LAMJUNG: The traditional sheep farming business in Lamjung district is at stake despite it giving good returns due to lack of interest towards the work from local youths. At one time, there were over 300 sheep farms in the district. The locals, in groups, had been rearing sheep in mobile sheep farms. However, youth in the region are more focused on earning through foreign employment or by working in the cities, thereby showing a lack of interest towards this local means of livelihood. Moreover, local and experienced sheep farmers say that though the business offers good returns from the sale of wool and meat, young people are disinterested also because the work is tedious. According to an officer at the veterinary hospital and animal service centre, Khila Sharma Ghimire, there are about 90 mobile sheep farms in Lamjung at present. In these farms, there are nearly 15,000 baruwal sheep and about 6,000 goats of sinhal species. About 6,000 metric tonnes of wool is being produced in the district annually. Likewise, income of over Rs 1.2 million is being generated only through the sale of wool. In addition to this, the locals have been selling blankets, carpets and traditional Bakhkhu made out of the wool at high prices. These local products, both the demand and cost for which are high, are sold inside the country as well as exported. Sheep owners purchase the livestock and hand them over to shepherds who are responsible for grazing and taking care of the animals. The sheep owners pay the shepherds both in cash and in kind for carrying out these tasks. Meanwhile, shepherds hand over the earnings from the sale of the livestock to sheep owners. Durjan Gurung, 51, of Dordi Rural Municipality in the district stated that he has been rearing sheep for 20 years now. According to him, his farm which had 15 sheep to start with is now filled with 600 of them. He shared that he makes an income of Rs 800,000 annually by selling the produce from his livestock. Gurung, who remains busy in taking care of his animals, expressed concern that the livelihood of rearing sheep is at risk because young people are leaving the country for employment.