The Hindu : Karnataka News : 250 crossbred rams distributed to farmers in Chitradurga

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Friday, Oct 05, 2007
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Karnataka

250 crossbred rams distributed to farmers in Chitradurga

Staff Correspondent

Rambouillet sheep were crossbred with domestic sheep

The domestic breed gives less than 1 kg of wool
The foreign breed gives over 2 kg of wool

Helping farmers: MLA G.H. Tippareddy inspecting the rams brought from Haryana, in Chitradurga on Thursday.

Chitradurga: To promote production of wool and encourage sheep farmers to adopt new breeds to get better quality wool and more revenue, the Karnataka Sheep and Wool Development Nigam has distributed 250 crossbred rams to farmers.

In a programme organised by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services here on Thursday, managing director of the nigam Shivakumar said that the department had imported 250 rams from Haryana to distribute here.

He said that the rambouillet sheep were crossbred with the domestic variety for better results.

While the domestic breed weighs 25 to 30 kg and gives less than 1 kg of wool, the foreign breed weighs over 40 kg and gives over 2 kg of wool.

“Compared with the local wool, rambouillet wool is very soft and shiny and it has a high demand in the market,” he said.

Dr. Shivakumar said the State has roughly 70 lakh sheep and the number is growing substantially.

The new breed has been widely adopted in places like Tumkur and Kolar, where some farmers have made profits out of this foreign variety.

Dr. Shivakumar said that the new breed was adaptable, provided care was taken for a month till it was acclimatised to the new environment.

If the production of sheep wool goes up, the department would make arrangements for selling the offspring to get better price in the market, he said.

After distributing the rams, MLA G.H. Tippareddy said that the Union Government had selected Chitradurga and Belgaum districts for distribution of rams.

He told farmers not to sell, or sacrifice the rams in the name of god.

“The department has taken a lot of trouble to bring these rams all the way from Haryana,” he said.

The farmers could earn heavy profits if the rams were given proper care, he added.

Deputy director of veterinary services Maheshwargoud was present.

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