Resolution No. 202 of the Council of Ministers validating the National program for the development of sheep breeding for 2013–2015.

Sheep breeding as one of the branches of animal husbandry has always been an integral part of the national economic complex of the country. The economic well-being of sheep breeding was based mainly on the production of wool, the share of which in the total value of the products of this industry was 70-80 percent. The natural and climatic conditions of Belarus, where the period of grazing cattle lasts only about 150-170 days, limit the cultivation of heat-loving breeds of sheep (merinos), whose wool is most in demand by processing organizations and is highly valued on the world market. Only the southern regions of the country are most suitable for their breeding.
The aim of this National program is to develop sheep breeding for meeting the needs of the country's population for wool, sheepskin, mutton, and milk. The objectives of this National program: (a) increasing the number of sheep in the country in 2013–2015 to 100 thousand heads, bringing the sale of live sheep to 1,590 tons; (b) satisfying the population's need for high-quality young sheep; (c) ensuring wool production in volumes of 260 tons; and (d) creation of the Belarusian multi-purpose semi-fine-wool (crossbred) type of sheep.
The country is planning zonal division of sheep breeding, which will allow for the organization of work on the development of sheep breeding. It is proposed to establish the following areas of sheep breeding by zone: (a) zone of fine-wool and semi-fine-wool sheep breeding and partially meat and wool sheep breeding – Brest, Gomel regions, Soligorsk and Lyuban districts of Minsk region, Glussk district of Mogilev region; (b) zone of semi-fine-wool and meat-and-wool sheep breeding – Minsk, Grodno and Mogilev regions, Baranovichi and Lyakhovichi districts of Brest region, Zhlobin, Rogachev and Kormyansky districts of Gomel region; and (c) zone of predominantly coarse-wool fur production and partially meat-wool-milk sheep breeding – Vitebsk region, Borisov district of Minsk region and other individual agricultural organizations of the country. The number of sheep for the Republic of Belarus in 2015 will be 100 thousand heads, including ewes - not less than 52.5 thousand heads, stud rams - 2 thousand heads, replacement young stock - 30 thousand heads. The main breeding method in breeding organizations is planned to be purebred breeding using artificial insemination of the breeding stock. In industrial herds, manual mating of ewes and ewes with breeding rams is allowed.
The tasks of breeding farms are to breed and sell purebred animals with high genetic potential, primarily stud rams for breeding farms of agricultural and farm (peasant) households to obtain crossbred animals. Within the framework of the implementation of this National program, it is planned to resume research work on sheep breeding, to identify promising topics, primarily on issues of selection and feeding of sheep.
Within the framework of the implementation of this National program, the number of sheep should be increased to 100 thousand heads. Taking into account the presence of an insignificant number of breeding sheep on the national territory, as well as the need for a multiple increase in the number of livestock in a short time, the achievement of this goal is envisaged by purchasing young animals by import in 2013-2015.