Small Ruminants

what does small ruminants include

sheep and goats

what are the top 5 countries that consume the most sheep and goat consumption per capita? does the US consume a lot?

1. mongolia

2. turkmenistan

3. new zealand

4. iceland

5. kuwait

no not at all; the US only consumed about 1 lb per capita

why might certain countries consume more sheep and goat vs. beef?

storage is easier because of the smaller carcass meaning that for smaller families or families without freezers, it is easier to consume and use all the meat

ewe/lamb

young female sheep

ram/lamb

young intact male sheep

wether

young castrated male sheep

ewe

mature female sheep

ram

mature intact male sheep

stag

mature castrated male sheep

what are the three main sheep products?

• meat

• wool

• milk/cheese

how much does lamb/mutton typically cost per pound

$0.65-1.00

what are hot house lambs

• 2-4 months old

• born in late fall/early winter and raised indoors

• sent to market during January-March mainly for spring religious holidays

• 40-50 lbs of weight

when are feeder lambs (feedlot or farm) weaned

• farm flocks are weaned at 8 weeks

• range flocks are weaned at 6 weeks

when is wool shorn

in spring

how much wool do wool breeds vs. meat breads yield

• wool breeds: 12-15 lbs

• meat breeds: 5-8 lbs

give a brief overview of lanolin

• a yellow waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of sheep used to waterproof themselves

• can be used by humans for waterproofing and its waxy qualities (makeup)

• provides supplemental income to sheep farmers

what are two ways that we describe wool

• crimp: number of waves per inch; wave size

• fineness: diameter of the fibers

what is merino wool

very fine wool at 19 microns

what is romney wool

a coarse wool at 35 microns

has the sheep industry been increasing or declining? why?

declining

• less people prefer the meat

• acrylic yarn rising in popularity

what are sheeps most often devastated/lost by in the USA (6)

• coyotes

• respiratory/digestive disease

• lambing

• weather

• wild dogs

• mountain lions, cougars, pumas

how are sheep breeds classified (3)

• purpose or use

• face color

• fiber type

what are the three wool breeds of sheep? what are their characteristics?

• Romney: coarse wool

• Merino: fine wool

• Rambouillet: fine wool

in wool breed sales, what is the relationship between wool sales and lamb sales

• wool sales: 30-35% of income

• lamb sales: 65-70% of income

what are the main meat breeds of sheep (5)

• hampshire

• suffolk

• dorset

• shropshire

• southdown

in meat breed sales what is the relationship between wool sales and lamb sales

• lamb sales: 85-90% of income

• wool sales: 10-15% of sales

what are dual purpose sheep breeds known for?

high quality wool and meat

what are the three most common dual purpose breeds of sheep

• targhee

• corriedale

• polypay

what is a polypay sheep

a 4 breed cross between a TargheexDorset and RombouilletxFinnsheep

sheeo operations contain one of two flocks what are they?

range flocks or farm flocks

what do purebred sheep operations deal with

• mating individuals of one breed

• breeding stock for commercial flocks

what do commercial sheep operations deal with

• crossbreeding for heterozygotes

• produce market lambs

what do commercial sheep operations typically use in breeding? why?

three or four rotational crossbreeding programs; maximize heterosis

heterosis

superiority of crossbred offspring

what are the main commercial ewe breeds (4)

• dorset

• rambouillet

• columbia

• corriedale

what are the main characteristics of commercial ewes (5)

• prolific

• high milk production

• fine wool

• good maternal instincts

• tend to have white faces

what are the main commercial ram breeds (4)

• suffolk

• hampshire

• shropshire

• southdown

what are the characteristics of commercial ram breeds (3)

• fast growing

• selected meat quality

• tend to have black faces

at what age do sheep reach puberty? what age are they bred to lamb? what breed is a but slower at reaching puberty?

• 5-6 months

• 1 year

• dorsets: 4-10 months

how long is the sheep estrous cycle

14-17 days

how long are ewes receptive to rams

30 hours

how long is sheep gestation

~150 days

the sheep estrous cycle is _

photoperiod dependent; influenced by the length of daylight and darkness

what is the preferable lambing time cycle

• a good ewe: 3 lambing in 2 years

• best ewes: 3 lambing in 1.75 years

• aim for a 7.5 month interval

what is the ideal lamb crop? what does this mean?

200% — twins!

how is the percent of lambing determined

liveborn lambs/ewes

weaned lambs/ewes

in terms of digestion sheep are _

ruminants

the _ in sheep is underdeveloped at birth meaning

• rumen

• solid feed intake of creep feed and high quality hay must be fed

doe kid

young female goat

buck kid

young intact male goat

wether

young or mature castrated male goat

doe/nannie

mature female goat

buck/billy

intact mature male goat

kid

baby goat of either sex

what are the dairy goat breeds (5)

• saanen

• alpine

• toggenburgs

• la mancha

• nubian

saanen and alpine breeds share the same favorable characteristics; what are they (4)

• highest milk production — 956 kg/lactation

• average milk fat is 3.5%

• produce large kids at birth

• leggy post weaning — less desirable for meat production

toggenburgs and la mancha breeds share the same favorable characteristics; what are they (3)

• average milk production 920 and 815 kg/lactation

• produce small kids at birth

• carcasses are flesshier when older so they are also used for meat

what are the traits of nubian goats (3)

• dual purpose goats

• lowest milk producer 800 kg/lactation

• highest milk fat at 4.6% — cheese

what is nubian goat milk often used for; or most goat milks for that matter

cheese

what are the goat meat breeds (5)

• spanish

• boer

• kiko

• tennessee meat goats

• crossbreeds

what are the characteristics of spanish goats

• primary meat producing breed in US prior to 1995

• hardy range goat; good for survival

• light to medium framed

• mature weight: 80-120 lbs

• low milk production

• slow growth rate

what are the characteristics of boer goats (4)

• south african breed

• imported into the Us in 1995 and became major meat producer

• selected for rapid growth rates

• mature weight can exceed 200 lbs

what are the characteristics of kiko goats (5)

• New Zealand breed

• derived from a cross of feral goats with Saanen and Nubian bucks

• large framed

• slower growth rates

• bred to survive with little care

what are the characteristics of tennessee meat goats (6)

• breed originated in US

• selective breeding of fainting goats

• heavy rear leg muscles

• tender meat

• high meat to bone ratio

• produce selective cuts

what are the characteristics of most goat cross breeds (4)

• improved traits

• hybrid vigor

• utilized in commercial herds

• most often boer crosses

what are the fiber breeds of goats (2)

• cashmere

• angora

what are the characteristics of angora goats (5)

• shorn 2x a year

• produce mohair

• 10-16 lbs per sheer

• mature weight: 75-125 lbs

• value: $2-5 per pound

what are the characteristics of cashmere goats (3)

• harvested by combing

• 4-6 lbs of cashmere per goat

• value: $120-190 per pound

what are goat feeding programs based on

roughage and forage utilization

forages supply nutrients more economically than _

concentrates

because goats are inquisitive curious animals _

they eat food at eye level rather than graze like sheep

explain goat nutrition

goats have relatively low requirements so good quality forage easily meets the requirements; usually 100% forage — pasture or grass hay

goats are _ breeders; meaning what

seasonal; typically short day breeders in fall or winter with some exceptions

how can you prepare a goat, or other animals, for breeding

• proper conditioning

• flushing: if an animal is lower in body conditioning the animal can be given more feed/more calorie feed to trick the ovaries into ovulating quicker 

  • Increase feed about 1 month prior to breeding 

  • Specifically used for sheep to get twins or triplets 

  • Good for small ruminants low on the body conditioning score

what are the pros and cons of having goats born in January to February

pro: kids can be ready for the easter market

con: cold weather and low forage availability

what are the pros of kids born in late spring

good weather conditions and forage availability

the US is the _ of goat meat

top importer

what country is the primary exporter of goat meat to the US

Australia

where are there typically goat farms in the US

Texas and Tennessee with principal markets in the west and northeast

what is NJ’s relation to the goat industry

• Limited number of meat goat producers 

• Large area of slaughter/production 

• Action at Hackettstown 

  • 3rd largest goat auction house in the U.S

  • NJ and NY processors