Having a large population & growing meat lovers provided the option to go for commercial sheep farming throughout India. There are many sheep breeds found in India depending on the geographical location. However, here we are going to discuss popular sheep breeds, their features, characteristics & performance.
Let’s Start:
1. Gaddi Sheep:
These are small in size & are distributed in various parts of Jammu. The main purpose for rearing this breed is wool. Males have horns & females are hornless. The wool of this breed is fine & lustrous & an average annual yield of 1.15 kg per sheep can be expected which is usually clipped thrice a year. The wool of this sheep breed is used to manufacture Kullu shawls & blankets.
2. Deccani Sheep:
This breed is a cross between Rajasthan's woolly types and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu's hairy types. These sheep are raised to produce both wool and mutton. The Mumbai Deccan region, as well as areas of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana, are home to this breed. This sheep breed is grey and black in color. This sheep breed is small and sturdy, making it ideal for harsh pasture conditions. Because these sheep are good for wool production, an annual wool yield of around 5kg per sheep is expected. The wool is of low quality, composed mainly of a mixture of hair and fibers, and is primarily used to make rough blankets.
3. Mandya Sheep:
These are mostly found in the Mandya district of Karnataka. Mandya sheep are white-colored small animals. However, in certain cases, the face has a light brown color that extends up to the neck. The body of this breed is small, with long, leafy, and floppy ears. The average male sheep weighs roughly 35 kg, while female sheep weigh around 25 kg. Among other Indian varieties, this sheep breed is known for producing the best meat.
4. Nellore Sheep:
This breed is mainly distributed in Andhra Pradesh & some parts of Telangana. These can be reared in any part of south India because of their good adaptability for southern climate. These are taller in size with little hair. This breed is tallest among all other breeds in India & look similar to a goat. This sheep breed has long & drooping ears. Average body weight of male sheep is 36-38 kg while female sheep attain 28-30 kg with good farm management practices. This breed has a long face, long ears & body is densely covered with short hair. Mostly all the sheep of this breed appears in Red color, that is why people call them Nellore Red.
5. Marwari Sheep:
This sheep breed possess long legs, black face & a prominent nose. The tail is short & pointed. This breed is mainly distributed all over Jodhpur & parts of Jaipur districts of Rajasthan. These sheep breed flocks are raised in Barmer & Bali districts of Rajasthan. These sheep’s migrate to places in Uttar Pradesh, some districts of Madhya Pradesh & some parts of Maharashtra. This breed have high tolerance of worms & diseases. Due to high resistance of this breed, the survival rate is comparatively high. The average wool for a year from each sheep is estimated around 1-1.25 kg.
6. Coimbatore Sheep:
This breed is mainly found in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. This sheep breed is mainly raised for wool purposes & attains medium weight. These are found in white color with black or purple color bands over the areas of the head & neck. 30-35% of adult female sheep are free of horns. The average body weight of male & female sheep is about 25 & 20 kg respectively.
7. Vembur Sheep:
This is mainly found in various areas of Tamil Nadu state. These are tall & mainly reared for meat purposes. This sheep breed has white color skin with red spots on the body. The ears are usually droopy & in a smaller sizes. The adult males of this breed have horns whereas females don’t have any horns. Body weights of adult male & female sheep depend on-farm management practices. The average weight of male & female sheep are 35-38 kg & 28-30 kg respectively.
8. Chennai Red Sheep:
This breed is mainly found in various parts of Tamil Nadu. This breed is mainly reared for meat purpose. Most of Chennai Red Sheep’s are purple in color & some have colored stripes on their forehead. The average body weight of male & female sheep are 34-36 kg & 24-26 kg respectively.
Also read Advantages and Problems in Goat Farming.
