Kyrgyzstan has officially approved a patent for the new Ala-Too sheep breed, a meat-producing variety developed through selective breeding.
The Ala-Too breed is now formally recognized as an independent breeding achievement, paving the way for patenting and potential commercialization.
A New High-Value Sheep Breed
The Ala-Too sheep was developed by crossing local Kyrgyz sheep with Tajikistan’s Hissar sheep, a well-known meat breed.
“The Ala-Too sheep is a new meat-producing breed. A single breeding sheep costs between $5,000 and $10,000, with some specimens fetching up to $30,000,” said Professor Abdugani Abdurasulov of Osh University.
Developing artificial breeds is a key priority in scientific research, university officials noted. Earlier, the blood and wool samples of the new breed were sent to Tarim University in China for DNA testing.
A History of Sheep Breeding Innovation
This is not the first time Kyrgyzstan has successfully developed a new sheep breed. Five years ago, the Arashan breed was registered by the Ministry of Agriculture. It was created by crossing Hissar sheep from Tajikistan with local coarse-wool sheep. Today, Arashan sheep are exported to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, with individual large specimens selling for as much as $60,000 at exhibitions.
