A STUDY ON MIGRATORY ASPECTS OF SHEEP REARING IN ANANTAPUR DISTRICT
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Date
2016-12
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SRI VENKATESWARA VETERINARY UNIVERSITY TIRUPATI - 517 502. (A.P.) INDIA
Abstract
ABSTRACT:
The present study entitled “A study on migratory aspects of sheep rearing in
Anantapur district” was undertaken to study the socio economic status of the
migratory sheep farmers, management practices of sheep rearing, performance of
sheep, identification of migratory tracts and patterns and constraints if any. A total of
160 migratory sheep flocks were identified and selected for the study.
Majority (42.5%) of the shepherds in the study area were middle age people
with a mean age of 37.48 years and majority of the sheep farmers belonged to
backward caste (84.37%) followed by scheduled tribes (9.37%), scheduled caste
(4.37%) and others (1.87%). The average size of the family was 4.8 and majority
(51.87%) were living as joint families. Regarding education level, majority (56.87%)
of the shepherds were literate with 60.44 per cent upto primary school level. With
regard to experience in sheep farming, the average was 14.01 years with majority of
sheep farmers having 10 to 20 years of sheep farming experience. It was observed that
71.87 per cent of farmers were having sheep rearing as main occupation followed by
28.13 per cent having agriculture related activities as main activity. The mean flock
size was 307.85, where majority (93.12%) of farmers had possessed their own sheep.
With regard to management practices it was observed that 100 per cent of the
farmers provided lamb enclosures for new born lambs until weaning. It was observed
that farmers depend mainly on available grazing resources to rear their sheep flocks.
Majority (37.5%) of the farmers utilized all types lands (community land, forests and
waste lands) followed by forests + waste lands (35%), waste barren lands (3.75%) and
forests (2.5%) for grazing of their sheep. The average grazing time in the study area
was found to be 8.5 ± 0.05 hours and the mean grazing distance recorded was
5.14±0.06 km/day. It was observed that all the farmers provided supplementation
along with feeding resources available in the grazing area.
The male to female sex ratio was 1:28 and the retention time of ram in the
flock was for 5.2 years, with majority (86.25%) of the farmers not practicing rotation
of breeding rams and culling of the breeding ewes (77.5%).
It was appreciable that all the sheep farmers practiced deworming and
immunization while majority (60%) of the respondents didn’t follow the deticking
practice.
Majority of the shepherds disposed off manure by way of penning for money
against provision for crop stubbles or food provided by the farmers.
The mean birth weight of ram and ewe lambs was 3.04 ± 0.01 kg and
2.84 ± 0.01 kg, respectively. The mean weaning weight of males and females were,
11.88 ± 0.09 kg and 11.75 ± 0.09 kg, respectively. The mean weight at 6 months of
age was 16.07 ± 0.2 kg and 15.79 ± 0.11 kg and at 1 year of age it was 28.43 ± 0.25
kg and 23.55 ± 0.25 kg in males and females, respectively.
The age at first mating was 12.24 ± 0.23 and 17.77 ± 0.09 months in females
and males, respectively. Age at first lambing of ewes was found to be 17.81 ± 0.10
months. A tupping percentage of 86.9 ± 0.27 and lambing percentage of 81.25 ± 0.16
was observed in the study area. The average lambing interval was 8.03 ± 0.01 months.
The mean weaning percentage observed was 87.75 ± 0.26 and the weaning age was
3.4 months.
A total of 14 major migratory tracts (100 km and above) and 12 minor
migratory tracts (below 100 km) were identified in the study area. The major
migratory tract - I was largest covering 216 km with a duration of 210 days, starting
from Chennarayunipalle of Bukkapatnam mandal in Ananthapur district and reaching
Ammasandra in Karnataka. The distance travelled by sheep flocks in the identified
major tracts ranged from 100 to 202 km with a mean distance of 128.46 ± 8.98 km.
The duration (days) of migration in major tracts ranged from 150 to 276 with a mean
duration of 193.53 ± 10.0. The minor migratory tract - XII starting from Pamidi and
reaching Penakacherla dam of Garladinne mandal was the shortest route covering 18
km with a span of 90 days. The distance travelled by sheep flocks in the identified
minor tracts ranged from 18 to 96 km with a mean distance of 69.33 ± 6.89 km. The
duration (days) of migration in minor tracts ranged from 90 to 159 with a mean
duration of 130.91 ± 7.6.
Drinking water scarcity, shrinkage of grazing lands, resistance from local
farmers, fodder scarcity, physical strain associated with migration and attack by
predators were the major constraints encountered by the shepherds along the
migratory tracts.
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