Recently Minister for Agriculture Production Department, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, visited Sheep Breeding Farm (SBF) Khimber here to assess the functioning of the facility and inspect the newly introduced Texel sheep breed imported from Australia.
While inspecting the facility, the Minister said, “The Texel sheep breed will emerge as a revolutionary force in the livestock industry in J&K. Its introduction offers tremendous potential for transforming sheep rearing practices, enhancing productivity, and ultimately improving the livelihoods of our farming community.”
He directed the concerned officers to organize awareness camps to educate farmers on the benefits and management practices associated with the Texel breed. He highlighted that the awareness camps will serve as vital platforms to disseminate technical know-how and improve adoption of scientific sheep husbandry practices.
During the visit, Director Sheep Husbandry informed the Minister on the introduction of around 450 high-quality Texel sheep; including 338 ewes and 112 rams—imported from Australia under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP). He added that the initiative is aimed at addressing the J&K’s substantial mutton demand of approximately 310 lakh kilograms annually.
He also informed that the Texel breed will be reared under intensive farming conditions at SBF Khimber, adding that the breeding lines will be scientifically maintained to preserve pedigree records.
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