Tehran – Iran's Animal Science Research Institute has officially documented 27 distinct native sheep breeds, each demonstrating specialized characteristics tailored to their regional environments, officials announced.

 

"These breeds represent valuable genetic resources with exceptional adaptive qualities that make them ideally suited to specific climatic conditions across Iran," the Institute's director Hassan Khamisabadi told reporters.

 

He added, "Our pilot farms showed visible improvements in herd weight gain and health indicators within weeks of implementing the new feeding protocols.”

 

The Institute plans to roll out nationwide training programs to help farmers adopt these scientifically validated methods. "This isn't just about better yields – it's about future-proofing our livestock sector against climate challenges and market fluctuations," the director emphasized.

 

There are more than 28 distinctive breeds of sheep in Iran which appear in a variety of size, shapes, types and color. Broadly the country sheep are grouped into 4 main types of, meat, dual-purpose, fur- producing and dairy breeds. Baluchi, Karakul and Zel sheep are the typical breeds.