Sheep Development
According to Livestock census 2003, there are about 61.47 million sheep and 124.36 million goats in the country. About five million households in the country are engaged in the rearing of small ruminants sheep & goats rabbets and other allied activities. The wool production was about 45.1 million kg during 2006-2007.
Central Sheep Breeding Farm, Hissar (External website that opens in a new window) is producing acclimatized exotic/cross bred superior quality rams. The farm has supplied 694 rams and 56 beetalbucks during 2007-08 to different States.
Conservation of Threatened Breeds
The population of some of the pure bred small ruminants, equines, pigs and pack animals has come down considerably and such breeds have come to the category of threatened breeds in the country.
A new centrally sponsored scheme for conservation of such threatened breeds was started during Tenth Five Year Plan with a budget outlay of Rs. 1500 lakhs. Farms/farmer’s units in their respective breeding tract are established under the scheme with 100% central assistance. The conservation projects are being implemented by State Governments, Universities and NGO’s. During the Tenth plan period, conservation projects for 27 breeds were taken up. During 2007-08, an amount of Rs. 136.06 lakh was release for the conservation of Sangamneri Goat in the State of Maharashtra (Rs. 32 lakh), Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana (Rs. 30 lakh), Government of Gujarat for conservation of Kathiawari horses (Rs. 36.81 lakh) and Rs. 28.25 lakh was released the Govt. of Uttar Pradesh for Conversation of Mujaffarnagri Sheep by Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut and Rs. 9.00 lakh released to NABARD Consultancy Services (External website that opens in a new window) (NABCONS) for evaluation of the scheme.
Meat Production/Processing and Export
There are 15 export-oriented integrated modern abattoirs and 16 meat processing plants registered with Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority exporting raw meet (Chilled and frozen) to about 56 countries. During 2005-06, about 459937.63 M.T. Buffalo Meat and 7177.51 MT sheep/goat meat valued at Rs. 2629.57 crore and Rs. 80.37 crore respectively were exported. During April December 2006, meet and its products worth Rs. 2415.63 crore have been exported indicating 18.20% growth in rupees export.
Source: National Portal Content Management Team, Reviewed on: 31-03-2009 
