Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-30T19:47:53.156Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Chokla Sheep in India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2011

B. P Kushwaha ,
S. Kumar ,
R. Kumar  and
B.S Mehta
B. P Kushwaha
Affiliation:
Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan-304 501, India
S. Kumar
Affiliation:
Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan-304 501, India
R. Kumar
Affiliation:
Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan-304 501, India
B.S Mehta
Affiliation:
Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan-304 501, India
Get access

Summary

There are approximately 41 million sheep in India, 0.51 million of which are made up by the Chokla population. This breed is generally found around Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar and bordering areas of the Bikaner, Jaipur and Nagaur districts of Rajasthan. The animals have a light to medium-sized body, a small head and are reddish brown or dark tan in colour as far as the middle of the neck, with a white body. The skin is pink. The ears are small to medium in length and tubular in shape. The Chokla sheep are hardy and well adapted to arid and semi-arid tropical environments and are suited for the region where migration is a common practice. The Chokla is a comparatively fine-wool producing type among the Indian sheep. The wool produced by Chokla animals is heterogeneous in quality and generally mixed with coarser fleece of other sheep for their utilisation as carpet wool.

Resumen

Existen aproximadamente 41 millones de ovinos en India, 0,51 millones de los cuales pertenecen a la raza Chokla. Esta raza se encuentra generalmente alrededor de Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar y en la zonas fronterizas de los distritos del Rajasthan de Bikaner, Jaipur y Nagaur. Los animales poseen un tamaño corporal bajo-medio, una cabeza pequeña y son de color marrón-rojizo o oscuro hasta mitad del cuello y con el cuerpo blanco. La piel es rosa. Las orejas son de longitud pequeña o media y en forma de tubo. La raza Chokla es robusta, está bien adaptada a los medios áridos y semiáridos tropicales y resulta adecuada para las regiones donde se practica normalmente la migración. La raza Chokla se halla entre las razas indias ovinas buenas productoras de lana fina. La lana producida por los animales Chokla es heterogénea en cuanto a calidad y viene normalmente mezclada con lana gruesa de otras ovejas para la confección de alfombras de lana.

Keywords

ChoklaSheepCarpet woolProduction performance
Type
Research Articles
Information
Animal Genetic Resources/Resources génétiques animales/Recursos genéticos animales , Volume 22 , April 1997 , pp. 19 - 27
Copyright
Copyright © Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Acharya, R. M. 1982. Sheep and goat breeds of India. Animal production and health paper 30. Food and Agricultural Organization of United Nations, Rome, Italy, pp 19–21.Google Scholar
Acharya, R. M. & Patnayak, B. C. 1974. Role of sheep in the desert Eco-system and drought proofing through improved sheep production (with special reference to Rajasthan). Paper presented at the winter school on“Desert Eco-system”, Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, October 1974, pp 5.Google Scholar
Anonymous 1993. Report of the Technical Committee of Direction for Improvement of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Statistics, Dept. of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India, pp 41.Google Scholar
Anonymous 1994. Report submitted to Quinquennial Review Team. CSWRI Avikanagar, pp 51.Google Scholar
Arora, C. L., Acharya, R. M., Bhadashiya, B. S. & Dass, N. C. 1975. Characterization of Chokla breed in Rajasthan and future prospects of its improvement. Indian J. Anim. Sci., V. 45, No. 6, 345–350.Google Scholar
Bhaik, N. L. & Kohli, I. S. 1980. Reproductive performance of Chokla and Magra ewes in the subtropical area of north western arid zone of Rajasthan. II. parturition and involution of uterus. Indian Vet. J., V. 57, No. 4, 327–333.Google Scholar
Gupta, U. D. & Acharya, R. M. 1987. Heat tolerance in different genetic groups of sheep in semi-arid conditions. Indian J. Anim. Sci., V. 57, No. 12, 1314–1318.Google Scholar
Honmode, J. 1970. Gestation period in Rambouillet, Chokla and Malpura ewes. Indian J. Anim. Sci., V. 40, No. 3, 229–236.Google Scholar
Malik, B. S., Chaudhry, A. L. & Vyas, A. P. 1971. Effects of environmental factors on economic traits of Chokla sheep. I. Effects on body weights. Indian J. Anim. Sci., V. 41, No. 6, 455–458.Google Scholar
Mason, I. L. 1988. In A world dictionary of livestock breeds types and varieties. CAB International, pp 254.Google Scholar
More, T. & Sahni, K. L. 1973. Studies on water requirement of sheep. Annual Report, Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan, pp 55.Google Scholar
Sahni, M. S. & Pant, K. P. 1978. Breed differences in the duration of pregnancy in sheep. Indian Vet. J., V. 55, No. 2, pp 99–102.Google Scholar
Sharma, M. M., Uppal, P. K., Lonkar, P. S. & Mathur, P. B. 1986. Epidemiology of a sheep-pox outbreak in mutton and fine wool type sheep at an organized farm. Indian J. Anim. Sci., V. 56, N0. 12, 1183–1186.Google Scholar
Singh, M. & Acharya, R. M. 1977. A note on the mode of heat dissipation in different types of sheep. Indian J. Anim. Sci., 47, 367–368.Google Scholar
Singh, G., Karim, S. A. & Kushwaha, B. P. 1996. Body weights changes of tropical and temperate sheep breeds under semi-arid environment. submitted for publication.Google Scholar
Singh, M., More, T. & Rai, A.K. 1980. Heat tolerance of different genetic groups of sheep exposed to elevated temperature conditions. J. Agri. Sci., Camb., V. 94, 63–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Singh, V. K., Tiwari, S. B., Singh, L. B. & Honmode, J. 1973. Efficiency of milk production and its conversion into lamb weights in Malpura, Chokla and crossbred ewes. Indian Vet. J., V. 50, No. 12, 1199–1204.Google Scholar
Uppal, P. K., Singh, M. & Sahni, K. L. 1971. Studies on milk production of different breeds of Sheep during autumn. Annual Report, Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Rajasthan, pp 30.Google Scholar