Farmers urged to begin commercial sheep farming

Experts have urged the rural people to start sheep farming commercially using modern methods and technology to meet nutritional demand and produce valuable wool to help develop wool-based textile in the country.They said wide-ranging promotion of commercial sheep farming can contribute o the increase of woolen fiber production, improving rural livelihood and producing more meat and milk to meet the country’s nutritional demand.
The speakers came up with the observation at a daylong discussion titled, ‘Validation of Good Practices of On-farm Lamb Production System’ at Paba Upazila Parishad conference hall in the district yesterday.
he Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Rajshahi University organised the discussion with financial support from Krishi Goveshona Foundation.
Chaired by Chairman of the department Prof SM Kamruzzaman, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Zahid Newaj, Prof Jalal Uddin Sarder of the department and its Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Hemayetul Islam, researcher Dr Akhtarul Islam and Upazila Livestock Officer
Ismail Hossain.
Around 30 farmers from different villages took part in the meeting.
Prof Jalal Sarder said rapid economic growth of the region could be achieved through proper use and development of livestock resources.
He said the issue of improvement and conservation of native sheep in society-based and commercial farms should be given priority for poverty reduction and creating employment opportunities.
Sardar said the scientists of Department of Livestock Services and the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) have already developed and produced different types of woolen fabrics and bed-sheet and suiting by usingm30 percent sheep wool, 30 percent jute and 40 percent cotton.
“Demand for these products is huge in local market and the same could be met by commercial sheep farming,” he said.
Currently, Bangladesh is producing about 3,000 tones of wool from 34 lakh sheep that are being used in producing blanket, shawl, bed-sheet and someother winter clothing.