THE STATE, ACHIEVEMENTS, AND PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHEEP BREEDING IN UZBEKISTAN

Abstract

Sheep breeding in Uzbekistan occupies one of the leading positions in the agricultural sector and is an important source of livestock products – mutton, wool, and sheepskins. In conditions of limited forage resources and the predominance of desert and semi-desert pastures (more than 21 million hectares), and the need to increase the productivity of local breeds, the task of breeding livestock renewal becomes especially urgent. Considering the climatic characteristics of the country and market requirements, the creation of new, more productive and sustainable sheep breeds is of strategic importance. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively analyse the state of sheep breeding in Uzbekistan and generalise data on breeding work to create a new factory type of fat-tailed sheep of meat and fat production, obtained by crossing the Jaydari and Hissar breeds. In the course of the study, methods of targeted factory crossing, selection and breeding, and a comprehensive assessment of zootechnical indicators were used. Breeding work was carried out in 2009-2022 in conditions of farms and scientific institutions of mountainous and foothill regions. As a result, a new type of sheep was described – “Akchasai”, officially registered in 2024 (patent No. ZAP 34). Animals of this type demonstrate consistently high rates: the live weight of breeding rams reaches 120-140 kg, ewes – up to 100 kg, which is 20-25% higher than the parameters of the original breed. High viability, early maturity, resistance to climatic stress, and stability of inherited traits make this type a valuable breeding resource. By 2022, a breeding core of 5,100 animals had been formed. The practical significance of the research lies in expanding the genetic potential of domestic sheep breeding and forming a scientific base for its sustainable development in Uzbekistan