Initiative aims to improve genetic quality, meat production and income of sheep-rearing households
SRINAGAR: The Department of Sheep Husbandry, Kashmir, on Saturday distributed 46 genetically superior Texel male sheep among progressive farmers at the Sheep Breeding Farm, Khimber, as part of efforts to improve livestock productivity through scientific breeding.
The initiative, undertaken under the guidance of Minister for Agriculture Production, Finance, Mining and Cooperatives Javid Ahmad Dar, aims to introduce superior genetic material into local breeding systems and improve the quality and productivity of the indigenous sheep population.
Texel, an internationally recognised meat-producing breed, is known for its muscular development, higher meat yield and desirable carcass characteristics. Its introduction into local breeding programmes is expected to support genetic improvement through planned and scientifically managed crossbreeding.
The department said the intervention was expected to improve meat production and livestock productivity, thereby strengthening the income-generating potential of sheep-rearing households.
Dar said the government was committed to ensuring that the benefits of scientific research, technological advancements and improved breeding resources reached farmers at the grassroots level. He said sheep husbandry had considerable potential to strengthen Jammu and Kashmir’s rural economy and support families dependent on livestock rearing.
The Minister stressed that the focus should be on improving the quality, productivity and economic value of livestock rather than merely increasing animal numbers. He urged farmers to make optimum use of departmental support, adopt modern animal husbandry practices and maintain coordination with technical institutions and field functionaries.
He also emphasised the need for integrated development of agriculture and allied sectors, including horticulture, dairy farming and sheep husbandry, to generate rural employment, strengthen household incomes and create sustainable livelihood opportunities, particularly for youth.
The initiative is part of the government’s broader efforts to strengthen the sheep value chain, promote scientific breeding and improve the competitiveness of the sheep husbandry sector in Jammu and Kashmir.