A GEOGRAPHICAL STUDY OF SHEEP FARMING IN LATUR DISTRICT

Abstract

The sheep is an important economic livestock species contributing greatly to the agrarian Indian economy, especially in arid, semi-arid and hilly areas. They play an important role in the livelihood of a large number of small and marginal farmers and landless laborers engaged in sheep rearing. Sheep’s are mostly reared to obtain meat and wool as commercial goods. Sheep skin and wool is used by a number of rural based industries as raw material. Sheep manure is an important source of organic fertilizer for increasing soil fertility. The aim of present paper is to assess growth, distribution and changes in Latur district of Maharashtra. The entire investigation is based on field observation and secondary sources of data obtained from Scio-Economic review and District Statistical Abstract and livestock census hand book. The study concludes that from last a decade number of sheep population is decreased in throughout the district. The distribution of sheep population in Latur district is uneven. Where Dhanagars community is high in number engaged in this occupation, there sheep distribution is also high in number i.e. Jalkot, Nilanga, and  Chakur tahsils. This decrease in sheep population is mostly confined with the tahsils were irrigation, agriculture technology adoption of modern cash crops and fruit crops with modern technology and commercial attitudes has been practiced i.e. Latur, Ausa, Udgir,  and Shirur Anantpal tahsils etc.