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Magra sheep (Bikaner, Jaisalmer)

Magra is a hardy, white-fleeced carpet-wool sheep breed of the Bikaner-Jaisalmer-Nagaur arid belt of Rajasthan, registered with the ICAR National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR). It is famous for the bright, lustrous, pure-white fleece — locally known as Chokla in trade, distinct from the genetic Chokla (Chokla Sheep Rajasthan Fine Wool) breed — which makes it the most valued carpet-wool sheep of the western Thar.

Origin and distribution

The breeding tract centres on Bikaner, Churu, Nagaur and parts of Jaisalmer and Jodhpur districts of Rajasthan. The tract is arid, with annual rainfall of 200-350 mm and sparse natural grazing on sewan, dhaman, khejri and ber. Flocks are managed by Raika, Sindhi-Sipahi and Jat pastoralist households under long-range transhumance (Migratory Sheep Grazing) that extends into Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh during the long dry season.

Morphology

Magra sheep are medium to large with a deep, well-built body. The body is white, with characteristic light-brown to reddish-tan rings around the eyes — the diagnostic "magra spectacles" — and similar tan markings on the ears, nose and lower legs. Ears are small and tubular. Both sexes are typically polled. The tail is short and thin. Adult body weight averages 32-38 kg in rams and 25-30 kg in ewes.

Performance

The fleece is the breed's economic anchor: dense, white, lustrous and uniform, well suited to fine carpet yarn and pile carpets. Annual greasy fleece yield is around 1.5-2.5 kg per animal — the highest among Indian carpet-wool sheep — distributed over two or three shearings. Fibre diameter averages 30-40 microns. Lambing is single, with an annual lambing interval and age at first lambing of 18-22 months. Mutton is a secondary product.

Management

Flocks are managed under long-range transhumant grazing on sewan grass, khejri lopping and harvested bajra, moong and guar fields. ICAR-CSWRI Avikanagar runs a long-term Magra improvement programme focused on fleece weight and quality, and Magra-derived material has fed into the Avikalin synthetic strain. PPR (Ppr Vaccination Detailed) and structured small-ruminant vaccination (Small Ruminant Vaccination Schedule) are the main veterinary anchors; sheep pox, enterotoxaemia and contagious ecthyma are recurring losses.

See also: Chokla sheep, Marwari sheep, Jaisalmeri sheep, Malpura sheep.

Sources

  1. Magra — NBAGR breed descriptor. ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources.
  2. Magra carpet-wool sheep. ICAR-Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar.