Sheep Breeds, Anatomy

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Sheep Breeds, Anatomy Evaluation
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World Sheep Breeds

• Breeds of Sheep
• 235 breeds world wide

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US Sheep Breeds
- 26 30 Breeds in US - Only 8- 10 Industry
Impact
Five Classifications

• Meat Breeds
• Ewe Breeds
• Dual Purpose Breeds
• Wool Breeds
• Hair Breeds

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Meat Breeds
Suffolk

• Developed
• Suffolk county England
• Characteristics
• Black head and legs (Free of any wool)
• Largest breed of sheep
• Rams up to 350 lbs
• Ewe up to 250 lbs
• Noted For
• Rapid growth rates, and carcass traits

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Meat Breeds
Hampshire

• Developed
• Hampshire county England
• Characteristics
• Black head and legs with wool on them
• Rams can weigh up to 325
• Ewes can weigh up to 225 lbs
• Noted For
• Fast rates of growth and excellent muscling

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Meat Breeds
Southdowns

• Developed
• Hampshire county England
• Characteristics
• Mouse colored muzzle and legs with wool on legs
• Smaller sized
• Rams can weigh up to 200
• Ewes can weigh up to 150 lbs
• Noted For
• Calm docile sheep, gained popularity due to size
  for young exhibitors

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Ewe Breed / Wool Breed
Merino

• Developed
• Spain
• Characteristics
• White points, long fleece
• Rams 220 lbs, Ewes 150 lbs
• Noted For
• Highest Quality fleece , up to 14 lbs
• Finest Fleece
• Maternal Strengths

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Ewe Breed / Wool Breed
Rambouillet

• Developed
• In France from Merino
• Characteristics
• White with long wool
• Ram 300 lbs, ewe 250 lbs
• Noted For
• Excellent mothering
• Hardiness Western Breed
• Quality wool,
• Heavy fleece up to 18 lbs

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Ewe Breeds
Finnsheep

• Developed
• Finland
• Characteristics
• Fine boned
• Small breed, Rams 175 lbs
• slow growers
• Light muscled
• Noted For
• Multiple Births
• Used best in crossbreeding

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Dual Purpose Breeds
Columbia

• Developed
• First breed developed in the US
• Univ of Wyoming
• Western Range
• Rambioullet X Lincoln (meat)
• Characteristics
• Large Sheep Rams
• Rams 300 lbs
• Ewes 225 lbs
• Noted For
• Mothering Characteristics
• Good Carcasses

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Dual Purpose Breeds
Dorset

• Developed
• England
• Characteristics
• White face horned and polled
• Smaller meatier sheep
• Rams 250 lbs, Ewes 175 lbs
• Noted For
• Breeds out of season
• Excellent mothering
• Excellent carcass
• True Dual Purpose Breed

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Dual Purpose Breeds
Polypay

• Developed
• 1960s
• Dubios, ID
• Characteristics
• White smaller ears open face
• Rams 200 lbs
• Ewes 150 lbs
• Noted For
• Prolificacy
• Lamb more than once per year
• Good growth and carcass

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Developed
Dorset English Breed
Black Headed Persian South African Breed
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Hair Breeds
Dorper

• Developed
• South Africa
• Meat breed that is heat tolerant
• Characteristics
• No wool or very little
• Medium size
• Rams 200 lbs
• Ewe 150 lbs
• Noted For
• Meat and reproductive traits
• No shearing

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Dorper
Wiltshire Horn
Katahdin
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Live Lamb Evaluation
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Live Lamb Evaluation

• Live Weight-
• 105 130 lbs Avg. 125
• Dressing -
• 44 56 Shorn lambs 54 vs Unshorn 52
• Factors
• Fill
• Finish
• Muscling
• Fleece
• Sex Rams vs Ewes vs Wethers

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Live Lamb Evaluation

• Fat Thickness -
• Range .05 - .5 Avg. .25
• Loin eye area
• Range 1.5 3.0 Avg. 2.3
• Yield Grade
• Range 1-5
• YG (Back fat 10) .4

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Live Lamb Evaluation

• Quality Grade -
• Most lambs grade Choice
• Three Factors
• Maturity
• Quality
• Conformation

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Live Lamb Evaluation

• Maturity-
• In the US most lambs are slaughtered as young
  lamb
• Determined by
• The joint at the lower end of the Cannon Bone

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Live Lamb Evaluation

• Maturity-
• In the US most lambs are slaughtered as young
  lamb
• Determined by
• The joint at the lower end of the Cannon Bone

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Live Lamb Evaluation

• Quality -
• In Beef we use marbling
• Lamb Carcasses are not ribbed
• Flank Streakings
• Intramuscular fat within the flank

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Live Lamb Evaluation

• Conformation-
• Insures carcass with adequate amounts of muscle
  meet the a grade

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Lamb Examples
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Lamb Examples
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Lamb Examples
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