CH 30: Sheep and Goat Breeds and Breeding

ADS 1113

Sheep breed categories

wool type or breeding types

Wool Types

fine, medium, long, colored wool, or hair

Breeding Types

ewe, ram, dual-purpose

Ewe breeds

usually white-faced

• good mothers

Ram breeds

meat, usually black faced

• black = low quality wool

Dual-purpose

ewe or ram breeds

True or False: not all sheep have wool

True

Purebred breeders

goal is to make genetic progress in economically important traits, sell rams to commercial producers (what we use for breeding)

Economic traits

• Reproductive (know it is the most important economic trait)

• Growth traits

• Wool and fiber yield and quality

• Carcass characteristics

90-day weight

common adjusted calculation in sheep

Sheep reproduction

tend to be very prolific (have lots of babies)

Goats cycle at ____ intervals

21-day

Goats gestation is _____

150 days

What is the best outcome of cross breeding sheep?

strength of baby when born

Tagging

(or crutching) removing wool around tail and v u l v a to assist with breeding

• needed from heavy wool