Chapter 8-Sheep Production Flashcards
What is the class of sheep?
Mammalia- suckle their young
What products do sheep produce
- Wool
- Meat
- Skins
- Milk
What is the sheep family
Bovidae- ruminant
What is the genus of sheep
Ovis
What is the species of sheep
Ovis aries
How are sheep classified
- type of wool
- meat type
- color
- horned or polled
- adapt ability characteristics
What are the classifications for wool
- fine wool
- medium wool
- long wool
- crossbreed wool
- hair breed
What does the reproduction of sheep have to do with the success of the industry
- success and profitability of any sheep industry is closely related to level of lamb production
- production costs are nearly the same if a ewe produces none or several offspring
- fertility affects productivity
What is the normal breeding season for sheep
- sheep are seasonal breeders
- their offspring are born at the most favorable time for the survival of the young
What is the age of puberty for sheep
5 to 12 months
What is an anestrous period
A period when ewes do not demonstrate estrus
What is the length between estruses
14 to 19 days
What is the duration of estrus
20-42 hours
What is the gestation period
143-152 days
How does the effect of the environment reproduction
- sexual activity is dependent on the ratio of daylight to dark.
- frequency of estrus
- more fertile
What is the ram effect
It is the process of keeping a ram close to the ewes for about 10 to 14 days before the breeding season begins
What are the benefits of the ram effect
- Ewes will cycle 2 weeks earlier in August instead of September
- ewes will have synchronized cycles
- due to the ram pheromones
What is flushing and what is the benefit
Flushing is provinding supplementation of feed two to three weeks before breeding
-increases the number of ovulation which increases the number if lambs born
How many ewes should a well-matured ram lamb mate
10-30
How many ewes should a yearling to 5 years mate
25-50
How many ewes should a six year to older produce
They are suited for hand breeding or pastures only
How does temperature effect reproduction in rams
Hot temperatures can reduce fertility
How long does it take for the formation and development of spermatozoa
6-7 weeks
When is semen testing recommended
-recommended for producer who uses one or two rams
Describe ewe management during gestation
- exercise
- put water at one end of the pasture and feed on the other end
- feeding
- supplemental feeding
- feed concentrate ration last three to four weeks
- developing fetus gains 2/3 of birth weight the last 6 weeks of gestation
- ewe should gain 20 to 30 pounds
- supplemental feeding
What does inadequate nutrition during the last 6 weeks of pregnant result in
- pregnancy disease
- lower birth rates
- weaker lambs
- infant lamb mortality
- slower gaining lambs
- lower milk yields
What are the advantages of shearing a sheep before lambing
- shorn ewes seek shelter during poor climate to lamb
- easier to spot ewes close to lambing and udder problems
- more ewes in a limited space
- higher value wool clip is obtained
What are disadvantages of shearing before lambing
- a good building is essential for bad weather
- additional feed is required during cold weather
- ewes handled roughly too close to lambing early May lamb prematurely
How should the lambing quarter be
- should be draft free
- lambing pens
- should have about ten ewes to one lambing pen
Management during lambing
- make use of lambing jugs
- watch ewe closely and assist if necessary
- examine ewes that have been in hard labor for an hour without any progress
What causes difficult lambing
- large lamb
- small pelvic area
- ewe’s cervix fails to dilate
- breech birth
- one or both legs bent back
- head bent back
- if he ewe is carrying two or more lambs they may become tangled
What happens after the ewe lambs
- place her and her lambs in a lambing pen
- check the udder to see if colostrum is available and check that udders are open
- make sure ewe owns her lambs and allows them to nurse
- help lambs nurse if they are weak or use a stomach tube
- supply a heat lamp is cold
When do labs need colostrum?
6 to 12 hours after birth
What is colostrum is not available for the lamb
- graft the lamb into another ewe
- feed the lamb artificially
What are the methods for grafting
- slime graft
- wet graft
- stanchion
- lamb coat
What is a slime graft
- cover the lamb with placental fluids from ewe you plan on grafting lamb to.
- tie grafted lamb and the ewe’s lamb together
- untie once both lambs are standing
What is the wet graft
-soak both lambs in a saturated salt solution and put Vicks vapor rub on the ewe’s nose
What is a stanchion
- keep the ewe in a stanchion for 3 to 5 days
- do not clean pen much during that time so lambs will smell like ewe
What is the lamb coat
- only to be done if the ewe’s own lamb dies
- remove pelt of dead lamb as one piece and put on lamb to be grafted
- remove pelt after ewe claims grafted lamb (3-4 days)
What are lambs out on if grafting does not work
- lamb replacer
- goat’s milk
- occasionally cow’s milk( less fat)
Why are sheep docked
- cleaner
- breeding and lambing
- more uniform
- tail is non-marketable
Why are rams castrated
- unwanted pregnancies
- not as marketable is kept as ram
When are rams docked
- 14-30 days of age
- preform both at the same time
- there is less bleeding and lambs heal more quickly when procedures are done at an early age.
When does a ewe reach peak milk production
- four weeks after lambing
- milk production begins to decrease after 4 weeks
When are lambs weaned
60 to 90 days
What is creep feeding
Provides supplemental feed for lambs during the nursing period
-only small amounts of feed are consumed until 4 weeks old
When should the creep feeder be available
7 to 10 days of age
What is the slaughter process
- similar to beef
- pelt is taken off by fisking
- hands between pelt and carcass
- split breast bone
- wash
- carcass is called lamb are mutton depending on age
How long should a carcass cool
24 to 72 hours
What is the dressing percent
46% to 53%
What are the wholesale cuts
- same as beef except
- breast
- ribs-rack of lamb
What are the by-products
- pulled wool skins
- chamois skins
What is the total income for fleece
30%-40%
What percentage of the world’s wool does the us produce
10%
Talk about shearing.
- March to July
- use electric clippers
- black fiber contaminates
- fleece removed as one piece
What are the attributes of wool for grading
- length
- diameter
- fineness
- crimp
- strength
- color
- luster
What are the two classes of fabrics and describe them
Worsted-not prickly, all fibers go one way, can wear on skin, and most valuable
Woolen-shorter fibers and stick out
What is the difference between mutton and lamb
Lamb-1 year of age or less
-the break joint is cartilaginous of the cannon bone is not ossified
Mutton-over 1 year of age
-this break joint ossifies with age to become what is called a spool joint.
