Sheep Flashcards
1
Q
Ewe breeds
A
-white-faced
-fine or medium wool, long wool or crosses of these types
-reproductive efficiency (can breed out of season and give birth to twins and triplets)
-wool production
-size
-milking ability
-longevity
“maternal breeds”
2
Q
Breeds of ewe breeds
A
-finnsheep
-rambouillet
-merino
3
Q
Ram breeds
A
-meat-type breeds
-raised primarily to produce rams that can cross with ewes of the ewe breed category
-growth rate
-carcass characteristics (better AGD and FE)
-“terminal breeds”
-usually black face
4
Q
Breeds of ram breeds
A
-Dorper
-Hampshire
-Suffolk
-Southdowns
5
Q
Dual-purpose breed
A
-used as either ewe or ram breeds
-have both qualities but don’t excel in either
-usually white face
6
Q
Breeds of dual-purpose breeds
A
-Dorset
-Columbia
-Corriedale
7
Q
How often do wool breeds need to be shorn?
A
annually
8
Q
How often do hair breeds shed their coats?
A
annually
9
Q
Fine wool sheep
A
-wool with the smallest fiber diameter
-short in length
-most lanolin
-most valuable (highest quality garments and most versatility)
-least likely to itch
10
Q
Lanolin
A
waxy substance
-the more lanolin = the higher quality wool
11
Q
Fine wool sheep breeds
A
-merino
-rambouillet
12
Q
Long wool sheep
A
-long and coarse wool
-large fiber diameter
-long staple length
13
Q
Long wool sheep breeds
A
-Ramney
-Cotswold
-Border leicester
14
Q
Medium wool sheep
A
-intermediate between fine and long wool
-most meat-type breeds
15
Q
Medium wool breeds
A
-dorset
-suffolk
-southdown
16
Q
Hair sheep
A
-do not require shearing
-more heat tolerant
-more hair fibers than wool fibers
-some have parasite resistance
17
Q
Hair sheep breeds
A
-katandin
-st. croix
18
Q
Farm flocks
A
-10-100 ewes
-purebred or commercial producers
-woven wire or electric fencing for pastures
-good pastures are essential
-open sheds for housing or feeding wintering ewe lambs, pregnant ewes, and rams
-lambing jugs
19
Q
Where are farm flocks found?
A
-Great Plains
-Great Lakes
-Midwestern
-New England
-Southeastern states
20
Q
Lambing jugs
A
-small 4x5 ft pens
-holding space for ewes and lambs until they are strong enough to go back into the herd
-newborn lambs need an enclosed heated room when the weather is cold
21
Q
Range flocks
A
-1,000+ head
-wintered at low elevations where little precipitation occurs
-fed low quality forages in the winter
-brought to wintering area around November 1st
-Rams are turned out with ewes for breeding in December
-pregnant ewes are shorn in April and then moved to the spring-fall range
-lambing occurs on the spring-fall range
-shortly after lambing they are moved to the summer range
-once weaning has happened ewes move back to the spring-fall range
22
Q
Where are range flocks found?
A
-the 11 western range states
-in arid and semiarid climates
23
Q
When are range flocks lambs weaned?
A
mid-September to October
24
Q
What breeds can be bred out of season?
A
-ewe breeds
-dual breeds
25
When are sheep bred out of season?
breed in spring, lamb in the fall
26
Short-day breeders
as melatonin levels increase due to decreasing daylight, ewes will exhibit estrus
27
What season are ewes naturally ready to breed?
fall
28
Long-breeding season ewes
-heat cycles from mid-to-late summer until midwinter
-Jul - Feb
29
Intermediate breeding season
-cycling starts in late August or early September until midwinter
ex.)suffolk, hampshire, columbia
30
Short breeding season ewes
-start cycling early fall and discontinue cycling at the end of the fall
-late Sep. to early Dec.
ex.)cheviot, southdown, shropshire
31
Less seasonal breeds
-breed almost year-round
-extended breeding season
ex.) dorset, rambouillet, merino, finnsheep, and hair sheep
32
When do lambs reach puberty?
6-12 months
33
Average estrous cycle
18 days
34
Average estrus
30 hours
35
Signs of estrus
-less pronounced than in other livestock
-often don't know an ewe is in heat until a ram is present
-seek out the ram and stand to be mounted
36
What is the most common type of mating?
pasture mating (A.I. is rare in sheep)
37
Marking harness
harness on the brisket of the ram that marks the ewes when the ram mounts them
-color should be changed every 16-17 days
38
How many ewes can mature rams breed in a breeding season?
35 ewes
39
Gestation length
147 days
40
When should ewes be shorn?
1-4 weeks before lambing
41
Why shorn ewes before lambing?
-require less space
-barn remains drier
-lambs can nurse easier
-ewes will not expose their lambs to unfavorable weather conditions
42
Face shearing
removing the wool from around the face
43
Tagged shearing
remove wool from the rear (dung-wool = wool with fecal material in it)
44
Crutch shearing
remove wool around udder and teats
45
What % crop is twins?
200% lamb crop (what is desired)
46
When will a lamb be up nursing after birth?
within half an hour to an hour
47
When should docking and castration be performed?
2-5 days after birth and at the same time
48
What age should lambs be docked by?
2 weeks (but usually within the first 3 days)
49
Why dock lambs?
-stay cleaner
-less likely to have fly strike
-avoid problems with breeding and lambing
-buyers pay less for long-tail sheep
50
Where should tails be removed?
end of the caudal folds on the underside of the tail 1 inch from the body
-if docked too short they are more at risk for rectal prolapse
-little bleeding should occur
51
Emasculator
-crushing and cutting mechanism
-crushes and seals off the blood vessels on the tail
-cuts off the tail right after crushing it
-apply 7% iodine solution to the dock
52
Emasculatome
-two blunt ends that pinch the tail to reduce bleeding
-knife is used to cut off the long end of the tail inside the burdizzo
-apply 7% iodine solution to the dock
53
Elastrator
-bloodless method
-rubber ring shuts off circulation to the tail
-causes it to slough off in 1-2 weeks
-fly strike can be a problem so some producers cut off the tail below the band after 2-3 days to speed up the process
54
Other docking methods
-hot irons
-all in one pliers
-pruning shears
-knife docking - no circulation cut-off so is usually a bloody process
55
When should castration occur by?
6 weeks old
56
Knife castration
-bottom 1/3 of the scrotum is cut off with a knife
-pull the testicle until the cord breaks and do this for both testicles
-by letting the spermaticord break it clots itself so no bleeding occurs
57
Elastrator for castration
-band is placed around the neck of the scrotum just below the teats
-scrotum can be removed below the elastrator band after a few days
58
Emasculatome for castration
-used on larger, older lambs
-destroys the spermatic cord so that it cannot transport sperm
-testicles will atrophy and shrink in size from reduced blood supply
59
Why do we castrate?
testosterone taints the meat
60
Ear tag identification
-most common
-easily removed or caught on something
61
Tattoo identification
-permanent
-inside the ear or inside the rear flank
-wait to tattoo until lamb is 6 months old
62
Soremouth
-highly contagious
-causes pustules to erupt around lips and nostrils (eventually form scabs)
-scabs can form on ears, feet, and udders
-scabs fall off after 1-4 weeks
-causes pustules anywhere without wool
-not fatal but decreases production
-can vaccinate
63
How is soremouth spread?
-nursing lambs can spread to the teats and udders of their dams (possibly causing mastitis to develop)
-spread via infected fomites and other sheep
-is zoonotic (orf in humans)
-can survive for years outside the sheep
64
Urinary calculi
-metabolic disease of male sheep
-occurs when calculi (made up of phosphate salts) lodge in the urinary tract and prevent urination
-mainly in males being fed high grain, low roughage diets
-diet is improperly balanced for calcium and phosphorus
-lack of water
65
Urinary calculi symptoms
-urine dribbling
-humped-up appearance
-kicking at the belly
-straining to urinate
66
Urinary calculi treatment
-add ammonium chloride to diets at a 0.5% level to help acidify urine and prevent calculi formation
-can do surgery (clip the tip of the urethra off)
-will euthanize eventually
67
Footrot
-caused by the interaction of Bacteroides nodosus (survive in the hoof for extended periods) and Fusobacterium Necrophorum (normally found in soil and manure)
-most prevalent and highly contagious in wet, moist areas
-causes production losses, treatment and prevention costs, premature culling, and reduced sale value
-very contagious
68
Footrot symptoms
-lameness
-reduced weight gain
-decreased milk and wool production
-decreased reproductive capabilities
-lying down for extended periods of time (rubbing off wool/hair on their flanks, brisket, and knees)
69
Footrot prevention
-properly shaping hoof
-trimming hooves at least twice a year (before breeding and in the spring when shearing)
-trim hooves more frequently in wet environments
-vaccine (60-80% success rate)
-foot bath (10% zinc sulfate solution or copper sulfate)
70
Lamb teeth
-8 temporary incisors that erupt ~2 months old and remain until 12 months old
-usually born without teeth
71
Yearling teeth
~12 months of age
-two center larger wider permanent teeth
-6 temporary incisors (3 on either side)
72
2 year old teeth
-second pair of permanent incisors comes in
-4 temporary incisors (2 on either side)
-4 permanent incisors
73
3 year old teeth
-third pair of permanent incisors comes in
-2 temporary incisors (1 on either side)
-6 permanent incisors
74
4 year old teeth
-all 8 permanent incisors
-full mouth
75
Beyond 4 year old teeth
-teeth appear longer due to receding gums
-greater space between teeth
-exact age cannot be determined
76
Broken mouth
7-8 years old
-some teeth may be lost
77
Short mouth
-teeth worn down from grazing in sandy areas
-can occur anytime after a sheep is 4 years old
78
In August:
-trim hooves
-vaccinate, deworm
-flush ewes (2-3 weeks prior to breeding)
-can sell for nontraditional markets
79
In September to October
-turn out rams (34-51 days)
-change color on marking harness (every 15-16 days)
-in hot weather turn rams out at night
-can sell for nontraditional markets
80
In November to December
-feed low quality roughages and marginal feedstuffs
-vaccinate/deworm
-check BCS (1-5)
81
In January
-increase nutrition
-trim hooves
-shear/crutch/tag/face
-vaccinate
-prepare lambing area
-can sell for traditional markets
82
At how old and what weight can lambs be sold for traditional markets?
120-160 lbs.
8-14 months
83
In February to March
-lambing
-dock/castrate
-vaccinate
-creep feed
84
In April to July
-wean off lambs (60 days old)
-cull ewes (poor performers removed from herd)
-deworm
-shear/trim hooves
-wean lambs
-sell for nontraditional markets
85
At what age and weight are lambs sold for nontraditional markets?
50-90 lbs.
3-7 months
86
Border cheviot color pattern
white wool, white face, with black nostrils and hooves
87
Border cheviot physical description
bare legs and head, small frame, erect ears, polled
88
Border cheviot wool type
medium
89
Border cheviot purpose
meat
90
Border cheviot country of origin
England/Scotland
91
Border cheviot is known for:
hardiness with desirable lightweight carcasses
92
Columbia color pattern
white wool, face, legs, and hooves with pink pigmentation
93
Columbia physical description
large frame, wool on legs and wool cap, pendulous ears, polled
94
Columbia wool type
medium
95
Columbia purpose
dual
96
Columbia country of origin
United States
97
Columbia country of origin
United States
98
Columbia is known for:
tallest sheep breed
99
Corriedale color pattern
white wool, legs, and head with black hooves and nostrils
100
Corriedale physical description
medium frame, wool on legs and wool cap, polled
101
Corriedale wool type
medium
102
Corriedale purpose
dual
103
Corriedale country of origin
Australia/New Zealand
104
Corriedale is known for:
meat and wool production
105
Dorper color pattern
Black dorper: black head with a white body and white hooves
White dorper: white head with a white body, white hooves, and pink pigmentation
106
Dorper physical description
short stature, bare legs and head, polled
107
Dorper wool type
hair
108
Dorper purpose
meat
109
Dorper country of origin
South Africa
110
Dorper is known for:
shedding of wool and heavy muscled
-ranked 1st in registration in the US
111
Dorset color pattern
white wool, head, legs, and hooves with pink pigmentation
112
Dorset physical description
medium stature, wool on legs and wool cap, short ears, horned or polled
113
Dorset wool type
medium
114
Dorset purpose
meat
115
Dorset country of origin
Horned: England
Polled: United States
116
Dorset is known for:
out of season breeding
117
Finnsheep color pattern
white wool, head, legs, and hooves with pink pigmentation
118
Finnsheep physical description
fine boned, bare legs and head, polled
119
Finnsheep wool type
long
120
Finnsheep purpose
dual
121
Finnsheep country of origin
Finland
122
Finnsheep are known for:
most prolific (typical lamb crop is 3-4 lambs)
123
Hampshire color pattern
white wool, black head and legs with black nostrils and hooves
124
Hampshire physical description
large frame, stout figured, wool on legs and wool cap, polled
125
Hampshire wool type
medium
126
Hampshire purpose
meat
127
Hampshire country of origin
England
128
Hampshire is known for:
terminal sires and carcass yields
129
Katahdin color pattern
any color or color combinations
130
Katahdin physical description
medium size, coarse outer hair fibers and an undercoat of fine wooly fibers, bare legs and head, polled
131
Katahdin wool type
hair
132
Katahdin purpose
meat
133
Katahdin country of origin
United States
134
Katahdin is known for:
hair and parasite resistance
135
Merino color pattern
white wool, head, legs, and hooves with pink pigmentation
136
Merino physical description
horned, wrinkled or smooth skin, wool on legs and wool cap
137
Merino wool type
fine
138
Merino purpose
wool
139
Merino country of origin
Spain
140
Merino is known for:
high quality and fine wool
141
Montadale color pattern
white wool with black nostrils and hooves
142
Montadale physical description
large frame, fine boned, bare legs and head, polled
143
Montadale wool type
medium
144
Montadale purpose
meat
145
Montadale country of origin
United States
146
Montadal is known for:
combination breed
147
Polypay color pattern
white wool, face, legs, and hooves with pink pigmentation
148
Polypay physical description
medium sized, bare legs and head, polled
149
Polypay wool type
medium
150
Polypay purpose
dual
151
Polypay country of origin
United States
152
Polypay is known for:
prolific and extended breeding season
153
Rambouillet color pattern
white body, head, and legs with pink pigmentation
154
Rambouillet physical description
large from, rugged, wool on legs and wool cap, horned or polled
155
Rambouillet wool type
fine
156
Rambouillet purpose
dual
157
Rambouillet country of origin
France
158
Rambouillet is known for:
high quality wool
159
Shropshire color pattern
white wool
160
Shropshire physical description
medium to large stature, wool on legs and wool cap, polled
161
Shropshire wool type
medium
162
Shropshire purpose
meat
163
Shropshire country of origin
England
164
Shropshire is known for:
terminal sires
165
Southdown color pattern
white wool, face and legs grey to mouse brown, black hooves and nostrils
166
Southdown physical description
small to medium sized, short ears, wool on legs and wool cap, polled
167
Southdown wool type
medium
168
Southdown purpose
meat
169
Southdown country of origin
England
170
Southdown is known for:
meaty lambs that are early maturing
171
Suffolk color pattern
white wool with black head and legs
172
Suffolk physical description
large stature, bare legs and head, roman nose, long pendulous ears, polled
173
Suffolk wool type
medium
174
Suffolk purpose
meat
175
Suffolk country of origin
England
176
Suffolk is known for:
fast growing lambs and well-muscled carcasses
177
Texel color pattern
white wool legs and face, with black hooves and nostrils
178
Texel physical description
small framed, stout, extremely muscled, bare legs and head, polled
179
Texel wool type
medium
180
Texel purpose
meat
181
Texel country of origin
Netherlands
182
Texel is known for:
muscle development and some parasite resistance
183
Tunis color pattern
white wool, solid tan to cinnamon red color head and legs, lambs are born solid red
184
Tunis physical description
medium sized, bare head and legs, polled
185
Tunis wool type
medium
186
Tunis purpose
meat
187
Tunis country of origin
United States
188
Tunis is known for:
red color
