Sheep and goat

Question 1

sheep domestication, feral

Answer 1

ovis aries = entirely domesticated sheep dep. on human for health and survival! mediterranian wild sheep is main ancestor! 2n= 54
Among the first to be domesticated around 9-11k years ago, small feral populations exist where there are no predators

Question 2

microevolutionary consequences

Answer 2

phenotype according to breed, 45kg -100(female) /160kg(male), !! increased fiber length and decreased fibre diameter !!, white color was selected when breeding since they can be dyed, darker exist. varied tail length/thickness, no change in goat!, horns or polled in both sexes or one, varied shape

Question 3

reproduction in microevolutionary changes

Answer 3

• went from mono to (seasonal) polyestrus, testicular size increased.
• significant changes in udder size and form in goat esp.

Question 4

chromosome no. in sheep

Answer 4

domestic sheep: 2n = 54
wild sheep: 2n = 54-58 -> centric fusions in crosses
crosses are successful btw. domestic and wild sheep even with different no.!

Question 5

goat ancestor and chromosome nr.

Answer 5

the bezoar goat is the main ancestor, all goats have 2n=60 ⇒ interspecies crosses are successful.

Question 6

interspecies hybridization of sheep and goat

Answer 6

problems: ram*doe is possible occur naturally too! (male sheep, female goat), bock*ewe never!

GEEP, 1984

Question 7

callipyge

Answer 7

mutation in sheep giving “beatutiful buttocks”, muscular hypertrophy (not in goat!)

Question 8

sheep vs. goat environment

Answer 8

• sheep: temperate and lowlands, steppes, savannah
• goat: tropics, highlands, forest areas (mountain goat)

Question 9

nutrition goat vs. sheep

Answer 9

• sheep: grazers, less selective
• goat: browsers, selective

Question 10

body characteristics sheep vs. goat

Answer 10

• sheep: wooly, downward tail, no split upper lip, more uniform horns(often polled), flocking together(not very intelligent - just follows the one in front - herding!!)
• goat: split upper lip, hairy, inwards pointing tail, beard is common, very intelligent, rarely polled

Question 11

twinning

Answer 11

twinning is common in both

Question 12

sheep milk comp to other breeds

Answer 12

• (79.9) less water content than (around 90)goat, cattle and horse
• (7.2)more fat and (6.5)protein content than –=–(eq very little protein and fat! 1-2)
• (5.4)more lactose than goat and cattle, less (5.5) than horse

Question 13

general about cows milk

Answer 13

rich in protein and Ca²⁺ source

Question 14

general goat milk characteristics

Answer 14

similar to human milk (A2 protein, oligosacchrose), probiotics (gut flora), medium chain length makes it a quick energy source and not stored in the body as fat. lower lactose makes it easier to digest.

Question 15

sheep milk general characteristics

Answer 15

less common since low production. Rich in fats and proteins -> cheese, yoghurt, more fat means more product per gallon of milk. good energy source (medum FA), high in A2, B12 and folate (B9)

Question 16

basic mating systems of sheep and goat

Answer 16

flock/mass mating
harem mating
→natural sex ratio is 1:50
stud/hand mating - controlled by breeder
AI: cervical, transcervical, lapascopic

Question 17

breeding value of goat and sheep

Answer 17

pedigree not so important, production, conformation and progeny testing is most important

Question 18

sheep and goat breeding imp criteria

Answer 18

• lamb and muttom: meat prod (muscling, fat dceposition, gain)
• wool quality is the most important, cashmere (making pashmina) and angora goats(making mohair)
• milk prod: lactation, fertility, udder shape
• fur production in certain breeds e.g. karakul

Question 19

purebreeding in sheep and goat

Answer 19

in smaller populations! inbreeding and line breeding (sheep is a sensitive species - inbreeding depression)

(improving and preserving breeds)

Question 20

crosses in sheep

Answer 20

• *two-breed cross** is typical in e.g. southdowns ram and romney ewe.
• *rotational cross!**

optimize heterosis for meat production

Question 21

lamb for meat, by products of sheep prod

Answer 21

new lamb crop: 15kg
light lamb: 25kg
heavy lamb: 40kg

tallow(talg) is a byproduct used for candles and soaps, gelatine

Question 22

carcass traits of sheep

Answer 22

weight will be at 40-50%, quality, back fat thickness, fat around kidneys and loins=tallow

cuts: shoulder, rack, loin, legs

Question 23

wool and fur traits in sheep

Answer 23

(fleece) grease vs. (clean fleece) wool weight: about 2-5kg
* *thickness**, primary(hair):secondary(wool) ratio, length and diameter of the fibers, wrinkles of skin fold: incr. fleece prod. surface!

Question 24

milk production of sheep and goat: lactation performance, length, other

Answer 24

• *sheep**: 80-300L (600)
• *goat**: 60-1200L
• *length**: 100-300 in goat, 100-180 in sheep

(daily milk yield, fat and protein %, ease of milking, udder size and form

Question 25

products of the goat

Answer 25

meat, milk(cheese) and wool (angora and cashmere goat)

alternative products: goat milk soap, leather, mohair and cashmere in fine garnments

Question 26

breeding goals for goat

Answer 26

meat and fiber products, genetic variation across herd and continue with genetic diversity

Question 27

the traits of milk sheep

Answer 27

• *prolific** (prod. lamb), early puberty, twinning rate 60-70%, 50-500kg/lactation lasting 150-200 days,
• *protein**: 5-6%
• *fat**: 6-7%

Question 28

fur producing sheep

Answer 28

hairy sheep have little or no wool. no fleece means no shearing as hair will shed of (winter coats) -> can thrive in hot climates that wooly sheep cannot, save money.

2 types:

• *true hair sheep:** natural breeds from hairy ancestors.
• *improved hair sheep:** crossed with wool breeds to produce larger meat animals who grew wool in cold weather but shed it in the summer. many has large horns -> trophy huntig

Question 29

goats milk nutrition and use

Answer 29

More (170)calories, protein and fat than (150cal)cow, less carbs and lactose

• coat cheese, since it has less lactose it is earier to digest than cows cheese

Question 30

wool defects

Answer 30

• *dry wool:** less greasy and easy to pull out caused by chronic parasitosis intoxication e.g. arsenic, lack of phosphorus
• *greyish, mat wool:** lack or copper, zinc, vit. A
• *bad wool quality**: flourine poisening, chronic parasitosis
• *lighter streaks in pigmented wool:** sub clinical chronic lack of copper

Question 31

reproduction traits of sheep and goat

Answer 31

seasonally polyoestrus, sexual activity is breed dependant, puberty is 6-15 months, breeding season is aug-feb(higher fertility) and jan-feb. Sexual pheromones are important! flushing (better nutrition bf. breeding) incr. no. of ovulations and more twinning/triplets.(1-4 eggs) laproscopic AI (right into uterine horns through abdomen, low success rate!) easy pregnancy detection - palpation from d90.

Question 32

manegment systems

Answer 32

• (less input)*extensive: lambing once a year in spring (mating in august)
• (more input)*semi-intensive: lambing 3 times every 2yrs (flushing, short inactive/transitional period, biostimulation, heat detection
• (lots input)*intensive: continous oestrus activity and lambing, breeding out of season, regulated reproduction, inensive care, oestrus detection, intensive feeding, high quality managment

Question 33

define sheep husnbandry

Answer 33

the raising and breeding of domestic sheep

Question 34

shelter

Answer 34

paddocks, pens, barn (pasture - rage band flocks).
need to be kept dry 1-2d before shearing

Question 35

water food and air

Answer 35

food: hay, grains and grasses - sheep are active grazers. usually fed twise a day or allowed to graze on pasture. need fans in hot weather, sheep like moderate temperature.