SHOPIAN, FEBRUARY 25: Sheep Husbandry Department, Shopian has registered remarkable progress during the financial year 2025–26, reinforcing its pivotal role in strengthening the rural economy and ensuring sustainable livelihoods for sheep and goat rearers of the district.
Through targeted investments, scientific interventions, and large-scale service delivery, the department has achieved measurable outcomes across income generation, employment, livestock health, productivity, fodder development, and wool marketing.
A total of 185 income generating sheep units were established under various government schemes with a financial outlay of Rs 165.18 lakh, resulting in direct employment generation for 452 persons and a substantial enhancement in mutton and wool production.
These units were established under the Integrated Sheep Development Scheme, HADP, JKCIP, RKVY, Tribal Sub Plan, and National Livestock Mission, collectively strengthening the livestock production base of Shopian.
To promote adoption of scientific sheep husbandry practices, the department conducted 20 awareness, training, exposure, and demonstration programmes under ATMA–SMAE and ASCAD components, benefiting 505 sheep farmers, who were sensitized on improved livestock management, disease control, and productivity enhancement.
Livestock health coverage was implemented on an extensive scale, ensuring disease prevention and public health safety, with 20,785 animals treated during the year. The department provided 3,72,272 lakh dosing and 2,75,328 lakh vaccinations.
Free FMD and PPR vaccinations and provision of medicines to farmers at 50–75% subsidized rates significantly reduced disease incidence and economic losses for farmers during the ongoing year.
Productivity enhancement efforts were further reinforced through the distribution of 116 elite government breeding rams among progressive breeders, contributing to mutton production of 7.59 lakh kilograms and wool production of 2.24 lakh kilograms during the period.
To support sustainable livestock productivity and fodder security, the department distributed 453 fodder seed kits free of cost, comprising 224 kits of Perennial Rye Grass and 229 kits of Perennial Red Clover, strengthening the horti-pastoral system of the district.
Overall, the achievements of the Sheep Husbandry Department, Shopian during 2025–26 clearly demonstrate a result-oriented, farmer-centric, and development-driven approach, reflecting a focused approach towards genetic upgradation, scientific sheep rearing, and long-term productivity improvement in the district.
