Northern areas of Pakistan are blessed with countless natural resources. One of these resources is small ruminants including sheep and goat. This study was done on sheep population of up and low land areas. This study was designed to investigate the breeding practices followed, perceptions about different breeding strategies by the low and upland pastoralists and support services provided by the livestock promoting authorities (JABA research & experimental station and Local veterinarians). By the help of this study productive, economical and ecological adaptation characteristics of native (Kaghani), exotic (Rambouillet, Afghani) and crossed sheep breeds were also be examined. For this purpose three questionnaires were developed. First questionnaire were carry questions on current number, number in last year and relative proportion of different sheep breeds on breeding strategies, productive characteristics, ecological adaptation and economical characteristics of different pure and cross breeds of sheep. While the investigations on support services provided by the livestock promoting authorities (JABA research & experimental station and Local veterinarians) were covered in second questionnaire. Interviews were be conducted from the low and up land pastoralists for the data recording of first questionnaire, while data recording of third questionnaire was done by interviewing the livestock promoting authorities. Statistical analysis of all the data recorded was done by epi - info software.
The studied parameters presented by various breeds in this experiment elucidated the fact that Afghani breed could be regarded as most economical and successfully adapted breed of the Northern areas of Pakistan in respect of its market value, disease resistance, twining rate, age at puberty and meat quality. The Kaghani breed on the other hand was having an advantage of being native breed of the respective area as it presented one of the best disease resistant characters among the studied breeds; for the same reason, it was the most prevalent breed of the area. Ramboullite is an exotic breed introduced in the area from USA and was kept mostly for having a trait of better and high wool production though its poor disease resistance and low twinning rate renders it less economical. The crossbred animals were produced mostly as a result of deliberate cross between Kaghani and Ramboulette and the maximum heterosis results in many of the better characters, increased wool quantity and quality, increased disease resistance and accelerated twinning rates, to name some of them.
The present study can be concluded to rate Afghani sheep breed as most economical breed of the Northern areas of Pakistan. This study was lead to explore the breeding practices in sheep in northern areas and future breeding policies making in sheep. The investigators of this trial opine that the Afghani breed being most economical breed of the area be bred and reared on a priority basis with selective breeding and proper management of the parent herds. In context of the wool production and disease resistance, crossbred animals should be investigated in a number of future trials to determine the most productive combination of blood percentage of the two parent breeds, i.e. Kaghani and Ramboullette. In spite of all the measures to improve economical scenario of the mobile herders with reference to sheep production, the gene pool of each pure breed population, i.e. Afghani, Kaghani and Ramboulette, should be maintained via selective breeding to ensure the availability of the parent nucleus. All these healthy and economical practices can be propagated only by the effective and efficient provision of the extension and support services of the local area, implementation authorities and livestock business related institutions.