view the geoclimatic condition of the area, availability of Fodder/Pasture and interest of the breeders, different Block of the District were earmarked for different breeding programme:

S.No. Name of Block Breeding Programme
1. Drass and Zanskar Merino and Angora / Alpine
2. Kargil Karakul, Alpine and Angora
3. Sankoo and Taisuru Karakul and Alpine
4. Shergole and Chiktan Karakul, Pashmina and Angora

Distribution of Rams/Bucks on Community Basis:

To save huge expenditure of Fodder for maintenance of stud Rams/Bucks during winter months, the department has taken in hand a scheme of distribution of Stud Rams/Bucks on permanent basis for period of 5 years. Out of 702 Rams/Bucks as on 01/04/2004, 549 Stud Rams/Bucks stands distributed among the progressive breeders of the District and only 153 Rams/Bucks are at Centre.

The Block wise no. of Sheep Extension Centre and Stud Rams/Bucks distributed for breeding are as under:

S.No. Name of Block No. of centre

No. of Stud Rams/Bucks at the Centre for breeding as on 01/08/2004
At Centre With Breeder
1. Drass 10 - 91
2. Kargil 10 35 65
3. Shergole 04 22 41
4. Chiktan 07 26 82
5. Sankoo 11 46 122
6. Taisuru 06 19 52
7. Zanskar 05 - 95

Karakul Sheep Farm Khumbathang

This Farm has the distinction of being the only of its kind in the country, where in the Karakul Rams are produced for cross breeding in the Farmer flock. this breed has a unique capability of surviving on a very lean pasture, but at the same time conserving the intakes and thus booting the production of mutton in these agro-climatic condition. The livestock at this Farm as on 01/08/2004 is 753 Sheep + 5 cattle.

Angora Goat Farm Pashkum

For production of Pashmina in the District Kargil, a Pashmina Goat Farm at Khangral has been established. In Chiktan and Shergole Blocks Pashmina Goat development has been introduced which has been widely accepted by the breeders. The Pashmina Bucks produced from this farm is distributed in Shergole/Chiktan Block for cross breeding. The livestock at farm is 267 Pashmina Goats.

Source: District Sheep Husbandry Officer, Kargil