Sheep Rearing

 

Sheep, with its multi-facet utility for wool, meat, milk, skins, and manure, form an important component of the rural economy, particularly in the arid, semi-arid, and mountainous areas of the country. It provides a dependable source of income to the shepherds through the sale of wool and animals. Let us learn about sheep rearing.

 

The advantages of sheep rearing are:

 

� Sheep do not need expensive buildings to house them and on the other hand, they require less labor than other kinds of livestock. The foundation stock is relatively cheap and the flock can be multiplied rapidly.
� Sheep are an economical converter of grass into meat and wool.
� Sheep will eat varied kinds of plants compared to other kinds of livestock. This makes them excellent weed-destroyers.
�, Unlike goats, sheep hardly damage any tree.
� The production of wool, meat, and manure provides three different sources of income to the shepherd.
� The structure of their lips helps them to clean up grains lost at harvest time and thus convert waste feed into profitable products.

 

Sheep rearing distribution :

Sheep rearing and its distribution around the major places of World like :
Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa, China, United Kingdom, and the USA.


Sheep Rearing in Australia: A Case Study

� Australia is the world�s largest sheepmeat exporter and exports 57% and 92% of its lamb and mutton production respectively.
� Australia is the world�s third-largest exporter of live sheep; its main markets are Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Oman.
� The number of sheep has declined from 170 million sheep in 1990 to 68 million sheep; 37 million are breeding ewes and about 75% of these are Merino.
� The average number of lambs reared per ewe joined is 0.95 and has increased by 10% over the last 10 years. Since 1990, the volume of wool produced has declined by 60%; the Australian sheep industry has changed focus, changing from being predominantly wool orientated to a combination of meat and wool.
� Farm quality assurance is seen as essential in gaining and maintaining market access. Once a market is accessed, it�s up to the marketers to do their job and increase Australia�s share of the market.
� Wool production is an important commodity in the Australian sheep industry.
� The value of the wool industry is approximately �2 billion. The price that producers receive for wool increased by 35% in the last year.

 

Factors which help in sheep rearing in Australia:

 

� The raising and breeding of sheep is sheep husbandry or sheep farming.
� It's a branch of livestock husbandry.
� Sheep are grown primarily for milk, and fiber.
� Sheepskin and parchment are also yielded.
� Sheep can be raised in a number of temperate climates including arid areas.
� Farmers on their land construct walls, homes, shearing sheds, and other services, such as water, transportation, and pest control.
� Some farms are controlled so sheep can eat pastures, sometimes under a dog's supervision.
� The main sources of revenue for a farm come from the trade of lambs and shearing for their wool.
� Farmers can choose appropriate for their market and area conditions from different breeds.
 

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Favorable conditions for Sheep rearing:-

Australia is the largest producer of wool in the world and also the leading supplier of sheep to countries across the world. The following are the factors that have made sheep rearing important economic activity in Australia:

� The climate of Australia is ideal for sheep rearing. Sheep are reared in areas having summer temperatures between 210C and 260C and winter of about 100C and annual rainfall of about 40cm.
� Such a type of climate is found in the temperate grasslands, which have the largest concentration of sheep farms in Australia.
� The availability of indigenous plants which provide sufficient fodder and nutrients to maintain enough sheep.
� The availability of sufficiently good quality drinking water. Though surface water is scarce in much of the pastoral countries, adequate water is available from the various artesian basins.
� Ideal location of sheep farms near ports and accessibility through roads.
� Availability of a large market for sheep products.

 

Questions

 

1. The value of the wool industry is approximately �___ billion.
a. 5
b. 4
c. 3
d. 2

 

2. ___________ is the world�s largest sheep meat exporter.
a. India
b. France
c. Russia
d. Australia

 

3. _______ will eat varied kinds of plants compared to other kindsof livestock and this makes them excellent weed destroyers.
a. Goat
b. Cow
c. Hen
d. Sheep

 

4. ________ is the world�s third-largest exporter of live sheep; its main markets are Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Oman.
a. India
b. Pakistan
c. Russia
d. Australia

 

5. _______ production is an important commodity in the Australian sheep industry.
a. Cotton
b. Silk
c. Linen
d. Wool

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