An indigenous hair sheep breed faces a threat from industrial plan

Discover the Vembur sheep, a unique breed in Tamil Nadu facing extinction due to industrial expansion in Thoothukudi district.

In the grazing lands of Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar districts thrives the Vembur sheep (‘Pottu aadu’). The name comes from its unique coat pattern, featuring white fur adorned with irregular reddish brown patches, and in rare cases black fawn patches. These distinct markings set them apart from other sheep breeds in India.

The Vembur sheep is one of Tamil Nadu’s five indigenous hair sheep breeds, alongside Madras Red, Macheri, Chevvadu, and Kilakarasal. Its medium-sized drooping ears, short thin tails, and tall lean bodies make them easily recognisable. It also holds significant cultural and economic importance for farmers who depend on them for their livelihood. But this treasured breed faces a threat to its very existence: the proposed SIPCOT industrial project in Thoothukudi district.

For generations, the Vembur sheep have been an integral part of Tamil Nadu’s pastoral landscape. According to the FAO Animal Production and Health Paper 30 (1982), prepared by Acharya R.M., the breed’s population was 0.262 m in 1972, and it slightly declined to 0.251 m in 1977 (0.029 m adult males and 0.142 m adult females). Recognising its uniqueness, the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources officially registered the breed in 2007.

The breed is distributed across the northern part of Thoothukudi district — Vembur, Ettayapuram, Nagalapuram, and Keelakarandhai — and parts of Virudhunagar district. However, the purest form of the breed is concentrated in the Pudur union of Thoothukudi.

Another significant quality of the breed is that it does not rely on commercial cattle fodder, but entirely on natural grazing grounds. During 6-8 hours of grazing, it feeds on native grasses such as touch-me-not (Mimosa pudica), Quail grass (Celosia argentea), and Crowfoot grass (Eleusine Indica). The breed’s natural resilience and adaptability to dry climate makes it ideal for the rain-fed agricultural regions. Farmers rarely provide shelters, as the sheep thrives in the open.

Breeding typically occurs after the northeast monsoon, and unlike other commercial breeds, its reproductive cycle is slower, with each female producing only one lamb per cycle. The natural breeding method has contributed to maintaining the purity of the breed. A massive industrial project, under the SIPCOT, is set to take over around 1,000 acres of land at Vembur. The land includes the fertile grazing land that has supported the Vembur breed for years.

A. Varadharajan, president, the Karisal Bhoomi Farmers Association, says that with no grazing grounds, the sheep will be left without food, forcing farmers to either give up their livestock or switch to other activities.