High mortality rate

May 30,2006

High mortality rate among rams, trout worries experts
S. P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 29
The high rate of "mortality" among rams imported from Holland and cold water trout in the farms of the Jammu and Kashmir government is worrying the experts in the state.

As many as 4,931 sheep worth about Rs 14 lakh and 51,999 trout have been shown as dead in the official records of the government farms.

While the sheep farms were being maintained by the Animal Husbandry Department, the trout farms were being handled by the Fisheries Department.

However, the issue has become fishy as allegations of mismanagement and corruption are being made by certain insiders.

According to an official report, out of the 172 Toggenburg goats imported from Holland at a cost of Rs 40.86 lakh for breeding purposes, only 13 had survived.

Despite a heavy expenditure on these farms, their upkeep was unhygienic and the mortality of sheep was as high as 20 per cent at Reasi and 26 per cent at Billawar. As many as 2,623 sheep died in these farms due to pneumonia, sheep pox and other diseases.

In a recent report, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) had pointed out that the targets fixed for milk and egg production in the state were not monitored and as such the progress made in fulfillment of the main objective of the Animal Husbandry Department for achieving self sufficiency in production of these goods could not be achieved.

The heavy shortfall of 35 per cent in the production of eggs and 28 per cent in one-day old chicks in government farms resulted in non-availability of improved birds with the breeders. Against the requirement of 40,000 rams for covering the 19.76 lakh breedable ewes under the breed improvement programme, only 5,660 rams were available with the department.

Similar was the position in the Fisheries Department where the reported mortality rate of trout in seven farms was between 20 to 66 per cent during the past five years.

Out of the 51,999 trout registered as dead, the highest number was in the Achabal farm in Kashmir where the mortality rate was of the order of 29,248. This was followed by the farms at Tricker and Harwan where the number was 7,332 and 6,324, respectively.

The department attributed factors like fall in water level and muddy water to the high rate of mortality among trout.