Sheep and Goats Flashcards
which has hair?
goats
which has wool?
sheep
whose tail is up?
goats
whose tail is down and often docked?
sheep
who has narrow, curling horns?
goats
who has broad, curling horns (if they are present?)
sheep
who has a continuous upper lip?
goats
who has separate lip lobes?
sheep
who has 60 chromosomes?
goats
who has 54 chromosomes?
sheep
what are goats called in relation to their diet?
browsers
what does it mean to be a browser?
goats eat a wide variety of forages, can eat from the ground or vertically, and eat leaves, twigs, forbes, fruit, nuts, tender shrubs, and bark
what are sheep called in relation to their diet?
grazers
what does it mean to be a grazer?
sheep eat a more limited variety of forages, and are closer to the ground, so they eat grasses and legumes, and weeds
what is an intact male sheep?
ram
what is a castrated male sheep?
wether
what is a female sheep?
ewe
what are all young sheep called?
lambs
what was the first breed of sheep, and where was it from?
Mouflon, from Mesopotamia
what type of breeders are sheep?
seasonal- short day, in the fall
how long is the estrous cycle of a sheep?
17 days
how long is a sheep in estrous?
30 hours
how long is gestation for sheep?
147 days
how long does it take for sheep to reach puberty?
6-8 months
what happens on Day 0 of the sheep life cycle?
breeding season, in September-November
what happens on Day 147 of the sheep life cycle?
lambing, from March-April
what happens on Day 200 of the sheep life cycle?
weaning, from May-June
what happens on Day 260 of the sheep life cycle?
market, from July-August
what happens on Day 365 of the sheep life cycle?
breeding season again!
what are the four types of sheep?
wool, meat, hair breeds, and diverse
do wool breeds have thick or thin wool?
thin, about 17-40 microns
where are wool breeds found?
Midwest and West, for the cooler temperatures
what are the 3 wool breeds?
Navajo Churro, Rambouillet, Romney
which wool breed is popular in the US?
Rambouillet
what are the sheep meat breeds known for?
carcass and growth characteristics
how thick is the wool of the meat breeds?
medium, so limited value
how big are the meat sheep breeds?
250-400lbs
do the sheep meat breeds live in large or small flocks, and what is their flock called?
small flocks, farm flock
where are the sheep meat breeds found?
Midwest. Northeast
what are the three sheep meat breeds?
Suffolk, Hampshire, Southdown
what are the sheep hair breeds known for?
meat and leather
where do the sheep hair breeds thrive?
subtropical to tropical environments, they have adapted to hot and humid climates
what resistance do the sheep hair breeds have?
parasite and disease resistance
what are the two sheep hair breeds?
Barbados Blackbelly, Katahdin
which of the sheep hair breeds is at Berry?
katahdins
list three diverse sheep breeds
- Jacob
- Shetland
- Han
what is special about Jacob sheep?
the have four horns, and are multi-colored
what is special about Shetland sheep?
they have colorful wool
what is special about Han sheep?
they can be small or large, but all have the FAT tail where they store energy
list 4 other sheep breeds?
Valais Blacknose, British Zwartbles, Blue Texel (the blue is a recessive gene), and Border Leicester (always look surprised)
what are the 2 parts of wool fibers?
outside cuticle
inner cortex
how is fiber grade and quality measured?
microns (diameter), and crimps per inch
how do you get the wool from the sheep?
shearing
list the eight steps in woolen manufacturing
- raw wool
- scoured wool
- lanolin
- dyed wool
- roving
- spun yarn
- unfinished fabric
- finished fabric
why has there been a decline in sheep production in the United States since 1945?
during WWII, soldiers ate a lot of mutton and lamb and got sick of it = conditioned aversion
what is a major challenge in the sheep meat industry in the US?
holiday meal seasonality; Easter and Christmas (when people want lamb) doesn’t line up with sheep life cycle when they’re ready for market
what are the four main challenges to the sheep wool industry in the US?
- the amount of labor required to make wool
- sheep personality requires shepherds to live in isolation- no one wants to do that
- synthetic fibers
- predation: sheep are perfect size for lots of predators, COYOTES responsible for 50% of sheep deaths
what kind of dog is commonly used for sheep herding?
Great Pyranese
what are the three big opportunities for the sheep industry?
- wool production: we currently import 70% of wool consumed
- meat production: imported 273 million lbs in 2018
- contract grazing: Woodrow Wilson did this at the WH
why are lots of sheep wool breeds white?
white is easier to dye different colors
what is goat parturition?
kidding
what is an intact male goat?
Billy/Buck
what is a castrated male goat?
whether
what is a female goat?
Nanny/Doe
what are all young goats called?
kids
what type of breeders are goats?
seasonal- short day
how long is the goat estrous cycle?
21 days
how long are goats in estrus?
24 hrs
how long is goat gestation?
150 days
when do goats reach puberty?
5-7 months
what is Day 0 of the goat life cycle and when is it?
Breeding season, sept-nov
what is Day 150 of the goat life cycle, and when is it?
kidding, Mar-April
what is Day 200 of the goat life cycle, and when is it?
weaning, May-June
what is Day 260 of the goat life cycle, and when is it?
Market, July-Aug
what is Day 365 of the goat life cycle, and when is it?
breeding season, Sept-Nov
how many types of goats are there?
4ish
what are the types of goats?
- fiber types
- dairy
- meat
- fainting goats
