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ThesisItem Open Access STUDIES ON THE SHEEP PRODUCTION PRACTICES IN PRAKASM DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH(Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, TIRUPATI – 517 502,A.P, 2012-07) KRISHNA RAO, CHIRITHOTI.S; GANGA RAJU, G (Major); RAVINDRA REDDY, Y; PUNYA KUMARI, BABSTRACT : An attempt has been made in the present study to find out the sheep production practices in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh. A total of 225 sheep farmers were selected from 15 mandals in three revenue divisions. The average age of shepherd was 41.43 ± 0.74 years. Majority of shepherds were illiterates (52.89%) followed by primary (24.89%), secondary (16.89%) and college (5.33%) level education. Nearly 65 per cent of the shepherds belonged to Backward Communities and 23.56, 9.78 and 2.22 per cent belongs to other castes, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, respectively. The average family size in sheep farmers was 4.85 ± 0.32 with mean male and females of 1.37 ± 0.09, 1.36 ± 0.09 and 1.22 ± 0.08, 2.12 ± 0.14 in adult and young groups, respectively. The main occupation was sheep rearing (50.22%) followed by agriculture and animal husbandry (29.33%), agriculture (10.67%) and agricultural labourers (9.78%) in the study area. Only 13.33 per cent of the sheep farmers possessed leased land and 43.56 per cent had their own lands and remaining 43.11 per cent were landless. The mean wet and dry land possessed by the sheep farmer was 1.74 ± 0.13 acres and the land holding sheep farmers belongs to marginal farmers (73.44%), small farmer (16.41%) and semi medium farmer (10.16%) categories, respectively. The other livestock holding by the sheep farmers includes cattle 2.08 ± 0.42, buffaloes 1.93 ± 0.42 and goats 7.13 ± 0.47. Sheep production system followed in study area was extensive management type. Based on category of sheep the flock consists of 1.35 ± 0.45 rams, 44.34 ± 1.10 ewes, 7.11 ± 0.48 young male and 12.52 ± 0.52 young female stock and with an overall flock size of 64.91± 1.66. The overall mean of sheep in the flocks was 48.98 ± 1.47 Nellore Jodipi and 15.95 ± 1.00 Nellore crosses type. The Housing pattern with sheep farmers was permanent (13.33%), temporary housing (86.67%) and houses were open type (52.44%) and with gravel flooring. Sixty per cent farmers followed soil replacement. Majority of the sheep farmers (86.77 %) were using thatched roofs. Most of the farmers (83.11%) followed continuous grazing and 16.89 per cent followed split grazing. Sheep were allowed for grazing in summer months for 7.48 ± 0.06 hrs and in other seasons 6.24 ± 0.03 hrs. Only 28.44 per cent of sheep farmers were feeding with concentrate to their rams. Tree leaf feeding to young lambs was observed in 50.67 per cent of sheep flocks. Majority of sheep farmers (88.44%) followed migration and traveled an average distance of (65.83%) less than 50 Km, (17.59%) of 50-100 km and (16.58%) of more than 100 Km. The migration period of sheep flocks was (78.39%) upto three months and (21.61%) above 3 months. The average number of breeding rams was 1.35 ± 0.04 and majority was 4 teeth. Majority of farmers (40.0%) purchased the rams from other sheep flocks and (28.44%) used their own rams. Majority (61.78 %) of shepherds followed replacement of rams while (32.37%) with seasonal frequency. The lifetime lambings per ewe was 6.40 ± 0.05. The mean breedable female sheep available in farmer flocks was 34.00 ± 0.81. Among the female breeding stock, lambings were ranged from 18.97 ± 0.81 to 28.53 ± 0.88. The average Age at First Mating and Age at First Lambing in ewes was 15.60 ± 0.11 and 23.07 ± 0.11months, respectively. The prolificacy in the ewes was 96.00 per cent as single births and 4.00 percent twin births. Mean lambings were observed in winter (38.96 ± 0.32) followed by summer (15.93 ± 0.46) and rainy (13.04 ± 0.17) seasons. The mean body weights in Nellore cross rams was 35.80 ± 0.88, 43.87 ± 0.67, 50.39 ± 0.59 and 56.01 ± 1.56 kg at age of 2 teeth, 4 teeth, 6 teeth and 8 teeth and in ewes at corresponding ages were 28.68 ± 0.49, 31.20 ± 0.36, 35.68 ± 0.41 and 41.35 ± 0.28 kg, respectively. In young lambs the overall mean body weights were 2.99 ± 0.05, 13.22 ± 0.19, 19.16 ± 0.21, 22.62 ± 0.34 , 27.07 ± 0.46 kg and 2.63 ± 0.05, 12.52 ± 0.14, 18.92 ± 0.24, 21.81 ± 0.29 and 25.73 ± 0.35 kg in male and females at birth, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months age groups, respectively. The average body weight in Nellore jodipi rams was 33.29 ± 0.63, 40.00 ± 0.71, 46.00 ± 0.89 and 51.25 ± 0.59 kg and 26.03 ± 0.54, 30.02 ± 0.53, 33.68 ± 0.55 and 39.20 ± 0.64 kg in adult ewes at 2 teeth, 4 teeth, 6 teeth and 8 teeth age groups, respectively. In young lambs the overall mean body weights were 2.95 ± 0.07, 12.93 ± 0.28, 18.45 ± 0.45, 20.96 ± 0.75 , 25.11 ± 0.56 kg and 2.59 ± 0.06, 12.05 ± 0.18, 15.72 ± 0.23, 18.57 ± 0.41 and 23.08 ± 0.51 kg in male and females at birth, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months age groups, respectively. Most of the shepherds were not vaccinating (39.56%) and deworming (22.67%) their sheep. Sheep were vaccinated against the diseases viz. Entero Toxaemia (23.96%), Haemorrhagic septicemia (22.19%), Foot and Mouth Disease (4.44), Pestis des Petitis Ruminantis (23.37 %) and sheep pox (26.04 %). Majority (77.33%) of the sheep farmers expressed the problem with ticks and fleas (19.56 %). Only 19.56 per cent sheep farmers were carried out deticking. Disposal of sheep was in the frequency of monthly (29.91%), quarterly (6.00%), half yearly (16.44%) and annually (19.32%). The average number of sheep disposed was 11.81 ± 3.71 in all category of age. The sale price of sheep followed by the shepherds was by age, sex and live weight of the animals with 100.00, 68.44 and 31.56, per cent respectively. The mean sale price of different age group of sheep was Rs. 6286.96± 689.12, Rs. 4590 ± 965.51, Rs.1722.38 ± 106.35 and Rs.1546.85 ± 103.84 for rams, ewes, ram lambs and ewe lambs, respectively. Majority of the marketing sheep were reached to the shandies by walk (65.78%) and by different type of transport vehicles (34.22 %). About 56.88 per cent of the sheep farmers were using the sheep manure for agricultural purposes. The average sale price of manure per cart load and truck load was Rs.163.98 ± 2.77 and Rs. 572.92 ± 10.84, respectively. The overall manure disposal frequency was 3.17 ± 0.09 for cart and 6.50 ± 0.52 for truck loads. Majority of the farmers (16.02%) expressed financial problems. Markapur division shepherds (15.51%) were facing water scarcity in summer months. The other problems were lack of grazing resources (12.30%), Veterinary services (11.33%), Housing (10.94%) and Drinking water resources (10.55%), while the other less intensity problems were limited/non availability of breeding rams, diseases, marketing, migration and labour with the percentages of 10.16, 8.98, 7.81, 6.84 and 5.08, respectively.