Long-term targeted work on the creation of the Shahrinav type of the Hissar sheep breed has been successfully completed. This type of sheep is characterized by high meat-and-fat productivity and is well adapted to the climatic conditions of the high mountainous regions of the Republic of Tajikistan.
The “Shahrinav” type of the Hissar sheep breed is the result of long-term scientific and selective breeding work carried out by scientists and specialists in the sheep-breeding sector of the republic. These sheep are adapted to the conditions of the highland regions of Tajikistan.
Increasing the population of the Shahrinav type of the Hissar sheep breed creates opportunities for increasing meat production in the republic and making a significant contribution to ensuring food security.
The main process of breeding work involving reproduction, selection, breeding improvement, and matching should be carried out continuously in order to increase the productivity and hereditary qualities of the livestock being raised.
At the same time, the implementation of breeding achievements in production should be based on providing favorable conditions for animal husbandry and a strong feed base.
It is known that the Hissar sheep breed is the result of народ selection. In terms of live weight and meat-and-fat yield, this breed is considered one of the best in the world.
The main breeding regions for the Hissar sheep breed are the farms of the Kulob zone of Khatlon Region and the districts under republican subordination of the Republic of Tajikistan.
The first studies on the productivity of Hissar sheep were conducted in 1927–1928. At that time, no intrabreed types yet existed within the breed. Therefore, during 1955–1989, scientists and specialists of the Institute of Animal Husbandry of the Tajik Academy of Agricultural Sciences carried out scientific and selective breeding work, resulting in the creation of a new intrabreed factory type of Hissar sheep called the “Farkhor” type in the Kulob region, consisting of three lines.
The newly created sheep demonstrated high productivity, and in 1989 the State Commission of the Agro-Industrial Committee of the former Soviet Union registered this breeding achievement and approved it under author’s certificate No. 5233. Thus, an intrabreed structure of the breed was established for the first time.
Subsequently, scientific and production work in the districts of Tursunzoda, Shahrinav, Hissar, and Varzob was directed toward creating another type — the “Shahrinav” type of the Hissar sheep breed.
Within the framework of this work, scientists and specialists of the Institute of Animal Husbandry of the Tajik Academy of Agricultural Sciences developed a special program and carried out targeted scientific research.
The work began in 1986 and was completed in 2022.
The work was conducted in the breeding production cooperatives “Dilshod-B” of Varzob District and the state breeding enterprise “Zotparvar” of Hissar City in three stages.
Selection of male and female breeding stock according to body structure, expression of meat-and-fat forms, live weight, and wool characteristics within the breed.
Minimum live weight indicators:
breeding rams — 130–135 kg;
breeding ewes — not less than 78 kg.
During the creation of the new type, all breeding farms carried out selective breeding activities, including selection based on productivity, body growth, adaptability to year-round pasture conditions, and other traits.
Breeding documentation (Forms No. 1 and 2) was prepared for the selected rams and ewes. From the first stage of breeding work, at least three genealogical lines were established in the base farms for the creation of the new type.
The formation of the desired livestock population within the lines was carried out using methods of selection, matching, systematization, and typification of sheep within the flocks.
The hereditary stability of the new-type flocks at this stage had to constitute no less than 75–80%.
As a result of the extensive use of selected rams and ewes according to their lineage affiliation, the necessary number of family groups was formed.
The creation of genealogical lines and the development of the new “Shahrinav” type of the Hissar sheep breed in the two base breeding farms were carried out using accepted zootechnical methods.
The initial selection of sheep lines was conducted within two constitutional productivity types existing inside the breed — “A” and “B” (strong and coarse body structure).
The goal was to establish three productive lines within the breed:
Early-maturing meat-and-fat line;
Medium meat-and-fat line with increased wool productivity;
Highly prolific line.
Line breeding was carried out using selection based on the sheep’s appearance, live weight, productivity, body growth, and intrabreed mating.
To obtain offspring with stable hereditary traits, ewes were paired with rams according to selected characteristics. At the initial stage of breeding work, close inbreeding was allowed, followed later by more distant related breeding.
Lambs were marked at birth and evaluated one day after birth, then at 4–4.5 months after weaning from their mothers, as well as at the ages of 1 year and 1.5 years according to approved guidelines.
Evaluation was conducted according to the following traits:
live weight;
appearance;
size and shape of the fat tail;
expression of meat-and-fat qualities;
body constitution strength;
wool productivity.
Based on these indicators, the animals were scored. The best lambs receiving 4–5 points were selected as the breeding core of the lines.
At weaning time (August), lambs were weighed and measured according to the following parameters:
height at withers;
oblique body length;
chest girth and depth;
fat-tail circumference;
fat-tail length.
In September, preparation for artificial insemination of breeding rams and the organization of insemination stations was carried out, while in October the insemination of ewes took place.
Based on the completed work, zootechnical and breeding records, insemination books, and lambing records (Forms No. 1 and 2) were prepared.
All collected materials were processed using variation statistics methods with calculation of arithmetic means, coefficients of variation, and other statistical indicators.
Based on the conducted studies, three selective flocks of the Shahrinav type of the Hissar sheep breed were created with populations of 1,000–1,200 head and the following productivity parameters:
live weight of adult breeding rams — 130–135 kg;
ewes — not less than 75 kg;
young stock at weaning:
ram lambs — 42–45 kg;
ewe lambs — 40–42 kg;
at 1.5 years of age:
rams — 85–90 kg;
ewe lambs — 65–70 kg.
live weight of adult rams — 125–130 kg;
ewes — not less than 70 kg;
young stock at weaning:
ram lambs — 40–42 kg;
ewe lambs — 39–40 kg;
at 1.5 years of age:
rams — 80–85 kg;
ewe lambs — 60–65 kg;
wool clip:
rams — 2.0–2.5 kg;
ewes — 1.8–2.0 kg;
average daily weight gain — not less than 200–220 g.
live weight of adult breeding rams — 120–125 kg;
ewes — not less than 65 kg;
young stock at weaning:
ram lambs — not less than 40 kg;
ewe lambs — not less than 39 kg;
at 1.5 years of age:
rams — not less than 111 kg;
ewe lambs — not less than 60 kg;
ewe fertility:
108–112 lambs were obtained from every 100 ewes.
Scientists of the Institute of Animal Husbandry and Pastures of the Tajik Academy of Agricultural Sciences continued breeding work in accordance with Resolution No. 98 of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan dated March 16, 1999, “On the Development of Sheep Breeding in the Republic of Tajikistan.”
From 2001 to 2025, research was conducted on:
creation of selective breeding flocks;
determination of blood, skin, and wool composition;
study of the chemical composition of meat and fat;
analysis of the morphological composition of carcasses;
evaluation of the nutritional value of meat;
determination of meat and wool productivity.
At the initiative of scientists from the Institute of Animal Husbandry and Pastures, the following events were held:
Regional seminar “Development of Sheep Breeding in Tajikistan” (September 25, 2009, Varzob);
Scientific regional seminar “Development of Hissar Sheep” (November 26, 2015, Hissar);
Republican seminar “Development of Sheep Breeding in Tajikistan” (May 15, 2016);
International scientific-practical conference “Current State and Prospects for Improving Hereditary and Productive Traits of Fat-Tailed Sheep Breeds” (June 29, 2021).
Scientists in the field prepared:
4 monographs on sheep breeding development;
a methodological guide titled “Zootechnical Requirements for Sheep Evaluation”;
more than 260 scientific articles.
The following academic theses were defended on this topic:
2 doctoral dissertations;
4 candidate dissertations;
2 additional candidate dissertations prepared for defense.
From November 23 to 25, 2022, with the participation of scientists from the Institute of Animal Husbandry and Pastures, representatives of the Tajik Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan, and breeding farm specialists, an appraisal (approbation) of the Shahrinav type of the Hissar sheep breed was conducted at the “Zotparvar” breeding enterprise in Hissar and the “Dilshod-B” breeding cooperative in Varzob District.
After thoroughly studying the presented livestock and examining the documentation, the commission concluded that scientists of the Institute of Animal Husbandry and Pastures, together with specialists from breeding farms, had successfully created the Shahrinav type of the Hissar sheep breed with high meat-and-fat productivity.
The following scientists and specialists were recognized as authors of the Shahrinav type of the Hissar sheep breed:
A. Hayitov, G. Safaraliev, Sh. T. Rahimov, I. Bobokalonov, Kh. Davlatov, N. A. Rajabov, S. Q. Nabotov, M. Otaeva, F. M. Ikromov, U. J. Odinaev, and N. Musozoda.
The “Shahrinav” type of the Hissar sheep breed was officially approved by Resolution No. 1/3 of the Collegium of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan dated April 15, 2023.
