Sheep and Goat Breeds and Breeding Practices

What are the main categories of sheep breeds?

Wool types (fine, medium, long, colored wool, or hair) and breeding types (ewe breeds, ram breeds, dual-purpose breeds).

Name two fine wool sheep breeds.

Merino and Rambouillet.

What is the primary use of medium-wool sheep breeds?

They are used for meat production.

List two long wool sheep breeds.

Border Leicester and Lincoln.

What are hair sheep breeds?

Sheep that do not produce wool, such as Katahdin and Dorper.

Which sheep breed is known for milk production?

East Friesian.

What are the characteristics of fine wool and dual-purpose breeds?

They have a herding instinct and can manage flocks of 1,000 to 3,000 ewes.

What is the typical breeding strategy for purebred sheep breeders?

To make genetic progress in economically important traits and sell rams to commercial producers.

What are the economic traits important in sheep breeding?

Reproductive traits, growth traits, wool and fiber yield and quality, and carcass characteristics.

What is the significance of the National Sheep Improvement Program?

It provides a unified genetic evaluation system for sheep.

How often do sheep cycle and what is their gestation period?

Sheep cycle at 17-day intervals with a gestation period of 145-147 days.

What percentage of lambs are typically born alive?

96% of lambs are born alive.

What factors affect sheep reproduction?

Crossbreeding, light, temperature, relative humidity, environmental factors (disease, parasites, insufficient feed), estrus synchronization, and estrogen content in feed.

What are the primary classifications of goat breeds?

Meat-type, dairy-type, and fiber-type.

Name two meat goat breeds.

Spanish and Boer.

List three dairy goat breeds.

Alpine, Nubian, and Saanen.

What is the average gestation period for goats?

150 days.

What is the typical breeding strategy for sheep during the breeding season?

Sheep are either handmated or pasture mated, often using a teaser ram.

What is tagging in sheep breeding?

Removing wool around the tail and vulva to assist with breeding.

What is the goal of cross-breeding in the sheep industry?

To improve traits such as growth rate and carcass characteristics.

What are the desirable traits in sheep breeding programs?

Multiple births, growth rate, wool production, and carcass merit.

How are goat reproduction rates compared to sheep?

91% of does bred typically give birth, with 50% giving birth to multiples, while fiber goats have only 18% giving birth to multiples.

What is the role of a teaser ram in sheep breeding?

To stimulate ewes to come into estrus without breeding them.