Imported Australian breed to strengthen local sheep genetics; initiative aims to improve meat production, productivity and farmers’ income

Srinagar|Nov, 7: In a major push to boost meat production and strengthen the local livestock economy, the Jammu and Kashmir Sheep Husbandry Department distributed 46 elite Texel rams to progressive farmers across the Kashmir region on Saturday.
The distribution event took place at the Sheep Breeding Farm in Khimber, chaired by Agriculture Production Minister Javed Ahmad Dar alongside MLA Khansahib Saif-ud-Din Bhat, MLA Hazratbal Salman Sagar, and Director Sheep Husbandry Kashmir Dr. Basharat Amin Kuthu.
The initiative moves high-quality genetic stock directly into field conditions. Under the arrangement, selected farmers will hold the rams—each weighing over 35 kg—for a single breeding cycle before returning them to the department. This field evaluation will allow officials to monitor the adaptability, growth, and productivity of the progeny born from pure-line Texel and Kashmir Merino crossbreeding.
The distributed rams are part of a larger consignment of 450 elite Texel sheep (338 ewes and 112 rams) imported from Australia in April 2025 under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) at a cost of ₹13.50 crore. To further scale the impact, the department is also exploring advanced reproductive technologies, including Embryo Transfer Technology, alongside expanding vaccination and veterinary coverage across the territory.