Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has recorded a fall in its goat population, even though the local Jamuna Pari variety is prized more highly than cattle, giving up to 4 litres of milk daily.Sheep, too, number just over 12 lakh and govt is looking to increase their numbers to over a crore as their wool is used extensively in carpet and rug weaving. The animal husbandry department is now looking to tweak existing policies to promote their cultivation and numbers, through various means like artificial insemination.The department is hosting a two-day seminar (June 17-18) in Lucknow on small livestock, including pigs, sheep and goat, where it will be signing various MoUs to develop local breeds, promote their conservation and discuss their economic value.As per initial estimates on livestock data, the number of the Jamuna Pari goat has fallen by around 2.85% since 2019. The goat, reared in and around Auraiya and Etawah districts, is so valued that there are bands of thieves that only steal and sell these goats. It is prized for its milk, giving between 2-4 litres a day, which is used for production of ghee and is even used in making of soap.“People have moved away from the rearing of this goat for multiple reasons, including urbanisation, smaller farmholds, people moving out for jobs etc. However, for small households, it is an extremely valuable asset. Products from its milk, like ghee can be monetised and also consumed locally. Govt is now going to provide subsidy for its rearing,” said additional chief secretary, animal husbandry, Mukesh Meshram.Another variety of goat which will be promoted along with Jamuna Pari is Bundelkhandi, a native to the Bundelkhand region. Govt will look at not just financial subsidies but also artificial insemination, cluster farming etc.Govt will also be promoting the rearing of sheep, focussing on indigenous varieties like Muzaffarnagri and Sonpari. The state currently has around 12 lakh sheep, up since the past census but woefully low when looked at against a population of around 25 crore.Meshram said that UP’s sheep doesn’t have wool suitable for clothes but is used extensively in the rig and carpet industry for weaving. “We can easily increase the number of these animals to over a crore and make the state self-reliant in fibre availability. The central govt’s Mission Fibre launched in this year’s budget will be used to promote the rearing of local sheep for this purpose,” he said.
