Breeds of Sheep
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Transcript Breeds of Sheep
Breeds of Sheep
Methods to Classify Sheep…
The most common
way to classify
sheep in the United
States is by the
type of wool
produced. There
are over 40 breeds
of sheep in the US
today
Fine Wool
Medium
Wool
Cross
Wool
Merino
Cheviot
Columbia
Rambouillet
Dorset
Polypay
Finnsheep
Hampshire
Southdown
__________
Suffolk
Sheep Body Parts
MEAT BREEDS
These breeds of sheep are produced
for their carcasses. Their wool is not
very valuable, therefore they are
selected for mainly carcasses. Usually
the Medium Wool breeds.
Accounts for about 15% of the
world’s sheep population
Cheviot
Originated in
Scotland
Resistant to cold,
windy conditions
White, wool free
faces
Long wool type
Wool has a helical
crimp
Tend to be resistant
to worms and
footrot
Dorset
Originated in Europe
Medium-sized breed
with high quality,
white wool
Most popular whitefaced breed in the
United States
Horned and polled
varieties exist
Hampshire
Originated in
Hampshire,
England
Black face and legs
Mild demeanor
Unbroken wool cap
should extend from
the neck over the
forehead
Southdown
Developed in England
one of the oldest sheep
breeds
Medium to small sized
with light brown face and
legs
Farm flock breed used to
produce meaty, light
weight carcass
Low maintenance breed
with average prolificacy
and milk production
Suffolk
Originated in England,
very old breed used as a
sire breed in commercial
production
Most popular breed in
the US today
Produce large amounts
of meat, heavy milking
but poor fleece
Grow fast, produce lean
muscular carcasses
White with black faces
and legs, free of wool
on legs and head
Account for more than 50% of
the world’s sheep
Merino
Originated in
Australia
Very fine fleece,
produce 20 lbs. of
wool a year.
White-faced
High quality wool
used in the textile
industry
Most dominant breed
in the sheep industry
Rambouillet
Originated in Spain
#1 range ewe’s in
Texas
Dual-purpose breed,
fine fleece also
acceptable growth
and carcass traits
White in color
Columbia
1st breed developed in
U.S. in 1912
Lincoln x Rambouillet
crossesDual-Purpose,
Produce medium wool
and large amounts of
meat
Produce 10-16 lbs. of
3/8 blood wool.
(coarser than
Rambouillet)
Developed to thrive on
Western ranges
White faced, polled
breed
One of the largestsized breeds in US.
Targhee
Developed in 1926 at
the U.S. Sheep
Experiment Station in
Dubois, Idaho
Planned breed,
developed for range
use in West
White-faced, polled
breed of intermediate
size
Fleeces are mid-way
between Rambouillets
and Columbias in
fineness
Polypay
Developed by U.S.
Experiment Station
Five goals of Polypay
1. High lifetime
prolificacy
2. Good lamb crop at 1
yr.
3. Ability to lamb more
than once a year
4. Good growth rate of
lambs
5. Good carcass quality
Lincoln
Originated in England,
heavy fleeced.
Imported 1825
Heaviest breed in the
world, rams weight
250-350 lbs. ewes,
225-250 lbs.
White faced and
polled, face, legs and
ears covered in wool
Pronounced forelock
between the ears
About 10% of the world’s sheep
population.
Dorper
The Dorper breed was
developed out of necessity
Dorset Horn rams crossed
with Blackhead Persian ewes
The Dorper has a white body
with a black head, while the
White Dorper is all
white. Otherwise two types
are identical but considered
separate breeds
Typically hornless
Mature male wight 230 lbs,
female180-210 lbs.
References:
Sheep 101 (website)
Sheep 201 (website)
American Sheep Industry Assoc
http://www.sheepusa.org/Meat_Breeds