Sheep and Goat Production

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Ewe

Sexually mature female sheep

Wether

Castrated male

Mutton

Meat from a sheep over 1 year old

Edward’s Plateau

home to approximately 80% of sheep and 90% of goats in Texas

90% of mohair production

Texas

Southwestern range production sheep

rambouillet

top 2 lamb feeding states

Colorado, Texas

3 goat production systems

Hair, meat, dairy

top hair producing goat

angora

top meat producing goat

boer

top dairy goat

saanen

sheep estrous cycle

17 days

goat estrous cycle

21 days

gestation length

150 days

why ewes/does with fresh lambs/kids placed in jugs until bonded

ewes/does will steal other lambs/kids

common tool for docking and castration

elastrator

crutching

shearing of wool around reproductive area and mammary systems of ewes prior to parturition

facing

shearing of wool on face

drenching/spraying

removal of internal and external parasites

predator control animals

donkeys, llamas, great pyrenees

full mouth

characteristic of a 4 year old with 4 pairs of incisors

soremouth

zoonotic disease affecting non-wooled areas and is typically characterized by scab formation around the mouth

parrot mouthed

monkey mouthed

correct mouth

pounds sheared factors

staple length, density, size of sheep

extremely low or extremely high birth weights

undesirable

FEPD

Flock Expected Progeny Differences

top global wool producers

China, Australia, New Zealand

top global sheep numbers

China, India, Australia

fine wool shrinkage from grease

up to 75%

factors for wool evaluation

yield, grade, staple length

sheep and goat breeding season

autumn