Ag science chp 28 sheep breeds and production

Name two different sheep enterprises

1- mountain and Hill

2- Lowland

Describe mountain and Hill farming

• extensive farming

• Low production targets

• Ewes generally only have one lamb

• Rough grazing

• Ewes+ lamb mortality rates can be high sheep breeds suit to exposed conditions (hardy+ resilient)

  Eg; blackface mountain, Wicklow Cheviot

Describe lowland farming

• Intensive farming

• High production targets

• More ewes give birth to twins and triplets

• Rotational grazing

• Lamming indoors reduces ewe and lamb motility large muscular sheep used to produce meat

  Eg; Suffolk, texel, Galway, Charollais

What type of mountain and hill breed is this and give charachteristics

• Black face mountain

• Hardy breed, long wool, small, good mothering ability but small litter sizes, greater threat from predators

• Horns, good milk production, black face

What type of mountain and hill breed is this and give charachteristics

• Wicklow Cheviot

• Hardy breed, long wool, small, good mothering ability but small litter sizes, greater threat from predators

• White face, medium size, upright ears

What type of lowland sheep breed is this and give characteristics

• border Leicester

• Prolificy and lambs for slaughter, fast growth rates, good meat, good carcase quality, larger litters, short wool and rotational grazing systems

• Long wool, white, upright ears known for its prolificy

What type of lowland sheep breed is this and give characteristics

• Border Leicester

• Prolificy and lambs for slaughter, fast growth rates, good meat, good carcase quality, larger litters, short wool and rotational grazing systems

• Large, white head, slight Roman nose, often used in cross breathing as maternal sires

What type of terminal size for meat production is this and give characteristics?

• suffolk

• Black face, no horns, black legs, ideal terminal sire for lambs for Easter

What type of terminal size for meat production is this and give characteristics?

• texel

• Wide white face, short ears, lacks wool on its head and legs, terminal sire for mid season lambs

What type of terminal size for meat production is this and give characteristics?

• charollais

• Medium sized, heavy, long loin, muscular hindquarters

What type of terminal size for meat production is this and give characteristics?

• beltex

• Combo of Belgium and Texel, high kill out percentage (good meat) very muscular

What type of Irish sheep breed is this and give characteristics

• Galway

• Only native sheep breed,polled lowland sheep, good growth rate crossed with Suffolk, crossing Galway ewes with the finish landrace known for its extremely high prolificy

What type of Irish sheep breed is this and give characteristics

• belclare

• Resulting breed was called Belclare improver, better prolificy in comparison to the Galway. They produce twin lambs and have little lambing difficulties.