DUSHANBE, 07.11.2023 (NIAT Khovar) – Livestock farming is one of the most important sectors of the agricultural sector in Tajikistan, which plays an important role in ensuring the country’s food security. According to statistics, as of October 1 of this year, in all forms of economic management of the republic there are 2,626,973 heads of cattle, 6,622,422 heads of sheep and goats, as well as 87,000 horses. During this period 202187.8 tons of meat were produced, reports the country’s Ministry of Agriculture.

One of the types of livestock raised in Tajikistan and known in the world is the Hissor sheep, which is considered the largest in the world. The sheep of the Hissor breed is purely Tajik, the history of its origin goes back to ancient periods. The Hissor sheep is a local wire-haired sheep breed with a huge tail. This breed of sheep was raised for meat and fat tail. The main population of Hissor sheep exists in Tajikistan, they are mainly raised in the Hissor Valley and Khatlon region.

According to the head of the Department of Breeding and Technology of Sheep and Goat Breeding of the Institute of Animal Husbandry and Pastures of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Tajikistan Safarali Nabotov, the role of sheep of the Hissor breed in improving the productivity of the sheep breed with a huge tail and creating new breeds in the republics of Central Asia and Kazakhstan is very large. Using sheep of the Hissor breed, breeds of Tajik meat and fat-tailed sheep with thick wool were bred in Tajikistan, fat-tailed “Ordabasin” and  semi-fine-fleeced “Aktobe” breeds in Kazakhstan, meat and fat-tailed “Ustyurt” breeds of sheep with thick wool, as well as fat-tailed breeds «Kelesi» and «Andijani» in Uzbekistan. Breeding work continues.

The sheep of the Hissor breed got its name from the region where they were raised, that is, the Hissor Valley of Tajikistan. Back in 1298, the famous traveler Marco Polo got acquainted with the Hissor breed sheep in this area and wrote down his opinion about these sheep in his book: “Sheep are the size of a donkey, their tails are thick, large, sometimes weighing thirty pounds. Nice, fat sheep, tasty meat.”

Nabotov notes that in the direction of improving the hereditary and productive nature of the Hissor breed sheep, scientists from the Department of Breeding and Technology of Sheep and Goat Breeding began scientific selection work, which continues to this day.

Currently, the population of Hissor sheep in Tajikistan is more than 1.7 million heads. 7 breeding plants and farms are engaged in their breeding in Tajikistan.

“Due to the largest live weight in the world, the area for growing and breeding sheep of the Hissor breed is not limited only to Tajikistan. In different years, sheep of the Hissor breed are transported from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, as well as to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, where they are bred,” he notes.

Currently, the best sheep of the Hissor breed are raised at the “Hissor” factories in the Farkhor district, the “Zotparvar” state unitary enterprise in the Hissor and Shahrinav districts, in the “Somonjon” production cooperative of the Dangara district, in the “Dilshod-B” production cooperative of the Varzob district and other farms. These farms play an important role in the cultivation and growth of highly productive sheep.

It should be noted that as a result of many years of scientific research by scientists from the Department of Breeding and Technology of Sheep and Goat Breeding in collaboration with farmers from the Hissor breeding enterprise of the Farkhor district, the “Farkhori” type of this breed was created.

Currently, in two breeding farms of Tajikistan, scientists from the Department of Breeding and Technology of Sheep and Goat Breeding and specialists from breeding farms have completed scientific and breeding work to create a new factory type called “Shahrinavi.”

In 2022, the state approbation commission gave a positive assessment to this new type of sheep of the Hissor breed and submitted it to the Ministry of Agriculture of Tajikistan for official state approval. On April 15 of this year, the “Shahrinavi” type of sheep of the Hissor breed was officially approved by the decision of the board of the Ministry of Agriculture.

The breeding population of the created type is explained by the following productivity indicators: the live weight of newborn lambs is 5.5-7.5 kg, breeding lambs — 135-145 kg (in the best — up to 175 kg), ewes — 85-90 kg (in the best — up to 135 kg). Sheep of this type, along with their high live weight, also have wool productivity.

According to Nabotov, the scientific school of sheep breeders of Tajikistan in the region has been a leading guide in this important area since 1947. “Due to the long work of scientists and scientific research of Tajikistan, more than 30 doctoral and candidate dissertations were defended. Increasing the number of Hissor sheep makes it possible to increase meat production in the republic and make a significant contribution to ensuring food security,” he added.

Shahlo Sadriddin,
Khovar News Agency