ANML SC - Sheep Breeds

Plus characteristics of 10 breeds

Delaine Merino

• Spain

• Type A,B,C

  • A - most wrinkled

    • Finer Fleece

    • 85 - 100 lbs

    • Not advocated for commercial lamb or wool production

  • B - heavy fleece and fair mutton

  • C - better mutton conformation

  • Most practical for this breed on the average farm —> Type C

• Breed year round

• Horned Rams & Polled ewes

• Rams: 25 lbs of wool/year

• Ewes: 12 - 20 lbs

• Claimed to be the best wool in the world

Rambouillet

• Breed originated from Spain’s Merino stock

  • Spanish govt. protective and exportation was forbidden

  • 1786 policy changed: King of Spain granted a request from govt. of France for 359 carefully selected sheep

• American breeds originated from France

• Foundation of most western US range flocks

• White faced, wool on legs

• Largest, most popular fine wool breed

Cheviot

• Scotland

• White face, no wool on legs

• Polled

• Erect ears

• Good milking and mothering abilities

• Their wool has a distinctive helical crimp

  • Often blended into yarns to give resilience and durability

Dorset

• Southern England

• Medium wool breed

• Horned and polled

• Breed yr round

• Number one white faced sheep

  • Second largest breed in number behind the suffolk

• Ewes weigh about 150-200lbs

• Rams weigh 225 - 275 lbs

• Hothouse lambs

  • Lambs born in fall or early winter

Hampshire

• England

• Black, wool less ears and nose

• Polled

• Imported into US before 1840 00> all flocks disappeared during Civil War

• Medium fine wool

Southdown

• England

• One of oldest breeds

• Used in formation of medium wool breeds

• Polled

• Tend to become overfat at early age

• Carcass quality

  • International Grand Champion Fat Lamb award in Chicago over 30 times

Suffolk

• England

• Southdown x Norfolk

• Southdown: meatiness and quality of wool

• Norfolk: long muscular limbs

• Black, bare face and legs

• Largest sized breed in US

• Most numerous in the US

• Aggressive

• Heat tolerant

• Ewes weigh 180-259 lbs

• Rams weigh 250-350 lbs

Polypay

• Developed at US Sheep Exp. Station in Dubois, Idaho

• Medium wool breed

• Rambouillet, Targhee, Polled Dorset cross

• 1st synthetic breed

• 250% lamb crop

Karakul

• Central Asia

• One of the world’s oldest breeds

• Pendulous ears

• Lamb pelts used for fur

• Not popular in US

Navajo Churro

• Developed by Navajo Indians in US from Spanish Churro

• 1st domestic sheep in US

• 4 fully developed horns

  • Rams