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🐑sheepmeat📍 Origin: Andhra Pradesh

Nellore Sheep

नेल्लोर भेड़ • Native Tract: Nellore, Prakasam, Kurnool, Guntur

The tallest and heaviest mutton hair sheep breed in India with zero wool shearing needed

Estimated Market Price
₹8,000 – ₹24,000
Price depends on lactation parity, daily yield & pedigree
Pashu KCC Limit:₹4,000 / animal
Nellore Sheep (नेल्लोर भेड़) — Lactation Yield, Milk Fat %, Pashu KCC & Breed Standards
Lactation Yield
Mutton Hair
Zero shearing
Butterfat %
6.2%
SNF: 9%
Peak Daily Yield
0.6 L/day
In 2nd–3rd Parity
Calving Interval
8 Mo.
Target inter-calving
Age 1st Calving
18 Mo.
Heifer maturity
Adult Weight
35 kg
Bull: 52 kg
Morphological Features

Physical Identification & Anatomy: Nellore Sheep

Coat & Color
Palla (creamy fawn/white), Jodipi (white with black eye rings and muzzle), or Dora (black)
Horns
Rams have spiraled horns; ewes are naturally polled (hornless)
Ears
Long, drooping, pendulous (15–18 cm)
Forehead & Head
Convex Roman nose profile with deep facial contours

Why Dairy Farmers Choose Nellore Sheep:

✓The tallest and heaviest mutton hair sheep breed in India with zero wool shearing needed
✓Three iconic color varieties: Palla (white/fawn), Jodipi (white with black circles around eyes), and Dora (black)
✓Remarkable drought hardiness, trekking long distances across barren scrublands with superior feed conversion
✓Mature rams reach 55 to 65 kg live weight with dressing yields exceeding 52%

Feed economics for Nellore Sheep

Nellore Sheep is a meat breed, so returns come from live-weight gain and sale price rather than daily milk. Budget roughly ₹22 per animal per day for feed and compare it with the expected market price of ₹8,000 to ₹24,000 per animal. Ask your KVK or veterinary officer for a growth-based ration.

Hardiness & Immunity

Climatic Resilience & Health Profile

Tick & Vector ResistanceVery High
Heat & Humidity ToleranceExtreme (45°C+)
Primary Health Vulnerabilities to Watch:
  • ⚠️Blue Tongue disease during monsoon mosquito flushes
  • ⚠️Sheep Pox
Veterinary Best Practices

Breeding & Herd Management Tips

  • ✓Vaccinate annually for Blue Tongue disease in August prior to post-monsoon midge/mosquito breeding
  • ✓Provide salt licks and calcium-phosphorus supplement blocks in the grazing pen
Free NADCP Ear-Tagging & Vaccination:Dial 1962 (MVU)
Government Support

Subsidies & Pashu KCC Loans for Nellore Sheep

75% subsidized 20+1 sheep units under southern state government shepherd empowerment programs

Eligible Scheme 1National Livestock Mission (NLM)
Eligible Scheme 2Telangana Sheep Distribution Scheme
Eligible Scheme 3Pashu KCC
🏛️ Statutory Livestock Verification Portals

Official Dairy & Animal Husbandry Portals for Nellore Sheep

Official .gov.in & .nic.in Portals
🏛️ Central Ministry (.nic.in)dahd.nic.in

Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD)

Official operational guidelines for Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF 3% subvention), and sex-sorted semen subsidies.

Open DAHD Portal→
🐄 Apex Dairy Board (.coop)nddb.coop

National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)

Information Network for Animal Productivity & Health (INAPH) ear-tagging, scientific Ration Balancing Programme (RBP), and automated testing standards.

Open NDDB Portal→
🔬 ICAR Research (.gov.in)nbagr.icar.gov.in

ICAR - National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR)

Access the official registered breed gazette, accession numbers, morphological descriptors, and indigenous breed conservation directives.

Open NBAGR Registry→
💳 Concessional Credit (.gov.in)kcc.gov.in

Pashu Kisan Credit Card (Pashu KCC) Portal

Apply for working capital crop loans up to ₹2 Lakh for dairy cows and buffaloes at 4% effective interest with zero collateral requirement.

Pashu KCC Portal→
Questions Answered

Frequently Asked Questions about Nellore Sheep

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Nellore is a pure hair sheep breed that does not produce wool, eliminating costly shearing labor. It channels 100% of feed energy into rapid bone and meat development.

Track Your Nellore Sheep Herd Records on KisanPe

Manage daily milk yields, heat detection cycles, vaccination alerts, and access collateral-free Pashu KCC loans directly on your phone.

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