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Abstract
The migratory and socio-economic aspects of sheep and goat flock-owners
have been studied to examine yield, cost, income and employment in
migratory sheep and goat production system in the Kangra district of
Himachal Pradesh for the year 2001-02. A direct relation has been revealed
between flock-size and resource endowments. Human labour has been
found as the major cost component in the maintenance of this production
system. Although, the contribution of sheep-rearing has been found higher
to gross income, rearing of goats generates markedly higher income than
of sheep on per animal basis. The flock business and family labour income
in this system have been observed impressive and net income has been
rated meagre for small flock-owners and nominal for large ones. This system
has provided enough employment opportunities to family as well as hired
labour. The existing breeds have been found good in terms of quality and
quantity of meat, disease resistance and reproduction. The disease
management technologies have been reported satisfactory, but medical
facilities are not available at higher altitudes. The fodder availability at
foothills and in plains during the winter season has been perceived as a
major constraint, while the other constraints have been lack of marketing
and processing infrastructure, low prices of output, high morbidity rate
and wild animal attack. To enhance the profitability and sustainability of
this system in the long-run, the study has suggested that the flock-owners
need to be educated about the importance of timely vaccination and feeding
of concentrate, roughages and feed supplements to the animals, specially
during the winter season.