Courtesy Photo | Two sheep are rid of parasites as they move through a dowsing basin in Diyala...... read more read more
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By 1st Lt. Richard Ybarra
115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
BAQUBAH, Iraq —The Diyala provincial government recently launched a sheep-dipping program, which enables local shepherds to combat parasite infestation, creating a potential gain of more than $25 million for the province's economy.
The Diyala sheep population stands at over 1 million head, valued at just over $100 million. The dipping process is expected to increase the value of the animals' meat and wool by 25 and 33 percent respectively. These increased values are realized through mutton and wool quality after the sheep have been cleaned regularly for a period of one year, according to figures released by the Diyala Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT). These calculations do not include the expected increase in size of the heard as an effect of the improved health of the existing adult sheep and their future offspring.
Sheik Ali Majeed al-Zuhairi, the President of the Diyala farmers union, stated that the program will increase the health of the sheep, making the herders and breeders more self-reliant. As the flocks grow in size and open opportunities for export, there will be benefits for the Diyala economy as a whole, not just the herder, he said.
Diyala sheep are considered the finest in the region but are rarely exported as local demand outstrips supply, Majeed added.
The program consists of 20 mobile sheep dipping tanks, also known as dowsing basins. Each of the basins is capable of processing up to 500 sheep per day. The dipping procedure is effective against ticks, mites, lice and blowflies, all of which commonly infest herd animals in the Diyala province.
The dipping procedure effectively eliminates living parasites as the sheep swim through the two-meter tank. Additionally, it offers substantial protection for a period of six months against future infestation.
Sheep production is a major source of income for most rural villagers. An average lamb currently provides $70 to a farmer and his family. An adult sheep averages 49 lbs and is valued locally at $130. The sheep are also important to Iraqi communities for cultural and religious purposes, according to Master Sgt. Randy Ogburn of Murfreesboro, TN. Ogburn, a member of the Diyala Provincial Reconstruction Team, works hand-in-hand with provincial officials on agricultural projects.
The tanks, which can be transported in a small truck, are taken to pre-designated sites throughout the province by licensed veterinarians. Local shepherds meet the tanks with their flocks, averaging in size from 50 to 150 sheep each. It is common for the tanks to process sheep for several days as shepherds continue to arrive at the tank. "The goal is to dip 600,000 sheep in the two months," stated Ogburn.
"The Provincial Reconstruction Team is always working with the farmers, looking for ways to improve agriculture in Diyala," Majeed said. "Our work together has started to bear the fruits of success and the people can see it on the ground."
The program, started with U.S. assistance, will be continued under Iraqi provincial government control.
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 10.03.2007 11:14 |
| Story ID: | 12687 |
| Location: | BAQUBAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 274 |
| Downloads: | 222 |
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