WEEK 11: Sheep & Goats

Question 1

Goat Scientific Name

Answer 1

Capra hircus

(Order: Artiodactyla)

Question 2

Sheep Scientific Name

Answer 2

Ovis aries

(Order: Artiodactyla)

Question 3

Ovis Genus Terminology

Answer 3

Rams, ewes, lambing

ram lamb, ewe lamb

Castrated male - wether

Question 4

Capra Genus Terminology

Answer 4

Bucks, does, kidding

buck kid, doe kid

Castrated male- wether (again)

Question 5

T/F The sheep industry in the US has declined

Answer 5

TRUE.
0.4% of US Farm revenue is from sheep products. Damn.

Question 6

What kind of products do we get from sheep and goats?

Answer 6

Sheep meat (mutton or lamb)

Goat meat (chevon)

Milk

Fiber (wool, mohair, cashmere)

Question 7

What are the three main types of enterprises in the goat industry?

Answer 7

• Dairy goats
• Fiber-producing goats
• Goats produced for meat

Question 8

T/F
Goats were the fastest growing livestock enterprise in the US from 2002-2007

Answer 8

TRUE
* From 2002 to 2007, the production of meat goats increased 58%
across the United States

Question 9

Why did the goat industry grow so much during the early 2000s?

Answer 9

• Importation of better goat breeds
• Increase in the U.S. population of people who eat goat meat

Question 10

What condition decides if sheep will be used primarily for meat or wool production?

Answer 10

Forage conditions.

Good forage conditions - meat priority

Poor forage conditions - wool becomes more profitable

Question 11

T/F Sheep and goats make better use of forage resources when
used in conjunction with cattle

Answer 11

TRUE

Question 12

Historical Perspective 1

Answer 12

• Sheep are considered the first food-producing animals to be
  domesticated

1400s- Columbus brought sheep/goats to West Indies
1500s- Cortez brought sheep/goats to Mexico
1600s- English brought sheep to East Coast

Question 13

T/F In the early colonial era sheep were especially important for Wool production

Answer 13

True

Question 14

T/F The first annual USDA goat survey in the US was run in 2005

Answer 14

True

Question 15

Goat Historical Perspective

Answer 15

> Always used in small numbers for milk/meat
Angora goats became useful fiber producers later on

Question 16

Has the sheep inventory been increasing or decreasing since the 1940s?

Answer 16

Decreasing.

NOTE: Goat inventory has been steady since we started counting in 2005,

Question 17

What is the dominant product from the sheep and goat industries?

Answer 17

Meat.

In the goat industry, it’s not even close - meat outclasses milk and angora fiber by a long shot

Question 18

There are two main categories of sheep operations. What are they?

Answer 18

Range production and Farm Flock production

Question 19

What type of sheep operation has 500+ breeding ewes?

Answer 19

Range operations

NOTE: Range operations are ab 1% of US sheep product producers. Contain 44% of the nation’s ewes though

Also produce most of the lamb and wool in the US

Question 20

What type of sheep operation has fewer than 100 breeding ewes?

Answer 20

Farm flock operations

NOTE: Farm flocks make up about 94% of US sheep operations. Contain 36% of the nation’s ewes

Question 21

What are the two types of Range Operations w sheep?

Answer 21

1. Migratory Range Production
   >Mountainous states - Sheep stay at low elevations in winter and move to higher elevations in summer
2. Fenced Range Production
   >Texas and SW states

Question 22

Farm Flock Facts

Answer 22

• Usually less than 500 head of breeding ewes; average 30 to 40 head
• Can be found in any geographic location
• Historically in the Midwestern and eastern areas of US
• Very diverse and often have differing production goals
• Commercial farm flock operations primarily produce meat lambs

Question 23

What is karakul?

Answer 23

Specialized sheep breed with cool pelts

Question 24

What is the average live weight of lambs harvested in the US?

Answer 24

130-140 lbs

Question 25

How many major lamb processing facilities are there in the US?

Answer 25

5-6 facilities harvest n process most lambs

Question 26

T/F A significant number of lambs and kids are harvested at small state-inspected facilities or on farms

Answer 26

True

Question 27

Where are most of the larger meat goat operations located?

Answer 27

Texas

Question 28

T/F The structure of the sheep and goat industries is very similar

Answer 28

True

Question 29

T/F There are large goat processing facilities in the southern border states

Answer 29

False. There are NO large goat processing facilities.

Question 30

How much do goat kids weigh when harvested?

Answer 30

Live weight 40-60lbs

Question 31

T/F farm flock states produce ab 1/3 of US sheep and wool

Answer 31

True

NOTE: Texas is sheep king

Question 32

T/F Our genetics and breeding programs for goats are as developed as they are for other livestock species

Answer 32

False.

• Knowledge about genetics and breeding for goats is in a very
  rudimentary state compared to traditional livestock species
• Historically very little selection pressure on goats

Question 33

4 Characteristics used in Classifications of Sheep Breeds

Answer 33

1. Wool type
2. Face Color
3. Breed in their background
4. Geographic background

Question 34

5 Types of Sheep Breeds (Commercial Classifications)

Answer 34

1. All-Purpose breeds
   >meat and wool producers, adapted to diverse environments
2. Sire (ram) breeds - growth/meat
3. Dam (ewe) breeds - mothering ability/wool quality
4. Hair breeds
   >Hot climates, hardier
5. Dairy breeds

Question 35

4 Goat Breed Types

Answer 35

Dairy,Meat, Dual-Purpose, Fiber

Question 36

T/F Goats and Sheep are seasonally polyestrous - Short-day breeders

Answer 36

True

Question 37

Sheep and Goat Diseases

Answer 37

• Gastrointestinal parasitism
• Contagious ecthyma
• Caseous lymphadenitis
• Pregnancy toxemia
• Scrapie