Sheep Dr. Randy Harp

Sheep Origin and domestication Genus - Sheep = Ovis and goats = Capra Dual Purpose - Wool or Hair and Meat Factors favorable for sheep production –utilization of roughages –feed efficiency is better than cattle –dual purpose and quicker returns than cattle

Sheep Factors unfavorable for sheep production –per capita consumption –predators –disease resistance –parasites –synthetics (demand for wool) –politics and small talk

Sheep Types and breeds of sheep Classification by Wool Fine wool - highest quality wool –spanish merino, rambouillet, delaine Medium wool - meat and wool production –“down” breeds: southdown, suffolk, hampshire, shropshire, dorset, cheviot, finnsheep Long wool - mainly used for meat –largest breeds: Cotswold, Lincoln, Romney

Sheep Crossbred wool breeds (fine X long wool) –Columbia –Corriedale –Targhee Carpet wool –Black faced highland and Drysdale Fur-Sheep –Karakul

Classification by Breed Ewe breeds- generally white-faced and fine wool and long wool types (Rambouillet, Finnsheep, Merino, etc.) Dual Purpose- used to cross and make crossbred ewes (dorset, Columbia, Corriedale) Ram breeds- meat type breeds used as terminal sires (hamps, suffolk, etc.)

Sheep Establishing a flock –lamb vs wool production –native vs western range production –selection systems –size of flock –health

Sheep Breeding and Reproduction Age at puberty months ewes < rams breed dependent - seasonal breeding lamb as 2 year olds gestation days (med wool less) heat periods - 20 to 42 hours (no signs)

Sheep Breeding and Reproduction ovulation occurs late in heat cycle day cycle ave days Prolifacy - > 100% lamb crop flushing ewes works in sheep, too Factors affecting reprod. –daylight ( 100), nutrition

Sheep Breeding and Reproduction Lambing –> 4 sq. ft. pen for ewes, clean & dry –presentation of front legs –orphan lambs is not uncommon –25% death loss is common –Feed ewes small amounts of water at first with oats, wheat bran and hay (small amounts)

Sheep Breeding and Reproduction Ram management mating guide –ram lambhand (20-25) pasture (25-35) –yearling or > hand (50-75) pasture (35-60) –use marker rams

Sheep Nutrition Nutrition - ruminant energy through grain and roughages protein through good pasture and legumes minerals (Ca & P), salt vitamins (mainly check A, D, & E) water - 1 gal./day for mature sheep –1/2 gal./day for lambs

Sheep Problems –urinary calculi - mineral deposits –poisonous plants –preg. disease - undernourishment in late preg. –expelled vagina or rectal prolapse

Sheep Wool Fiber –three cell layers - epidermis (outside), cortex, and medulla (inside) –chemical composition keratin (N & S compounds with C, O, N, H)

Characteristics of wool Grease - refers to the impurities –clean vs grease wt and yield vs shrinkage Length of fiber Density - closeness of fibers (no./unit area of skin) Diameter - crimp (waviness) Wool Grading - blood system vs breed type

Goat Mohair - Angora possesses less crimp than wool clip twice per year instead of shearing wool once per year types of mohair - based on the type of lock –tight or spiral –flat –fluffy

Goat Meat (Spanish and Boer) Dairy type –American La Mancha, French Alpine, Nubian, Saanen, Toggenburg Very adaptable - esp. to brushy areas management similar to sheep gestation ave. 151 days dairy yields 5 lbs/day with 15,000/yr. feed 1.5 to 2.0 lbs of grain + hay per day