KATHMANDU, Nepal–With a view to carry out a study for upgrading the local breed of sheep some New Zealand sheep have been brought to mountainous Jumla district. Nepal Army chopper imported 25 sheep from New Zealand and has taken to Jumla a week ago. Five rams and 20 ewes are among sheep brought from New Zealand.
The sheep ranging 10 to 11 months in age have been kept at the Sheep and Goat Research Center to carry out a study, according to agricultural scientist Lumnidhi Pandey.
One New Zealand sheep can produce five kilos of wool, it is learnt. They are of the Romney Marsh and Kuport breeds, considered good for wool production.
According to a report published in the Nagrik newspaper, local sheep will be cross-bred with those from New Zealand.
The transportation cost from New Zealand to Jumla has exceeded the actual price of the sheep. Nearly Rs 20 million was spent on the cost of the sheep and the transportation.
The imported sheep will not only be useful for improving the local breed, they will eventually help fulfill the requirements of the wool carpet industry in the country.
“As wool produced by Nepali sheep meets only eight percent of demand in the carpet industry, the wools from the imported lambs will be proved crucial”, Scientist Pandey was quoted by Nagrik daily.
He further claimed that wools produced by Nepali sheep are not considered suitable for manufacturing wool carpets.
The sheep had been kept for a month at the quarantine office due to adverse temperature.
Scientists say the New Zealand sheep sent to Jumla should be kept within a temperature of 25 degrees centigrade.