Abstract
The purpose of this work is to analyze the origin and distribution of Karakul sheep in the world and the current state of astrakhan sheep breeding in Kazakhstan. The article describes the origin of the Karakul sheep, as well as information on the creation in Kazakhstan of a new Kazakh astrakhan-fat-tail sheep of astrakhan-meat-greasy productivity. The results of a comparative study of the biological characteristics of the astrakhan breeds of sheep bred in Kazakhstan are presented. The main products for the sake of breeding astrakhan sheep breeds are unique in their color, shades and strength of the skin. A major breeding achievement of sheep farmers in Kazakhstan is the creation of Kazakh karakul-fat-tail sheep of astrakhan-meat-greasy productivity, which has no analogues in the world, well adapted to the desert and semidesert zones of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. It should be noted that the biological characteristics of astrakhan sheep breeds allow the efficient use of scarce pastures of inaccessible desert and semi-desert zones.