Post on 03-Jan-2016
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 BREEDSThese 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 white-faced 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
Polypay Developed by U.S.
Experiment Station Five goals of Polypay1. High lifetime
prolificacy2. Good lamb crop at 1
yr.3. Ability to lamb more
than once a year4. Good growth rate of
lambs5. Good carcass quality
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
Developed by the US Department of Ag
Dual-Purpose, Big 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
Targhee 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
Lincoln Originated in England,
heavy fleeced 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 weight 230 lbs,
female180-210 lbs.