Sheep-breeding

In the depths of the centuries, the traditional way of life of cattle breeding (sheep breeding and cow-herding) was introduced in Tusheti, which is historically carried out in the geosocial environment of Tusheti – Alvanebi - Shirak-Samukhi. As a result of the combination in mountain and lowland life, the villages of Kakheti lowland - Upper and Lower Alvani of Akhmeta Municipality, as well as Shirak-Samukhi, Village of Kasristskali and the Village of Laliskuri in Telavi Municipality were formed.
These three historical-geographical areas are occupied by the Tusheti people with a special way of life, which is an annual cyclical agricultural migration in the range of 300 km: four months in Tusheti, four months on the vacated land plots after harvesting, in the villages of Kakheti located near the road used for cattle driving out. and four months in Shiraz-Samukh winter pastures, which gave the Tush people the name of a tribe of three habitats.
Appearance of Tush people in Shirak was connected to the reign of Archil (1664-1675), according to Acad. Ekvtime Takaishvili.

The material researched by him shows that the Aloni field was not enough for the Tush people and they were given the area "between the Mtkvari and the Iori" along with other land and water, for which they did not have to pay "more than one sheep per flock" to the state. Twelve months a year under the sky, isolated from the family, weaving shed, on a 600 km sheep track and thousands of kilometers on the spot in chase of sheep, Tush shepherd creates products, protects the state border of Georgia and the purity of Tush sheep breeding. They never complain to the government about severe conditions, do not request social benefits and salaries, employs and pays salaries to shepherds, it is self-employed, and pays taxes to the state in addition to all of these. Tush sheep, as a result of Tusheti natural climate conditions and selection, promotes development of sheep breeding.