breeds of sheep and goats intro to agriculture mr. graf
TRANSCRIPT
Breeds of Sheep and Goats
Intro to Agriculture
Mr. Graf
Background Information Sheep and Goats in Texas
Majority of goats are raised under extensive conditions
Number of goats in Texas is increasing at the rate of 9% each year
90% of the mohair produced in the United States is produced in Texas
Sheep and Goats in Texas
There were over 1,050,000 head of sheep and lambs in Texas in 2002.
Sheep and Goats are an excellent complement to beef cattle enterprises Sheep and Cattle each use a different
proportion of grass, forbes, and browse
Sheep Production Systems
Majority are raised under extensive conditions
Guard Dogs are common to protect against predators Ex: Great Pyrenees
Southwestern Range Operations
Utilize fine-wool Rambouillet ewe is used
Producers strive to produce high quality fine-wool fleeces, fast growing lambs, and high lamb crop percentages
Very little supplemental feed is offered
Southwestern Range Operations
Factors influencing profitability
Amount of rainfall Predators Price of lamb and wool
Northwestern Range Operation
Similar to Southwestern Operations
Greater abundance of feed
Larger, heavier shearing ewes are utilized
Intensive Management Systems
Farm Flock Operators Common in Midwest
Operation is smaller in size
Primarily concerned with lamb production
Intensive Management Systems
Lamb Feedlot Industry
Lambs are concentrated in a small area and fed diets that vary from 30-90% concentrate (corn or milo)
Colorado is the leading lamb feeding state, followed by Texas
Goat Production Systems
Hair Production Angora goat is primary fiber producing goat in
the world
Mohair – long lustrous fiber noted for durability and brilliant color when dyed
Meat Production
There is no grading system for meat goats Greater inconsistency in palatability of the
product
Generally marketed at local market auctions in goat producing areas
Wool
Properties of Wool Water resistant Good insulation Elastic Strong Felting properties – ability of fibers to interlock
Global Production
Ranking of major wool producing and exporting countries:
1. Australia 2. New Zealand 3. South Africa 4. United States
Sheep Breeds – Fine Wools
Merino (Spain) Most dominant breed in the worldwide sheep
industry
Typically smaller than other wool breeds
Excellent flocking instinct
White faced breed with very fine fleece
Merino
Fine Wools
Rambouillet (France) Able to survive under poor conditions
Dominant range ewe in western U.S. and Texas
White – faced breed that is not extremely prolific under range conditions
Rambouillet
Crossbred Wool Breeds
Columbia (United States) Based on a crossbred foundation of Lincoln
Rams on Rambouillet ewes
Ewes are relatively prolific and productive Lambs are fast growing White-faced, polled breed
Columbia
Medium Wool (Meat Breeds)
Hampshire (England): Face, ears, and legs of the Hampshire are dark
brown to black Have a wool cap on the head One of the most popular sire breeds in
commercial industry
Medium Wool Breeds (meat breeds)
Dorset (England): Horned and polled strains Has ability to breed out of season Mature early sexually and compositonally White faced sheep
Medium Wool Breeds (meat breeds)
Finnsheep (Finland) Noted for incredible prolificacy ( 3+ lambs) Great maternal instincts Slow growing, light muscled
Medium Wool (meat breeds)
Southdown (England) Smallest of Medium wool breeds Imported into U.S. in 1803 Light brown face and legs Farm flock breed used to produce meaty light-
weight carcasses
Medium Wool (meat breeds)
Suffolk (England): Used as sire breed in commercial production Black head and legs Free of wool on the head and legs Lean muscular carcass Produce very poor fleeces
Long Wool Breeds
Lincoln (England) Large, coarse, slow maturing, heavy fleeced Heaviest breed in the world Face, ears, and legs are covered with wool White-faced and polled