BackOne Day Farmers-Scientists Interactive Meet and Ram Distribution Programme Held under Malpura Unit under ICAR-Mega Sheep Seed Project

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One day Farmers-Scientists Interactive meet was conducted with the farmers registered with field component of the Malpura sheep seed project under the umbrella of ICAR-Mega Sheep Seed Project (ICAR-MSSP) on 16.12.2015 at Sector number 18 of Animal Genetics & Breeding Division of ICAR- Central Sheep & Wool Research Institute Avikanagar.  Nearly 60 farmers participated in the programme that included two female participants too. Programme started at 9.30 am with registration of the farmers and discussion with the project team. Dr. Arun Kumar (Head AG&B) briefed about the project activities, importance of breed improvement and scientific breeding practices to the sheep breeders. Chief Guest of the function was Dr. S. M. K. Naqvi (Director ICAR-CSWRI). In the interactive meet, farmers asked several questions and doubts about the management of sheep rearing, economics associated with it and the disease and prophylactic measures. Scientists and head of the divisions helped farmers to address their queries related to all the aspects of sheep breeding, feeding, health and management. Concept of co-operatives was conceived by Dr. Rajkumar (Scientist TOT&SS), which received overwhelming response that resulted in informal strategy for formation of new co-operative for sheep rearing business. Dr. Naqvi emphasised the need of undertaking scientific sheep rearing practices and stressed on the field data recording of supplied germplasm form the field and the progeny obtained from them. On this occasion, 4 elite rams of Malpura sheep breed were distributed to 4 different farmers registered under the project.

Currently, Malpura project has nearly 40 registered flocks in the field in 21 villages that covers 2875 animals which are ear tagged or tattooed for scientific data recording. Improved rams of Malpura breed are supplied to the farmers registered under the project for further improvement of the field flocks. Data on all the production, reproduction and disease aspects are collected and analysed for research purpose.