Introduction to Sheep Production and goats ANS 121 Introduction to Animal Sciences Sheep No beard Tail hangs Foot glands No odor Horns curl Low intelligence Dependent Poor fighters Goats Beard Tail held erect Lack foot glands Bucks have odor Horns are straight back High intelligence Independent Better able to fight Introduction Primary products are Meat and Wool Minor product milk Early domestication Sheep and Goats very similar yet different Goats very little US production Sheep smallest US livestock production Most complete livestock food and fiber Goat Domestication Earlier than 7000 BC Fairly certain of Origin compared to Sheep Bozoar Goat Capra aegagrus Goats easily return to wild state Feral Sheep Domestication Exact progenitor species is difficult to determine 200 breeds diverse body shape and wool All are timid low intelligence poorly trainable from mgt in large bands no independence Sheep Domestication Domestication most successful Complete dependence on Humans Unable to become feral ability to fend for themselves Virtually helpless in emergencies Maybe too far Sheep Origin Wild Ancestors Asian and European Wild Sheep Mouflons Ovis orientalis Sardinia and Corsica Ovis musimon Asia Minor and Iran Asian European first domestication Sheep US Introduction First introduction Columbus 2nd Voyage 1493 Spanish Explorers Cortez sheep to Mexico Merino breed fine wools These are the basis for Navajo flocks Legislation passed to protect sheep from dogs US Introductions English breeds came with settlers Jamestown and New England Primary purpose Wool Secondary Meat 1662 Woolen mill in Massachusetts US Sheep By 1810 New England center of sheep industry 7 million head 1849 Number increased to 19 million All in the east Numbers shift west as land is available Range Wars with cattle producers lasts for about 20 30 years Range Wars Sheep graze the grass too short for cattle Note their teeth or lack of teeth sheep were grazing before cattle and leaving nothing for them to eat US Sheep Numbers In the 19th and 20th centuries Sheep numbers variable and Dependent on war time Wool requirement increased during wartime Corresponds to military uses of wool like uniforms tents and blankets for WWI and WWll State Production Top 5 Texas Cali Colorado Wyoming Utah World Production million head Australia Russia China New Zealand India Turkey Iran 164 141 103 65 52 40 35 Classification of Sheep Breeds Over 200 breeds 6 or 8 important commercial breeds Meat or Wool Wool Type Face Color Horns Topography of Origin mountain upland lowland Use in breeding Exotic uses Commercial Classifications UK South Africa Argentina USA 29 29 29 6 Wool Production Million Pounds Australia Russia New Zealand China Argentina 1 200 630 582 280 203 US Goat Production Meat and Dairy Goat Distribution Big in texas Examples of breed classifications Wool types Fine merino types Medium Long meat large sheep Cross bred long X fine Carpet coarse and long Fur pelts Breeding use Ram meat Ewe white face Dual Purpose Other Important Breeds Breed Suffolk Dorset Hampshire Rambouillet Romney Merino Oxford Navajo Karakul Polypay Wool type Med Med Med Fine Long Fine Med Carpet Fur Cross Breeding Type Ram meat animal Dual Ram Ewe Dual Ewe Ram Other Other Ewe American Merino Rambouillet Dorset Foundation Fine Wool Flocking instinct White face Medium size Medium wool Prolific breeders Good milk prod Hampshire Dual Purpose Fast Growing Rugged Largest medium wool breed Polled Meat type Oxford Romney Large size Medium wool Polled Heavy fleece Prolific Good milkers Long wool breed Light weight Polled Not prolific Suffolk Polypay Black Face No wool on face or legs Polled Good meat Poor wool light and some black fibers Commercial breed Prolific Early lambing Lamb 1X per year Good growth Good carcass 6 Navajo Ewes Polled Rams horned multi horned Good milk on poor range Good mothers Very coarse wool Karakul Black or Brown Drooping ears and horns on Rams Pelt production taken within weeks Types Broad tail East Friesians Ewes and Rams Polled Best Milk Producers More difficult management Long woolless Rat tail Persian Caracul Hair Sheep Good breeders reduced health issues no shearing Katahdin Developed in Maine 1950 s Named for a mountain in Maine Usually tail not docked Black Headed Dorper Developed on South Africa 1930 s Some all white Goat Breed Classification Angora Mohair Dairy Meat land clearing Angora Long fine hair Horned Pygmy Goat Breeds Boer Meat type Small Prolific 7 Alpine Nubian Goat Breeds Dairy Hardy and adaptable Good milkers Most popular dairy breed Floppy ears Distinctive face LaMancha Lack external ears Sheep and Goat Jargon Lamb Ewe Ram Wether Wool Greasy Wool Kid Buck Doe Mohair Young sheep Female sheep Male sheep Castrated male sheep and goats Sheep hair or fur Wool before cleaning 45 Young Goat Male Goat Female Goat Angora Goat fur Favorable aspects of sheep production Meat production uses only pasture Excellent for arid grazing Scavengers weeds brush grass etc Equal products meat and wool Faster than cattle Less concentration of manure Suited for frontier agriculture No competition for human food Unfavorable aspects of sheep production Wool price poor and unpredictable politics Wool demand decreasing Reduced consumption of lamb Predator problems wild and domestic Sheep susceptible to disease and parasites Shepherds are hard to find Inadequate slaughter and wool processing 8 Breeding of Sheep and Goats Sheep Puberty Males 4 6 mo Females 6 9 mo First estrus Fall of first year 8 10 months Some breeds delayed Merino 16 20 months Note Estrus cycling affected by Goats 4 6 mo 5 7 mo Daylength short days stimulatory 14hr Temperature cool temps stimulatory 74F Breeding of Sheep Estrous Cycle Sheep 14 19 days Goats 19 22 days Age at breeding Usually first breeding first season after 1 year old Early breeding of Ewe lambs not usually bred reduced growth of preg ewe lamb reduced conception increase birth difficulties reduced birth weights Estrous Cycle In season fall winter 14 20 day cycle sheep 19 22 days goats Estrus length 20 42 hrs avg 30 hrs Sheep No external signs Teaser male Goats Female behavior changes Ovulation late in estrus 24 30 hrs Multiple ovulations common 119 lamb crop Goats Twins common Triplets occasional Gestation period 144 to 152 days 14 days Preparations for breeding Flushing the ewe Feeding for weight gain Trimming and tagging Cleaning wool around udder flank tail face Shear the ram Increases activity Marking the ram