DIVISION OF TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

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One of the major mandates of the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute is to transfer improved technologies on sheep production to farmers, rural artisans and development workers through its transfer of technology programme at its main campus and its regional centres. The main objectives of this programme are:

• To test and transfer the technologies being developed for increasing meat and wool production of sheep.
• To survey and evaluate the productivity of sheep in field conditions.
• To motivate farmers to increase sheep production by adopting improved practices of breeding, feeding, reproduction, disease control, feed resource, wool utilization, marketing, etc.
• To create awareness in the sheep farmers about improved animal husbandry practices.

The Division of Transfer of Technology and Social Sciences came into existence in 1975. It was initially started as Division of Extension and ORP with the objective to transfer the technologies of sheep production as well as fibre technology to farmers, rural artisans and wool industry. It is involved in the dissemination of its transferable technologies in the field conditions through its flagship project “Integrated approaches for improvement in productivity of sheep, goat under field conditions through transferable technologies”, in which every division of the institute is involved. It accomplishes its activities through its 4 field or TOT centres which at present cover 20 villages, but are envisaged to      add more villages during the 12th plan. The TOT programme of the Institute is very popular among the farmers of this region and there is great demand for Institute technologies. Our extension workers are in constant touch with the sheep farmers of the adopted villages and solve their problems promptly. In addition, the benefits of the newer technologies are demonstrated in the farmers flocks itself for wider acceptance of the technologies. Over the years there has been a marked improvement in the socio-economic conditions of the farmers of this region due to the adoption of these newer technologies. The Institute also reaches out to the farmers through participation in livestock and agricultural exhibitions all over the country,  through organization of Health Camps, sheep/kisan Melas, Kisan gosthis, field days, Van Mahotsavas, Veterinary Days, exposure visits of farmers from all over the country and through  off campus training programmes by deputing its experts. Newer tools like SMS Alert Services and Radio Farm School have been initiated while setting up of a dedicated helpline is in the pipeline.  
The Institute has developed various simple and cost effective transferable technologies for the benefit of the sheep sector after testing these technologies in the field. These are:

1. The institute has developed elite flocks of Malpura, Chokla, Marwari, Magra and Bharat Merino through selective breeding for breed improvement programmes. Superior rams of these breeds are in great demand with the farmers as well as with the State and Central developmental agencies for improvement of other native sheep for meat and carpet wool in the country. The institute is also in the process of developing a prolific mutton type sheep for meeting the challenges of the future.
2. The fat lamb production technology developed at the institute is a promising commercial mutton production technology which needs to be pursued vigorously by the meat industry. At present the country is losing on mutton production as the sheep farmers distress sale their lambs at 2-3 months of age, which when put to slaughter give low carcass yields. Entrepreneurs can buy these lambs and put them to intensive feeding technology for another 2-3 months to double the carcass yields and reap a handsome profit.
3. Based on the epidemiology of sheep diseases a calendar of prophylaxis has been developed by the institute which includes timely vaccination, drenching, dipping and tactical health care. Prior to adoption of this technology, the mortality rate in farmers’ flocks was around 22-25%. However, regular health inputs by the institute following this calendar has brought down the mortality to 5-6% only, thereby increasing the income as well as mutton production by 20%. This is the most visible and most effective technology and needs to be pursued vigorously throughout the country to increase mutton production in the country.
4. The technology of artificial insemination for sheep using diluents developed at the institute gives 65-70% lambing rate by per-os insemination under farm and field conditions with semen stored up to 24 hrs. at 5-10 degree centigrade. With improved transport facilities including air, large tracts of the country can be covered within 24 hrs. This accomplishment has opened up new possibility of achieving accelerated genetic gain in sheep in the coming decades if implemented as a National Policy.
5. The nutritionists at the institute have worked out the nutrient requirements of sheep for mutton and wool. Utilization of low grade roughages, top feed resources and agro-industrial by-products has opened up new resources for sheep feeding. Protocol for feeding sheep during natural calamities has also been developed which will be very handy in the impending climate change scenario.
6. The development of complete feed block using roughage and concentrate is another very useful technology which can solve the problem of storage of roughages, their transport and can be utilized for fat lamb production/stall feeding of sheep in the future. This technology can solve many problems in the country if implemented as a National Policy, particularly during natural calamities.
7.  The institute has also developed technologies for utilization of sheep wool by farmers, local artisans, khadi institutions and entrepreneurs. Handloom woven blankets having effective softness, warmth and good color combinations have been developed using coarse Indian wools. This has opened new avenues of value addition by the local artisans in the village itself. In addition, different blended products like blankets, carpets, felts, shawls, etc. using camel hair have increased the potential of providing employment in the rural/cottage sector if extended properly.
8. Technologies have been evolved for establishing perennial grass and legume pastures under silvipasture and hortipasture systems, introduction of fodder legumes as intercrops in rain fed cereal crops and raising the fodder resources through agro forestry and cultivated fodder crops. These technologies are required to be transferred urgently to increase the fodder resources for sheep which are dwindling at an alarming rate due to rapid urbanization, expanding road and rail network and industrialization.