Sheep Production

Original Power Point Created by Mike Bosher

Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office

June 2002

Sheep ProductionTerms for understanding

• Ram – non-castrated male sheep

• Wether – castrated male sheep

• Ewe – female Sheep

Suffolk

• Medium Wool Breed• Mainly used for meat• England• White Wool with solid

black face and legs• Large Frame

Hampshire

• Medium wool breed• Used mainly for meat• England• White wool with black

face and legs, which has patches of white wool growing on the face and legs

• Med to large frame

Southdown

• Medium wool breed• Used mainly for meat• White with a mousey

brown face and leg• England• Very small framed• Very meaty

Ramboulliet

• Finewool breed• Used for meat and

wool production• France• White with a white

face and legs• Large framed

Dorset

• Medium wool breed• Used for meat• England• White with white face• Very meaty• Very Large framed

Sheep ProductionClassifications for Sheep @ Ellis

County Livestock Show

• Fine wool

• Finewool Cross

• Medium Wool

• Southdown

• AOB (All Other Breeds)

Fine wool• Ramboulliet

Finewool Cross• Any thing

atleast a ½ crossed with Ramboulliet

Medium Wool• Hampshires

and Suffolks and crosses of the two

Southdowns• Southdowns

show as a breed of their own, mainly due to size differences

AOB (All Other Breeds)• Mainly

Dorsetts and Dorset Crosses

Sheep ProductionReproduction

• Estrus – Occurs every 16 days and last for 3 days

Sheep ProductionReproduction

• Gestation Period – 148 days

Sheep ProductionFeeding

• Ruminants like cattle

• Feed a quality brand name 18 % protien feed

• Most feeders feel a textured feed is more desirable than a pellet

Parts of the Sheep

Skeletal System