Small Ruminants - Sheep + Goats (ANISCI FINAL)

Terminology for sheep

newborn: lamb

process of giving birth: lambing

immature female: eweling

mature female: ewe

immature male: ram lamb

castrated male: wether

mature intact male: ram

terminology for goats

newborn: kid

process of giving birth: kidding

immature female: doeling

mature female: doe

immature male: ram kid

castrated male: wether

mature intact male: ram

Terminology for sheep

newborn: lamb

process of giving birth: lambing

immature female: eweling

mature female: ewe

immature male: ram lamb

castrated male: wether

mature intact male: ram

terminology for goats

newborn: kid

process of giving birth: kidding

immature female: doeling

mature female: doe

immature male: ram kid

castrated male: wether

mature intact male: ram

meat - sheep

lamb < 14 months

mutton > 14 months

meat - goats

cabrito - kid at 30-490 lbs

chevon - adult meat

artiodactyl

cloven hoofed

feeding behavior of goats

goats are browsers

• consume off the ground

ex. leaves, twigs, bark, green stems

feeding behavior in sheep

sheep are grazers

• selectively clip vegetation at/near ground level

• could consume bad stuff from the ground like fecal matter (leads to diseases)

  • leads to better immune resistance

History of goats and sheep

1st food producing animal to be domesticated

wool trade was the economy of many countries and helped develop/advance countries

sheep numbers in 1940s

56.2 million → PEAKED

U.S cash receipts

sheep, lamb, wool account for <1% of total U.S cash receipts

• 0.14%

U.S sheep production

• seasonal demand

• low demand for wool

• low demand for lamb and mutton

• reliable herders are rare

• predation

• parasitism (gastrointestinal worms)

• competition for public owned rangeland

• lack of slaughter and market infrastructure

• decrease in government support

• inadequate profits

population of goats and sheep worldwide

used extensively around the world for their grass conversion ability, size, portability and adaptability

• 1.26 billion sheep

• 1 billion goats

(in most developing countries)

population of goats and sheep in the U.S

TEXAS → leads nation in sheep and goat numbers and operations

655,000 lambs/sheep

700,000 meat goats

phases of production

1) breeding → high repro rate = success of sheep production

2) gestation

3) lambing

4) lactating/nursing

5) weaning

6) growing + finishing

ewe & doe puberty

4-9 months → breed dependent

seasonally polyestrous

• “SHORT DAY breeders”

• dominant breeding season: FALL

darkness → retina →pineal gland →INCREASE MELATONIN

sheep - estrous cycle + how long in estrous

estrous cycle every 17 days

estrous lasts: 24-36 hours

ovulate towards the end of estrous

ovulation ~24-27 hours after onset

goats - estrous cycle + how long in estrous?

estrous cycle every 21 days

estrous lasts: 24-48 hours

ovulate towards the end of estrous

ovulation ~24-36 hours after onset

sheep and goat gestation + breeding

5 months (144-152 days)

breed during ewe’s first fall → will lamb at 1 year of age

wait and breed during ewe’s second fall → will lamb at 2 years of age

want to give birth during spring/summer when there are more resources → better to get pregnant during fall/winter

ideal breeding

ewelings should be 65-70% of mature size at the time of mating in order to achieve a high level of fertility

anestrus

do not cycle through late winter, spring and early summer

transition

erratic/less fertile cycles at the beginning and end of breeding season

Types of U.S Sheep Production System

1. range

   produce majority of lamb & wool in the U.S

   • fenced range production

   • migratory range production

2. farm flock

fenced range production

structure: large number of sheep grazing large fenced acreage

location: southwestern states (Texas)

product: primarily lamb, but also wool production

breeds: merino and rambouillet

migratory range production

location: intermountain states (Rockies, sierras, cascades), privately owned land and land leased from the bureau of land management

season:

fall (sept-nov):

• lambs are weans

• breeding occurs at moderate-high elevations

winter (nov-march):

• flock occupies high elevation wind swept ridges or at lower elevation sagebrush-steppe habitat to avoid deep snow and find forage

spring (march-may): flock is in low elevation for shearing and lambing

summer (may-sept): flock returns to high elevation for grazing

farm flock production

location: any geographic area, but historically east & midwest

product(s): diverse → wool, meat, dairy, club lambs

breeds: varies

size: usually 30-40 ewes

demand for sheep meat in the U.S

• americans eat less lamb/mutton than other meats

• demand is small but stable

• domestic production is decreasing, so importation accounts for 50% of U.S consumption

• U.S has greater demand for lamb than mutton

  • import from Australia, New Zealand, Canada

  • export cull ewes to Mexico

milk fat content & protein- sheep

6-8% milk fat

5-7% protein

domestic ewe lactation

lactate for 90-150 days

100-200 lbs of milk/lactation

dairy ewe lactation

lactate for 120-240 days

400-1100 lbs of milk

types of goats in U.S agriculture

dairy goats → milk & cheese (chevre)

fiber producing goats → angora goats (mohair), nonangora goats (cashmere)

meat goats → cabrito (young), chevon (adult)

soremouth (orf contagious ecthyma)

clinical:

• young - scabby/crusty sores on lips & muzzle

• adults - sores on udders

etiology: poxvirus (contagious & zoonotic) →people get lesions

transmission: direct contact

• susceptible to disinfectants

treatment: supportive care, usually revolves with time