Pig breed/production, Goat breeds/production, Sheep breeds/production

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Yorkshire

1. Most recorded breed in the us

2. Erect ears

3. Heavy muscling

4. High proportion of lean meat

5. a lot of backfat

6. Structural soundness and durability

Hampshire

1. “Belt”

2. 4th most recorded breed in the US

3. High lean muscle production

4. High carcass quality

5. Minimal backfat

6. Large loin area

7. Good mothering abilities

8. Good longevity

Berkshire

1. 3rd most recorded breed in the US

2. Fast and effective growth

3. Reproductive efficiency

4. Excellent meat flavor and value

5. Oldest swine registry in the US

Duroc 

2nd most recorded breed in the us

Red pig with droopy ears

Excelled product quality

Good Carcass yield

Fast growth

Excellent lean grain efficiency

Landrace

Excellent mothering abilities

Heavy Milkers

Often crossed with other breeds

High length of body

High percent of carcass weight in loi/ham

Chester White

Originated In Chester county , PA

Droopy medium sized ears

Good mothering abilities 

Durable

Structural soundness

Good muscle quality

Poland China (Other Breeds)

Originated in Ohio

Known for Large frame,length of body, Leaness and muscle

Droopy ears

Spotted (OB)

Originated in Ohio

Sub breed that split off from the Poland China

Characterized by large black and white spots

Known for High feed efficiency 

rate of grain

Carcass quality

Meishan (OB)

Originated in China

one of the oldest domesticated pig breeds

known for Wrinkled face and skin

One of the most prolific breeds

Large litter size

Pietrain (OB)

Originated in Belgium

Characterization medium-sized, White with black spots, erect ears

Shorter than most breeds

Stockier in build

Broad along the back

Red Wattle

Originated in New Caledonia

South Pacific Island near Australia

Tasseled pig 

pair of wattles

Breed is known for lean meat with excellent flavor

Swine Reproduction

Estrous Cycle length 18 - 24 days

Gestation length 114 days

Classifications Goats

Dairy,meat Fiber

Alpine ( Dairy)

Originated in the Alps

Generally short haired

No distinct color established

Moderate size - 135 - 170

Heavy Milkers

Empasis on milk prodution and udder placement

Lamancha ( Dairy)

Developed in Oregon, USa

Excellent dairy temperment

Two Types of ears elf and gopher

High componet milk

High Fat

Nigerian Dwarf (Dairy)

West Africa Originated

Miniture Goat

Ideal weight 75 lbs

High prolificacy 

up to five kids

Early onset of puberty 

Smaller udder/ teats than other breeds

Nubian (dairy)

developed in England

Anglo - Nubian

Pendulous ears

Good udder quality

Large frame - 250 lbs

All purpose breed

moderate milk production with high average butter fat

Saanen (dairy)

originated in Switzerland

heavy milk production 3-4% milk fat

Color - white or light cream

performs best in cooler condition

Toggenburg (dairy)

Originated in Switzerland

Oldest known dairy goat breed

Medium sized - dos- 125 lbs

Excellent udder development

High milk production - averages 3.7% fat

Boer (meat)

Large meat breed - 200 lbs

Imported from South Africa into the US

Fats Growing breed within US

Excellent carcasses

150% kidding rate

Kiko (meat)

Originated in New Zealand

Crossbreeding feral does

Mixed with nubian, toggenburg and Saanen

Moderate frame - 100 lbs

imported to US in 1990s

Pygmy (meat)

West Africa Originated

Small frame 

Now utilized more as a companion

Spanish (meat)

Developed in Spain

Primary meat goat before 1993

Grazed SW

feral, hardy,efficient,slow growth,poor milk

Smaller frame size in feral animals

Texmaster (meat)

developed in texas

crossing Tenesse Meat Goats with Boer goats

develop a meat to meet commmercial demands

Low Maintenace ,efficient fee utilization

rapid growth and thrifty

Angora (fiber)

Originated in Asia Mino

1571 - 1451 BCE

Produces Mohair

Small animals with considerable size variation

Susceptible to internal parasites

Cashmere (fiber)

Originated in the Himalayan region

Easy to raise

Sheared once a year - 2.5lbs fleece

Relatively new industry in US After 1980s

Pygora (fiber)

Developed in oregon

cross between Pygmy and Angora

Smaller size than Angora

Produce fine fibers for hand spinning

Distribution of Goats in the US

Distribution of goats in the US

• Top meat - Texas ,CA, TN

• Top Milk-  CA,WIS,Texas

• Fiber- Arizona, New Mexico, Texas

What is a Breed? What is a Breed?

A breed: a group of animals having similar characteristics
• These characteristics may include color, wool and/or wool characteristics,
breeding, and reproductive characteristics
• “Breeds” are something typically found in domesticated species where we can
control selection and mating for specific targets

Methods of Sheep Breed Classification

• Primary Function (Major Use):

• Ram (terminal)

• Ewe (maternal)

• Dual-purpose, Dairy, Heritage, etc.

• Wool Type:

• Fine, Medium, Coarse, Hair

• Face color:

• Black, White, Red, Gray, Brockled

• Origin of Breed:

• England (U.K.), U.S, Spain, South Africa

Adapted from B. Campbell

Wool Type

• Fine

• Coarse

• Meat

• Hair (not wool!)

Katahdin

• Mature body weight:

• Ram - 180-250 lb.

• Ewe - 120-160 lb.

• Developed in Maine.

• St. Croix X Suffolk X Wiltshire Horn.

• Easy care sheep, survivors

• Hair coat of any color or pattern.

• Largest hair breeds.

• Lean carcasses, lighter muscled

• Parasite resistance.

Merino

• Spain, for centuries, bred the sheep

with the finest wool and forbade the

trading of sheep with other countries

• Napoleon’s war with all of Europe

weakened Spain’s ability to control

export

• Col. Humphrey illegally brought back

100 Merinos in 1802

• Tremendous genetic pool improvement

• Consul Jarvis imported another 3,850

Ohio Wool Growers Association, 1876; Briggs, 1958;

Border Leicester

• Mature body weight (<200 lb ewes)

• Developed in England.

• Leicester X Cheviot crosses.

• U.S. - High rainfall, good pasture areas.

• Medium to large frame.

• Good milkers/mothers.

• Long-stapled, lustrous coarse wool for

hand spinning.

• Featured on the movie “Babe”

Cottswold

• Mature body weight (>200-300 lbs)

• “Gentle giants”

• Cotes (enclosures), wolds (hills)

• Historic breed (pre-1400s)

• Over ¾ million in U.S. ca 1914

• Under 400 in 1990s

• Removed from rare list

• Foundational breed for many others

Rambouillet

• Mature body weight (~200 lbs)

• Largest fine wool breed

• Developed from Spanish Merino

• In France and Germany.

• Backbone of Western U.S. sheep industry

• Adaptable to dry, arid conditions

• High quality fine wool fleece

 Lincoln

• Mature body weight (250-300 lbs):

• Developed in England

• Leicester X “Lincolnshire” crosses

• Large, deep bodied, polled

• Course, lustrous, heavy fleece

• Dual-purpose sheep breed

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Face Color

• Face color (and face wool) can tell you a lot about sheep breeds

• Black face – primarily terminal breeds, muscle, meat production

• White face – primarily wool or mothering breeds

Tunis

• Heat tolerant, out-of-season breeders

• Dual-purpose, moderate meat and wool

• Originally from North Africa imported to the

U.S. in 1799

• Devastation of the American Civil War nearly

eliminated the breed in 1865

Scottish Blackface

• Mature body weight:

• Ram - 150-175 lb.

• Ewe - 115-130 lb.

• Developed in the border area of Scotland

and England.

• One of the most important sheep breeds in

the United Kingdom.

• Used to improve pastures.

• Excellent mothers.

• Thrive well on brushy hillsides and

withstand harsh winter conditions.

Shropshire

• Mature Body Size (200-250 lbs)

• Developed in England.

• Introduced into U.S. In 1855

• Native sheep and Southdown, Leicester,

Cotswold crosses

• Flock favorite for many years.

• Good Mothers, but sed as terminal sire

• One of most popular breeds of sheep through

1950’s and 60’s, are once again gaining in

popularity (youth projects)

Hampshire

• Most influential carcass sheep East

of the Mississippi

• Adapt well to different geography

• Larger breed, roughly 250-300 lbs

• Fast growth, muscular, statured

• Imported in 1840s, gone by 1870

• Re-imported in the 1880s

Suffolk

• Developed in England, imported to U.S. in 1888

• Largest U.S. breed (up to 400 lbs), fastest growing, carcass quality

• Highest number of registration among all breeds in the U.S.

• Spider lamb and scrapie carriers

Dorper

• Mature body weight (~200 lbs):

• Developed in South Africa.

• Blackheaded Persian X Horned Dorset

• Mixture of hair and wool, does not

require shearing

• Non-selective grazers

• Rapid growth, quality carcasses

• Growing popularity

Corriedale

• Mature body weight (175-200 lbs)

• Developed in New Zealand – 1860s

• Breed officially established in 1924

• Merino x English Lincoln Longwool

• Heavy-yielding fleeces

• Moderately framed, decent carcasses

• Mothering ability, adapt well

• Black nose, black hooves.

Southdown

• High cutability carcass

• Only lost national carcass show 3

times between 1906 and 1956

• Moderately sized, roughly 200 lbs

• “Dual purpose”, medium wool

• Heritage breed

• Arrived with the colonists

Horned Dorset

• Originated in Southern England, was

original foundation for the Polled Dorset

breed.

• Introduced into U.S. in 1885.

• Horned characteristic is sex-influenced,

both rams and ewes have horns.

• Rams possess a heavy, masculine horn,

ewes possess a fine, feminine horn.

• Out-of-Season breeders.

• Excellent milkers.

• Known for mothering ability.

Polled Dorset

• Out-of-Season breeders

• Mature body weight (200-250 lbs)

• Developed in Southern England.

• Dorset Horn - to U.S. in 1885.

• Mutation at N.C.S.U in 1948 created Polled

strain.

• Excellent milkers.

• Excellent mothering ability.

• Excellent commercial ewe base.

Cheviot

• Mature body weight:

• Ram 160-200 lb.

• Ewe 120-160 lb.

• Developed in Hill Country between Scotland

and England.

• Small frame size.

• Highly adaptable.

• Excellent lamb vigor.

• Produce valuable small carcasses.

Texel

• Mature body weight (~200 lbs)

• Developed in Netherlands

• Introduced into U.S. in 1990

• Hardy, adaptable, medium sized

• High muscle-bone (lean-fat) ratios

• Extreme muscling

• Excellent carcass cutabilityC

Columbia

• Mature body weight (250+ lbs):

• First breed developed in the U.S. (1912)

• Dubois Research Station

• Lincoln x Rambouillet

• Large frame, heavy sheep

• Increased use as terminal sires to

increase the frame size in commercial

blends

• Heavy, medium fleece

• Pink nose, white hooves

Targhee

• Moderate wool cross (225 lbs)

• US Breed Developed in 1926

• Association in 1952, Mont. St. Univ.

• Named after the forest near Dubois

• Designed ¾ fine fleece, ¼ long wool

Montadale

• Mature body weight:

• Ram 200-275 lb.

• Ewe 160-180 lb.

• Developed in U.S.

• Cheviot X Columbia crosses.

• Found in many midwest farm flock states.

• White head and legs, white wool.

• Black nostrils and hooves.

• Produce excellent lean carcasses.

• Good maternal traits.

Polypay

• “Dream Breed” from US Exp.

Station

• 1960s, registration 1980s

• Combo of:

• Finn for prolificacy

• Rambouillet for wool fineness

• Dorset for long breeding season,

carcass

• Targhee for frame size

• Wool quality, mothering, growth

Club Lamb Industry

• Influenced by Suffolk,

Hampshire, Dorset, &

Southdown

• Lucrative industry

• Expensive: some rams can

sell for >$100,000

• Follow a trend

• Terminal production

How to Choose?

• Terminal Production:

• Emphasis: growth, feed efficiency, carcass, lamb livability.

• Reproduction:

• Emphasis: prolificacy, weaning weight, milk production, out-of-season lambing.

• Environment:

• Rangeland, wet grassland, Southern heat

• Fleece production:

• Fleece micron (smaller, the higher quality)

• Milk production (minor)