Sheep Breeds And Production - Ch 42

Question 1

Compare mountain/hill and lowland

Mountain/hill:

Answer 1

• Extensive Farming
• Low production targets
• Rough grazing
• Ewe and lamb mortality rates can be high.

Question 2

Lowland (Conparison)

Answer 2

• intensive farming
• rotational grazing
• High production targets
• Lambing indoors reduces Ewe and lamb mortality rates.

Question 3

Sheep breeds: Mountain and hill breeds (2)

Answer 3

Blackface Mountain and Wicklow Cheviot

Question 4

Blackface mountain description

Answer 4

Small, eextrenely hardy breed with long wool, black face and horns. Known for good mothering ability and good milk production.

Question 5

Wicklow Cheviot description

Answer 5

White face, medium size and are hardy. They are good mothers.

Question 6

Prolific or prolificacy:

Answer 6

When the breed can produce many offspring (i.e. Twins and triplets)

Question 7

Lamb:

Answer 7

A young sheep less than 1 year old

Question 8

Hogget

Answer 8

A young sheep between 1 and 2 years old

Question 9

Ewe

Answer 9

A fully grown female sheep

Question 10

Ram

Answer 10

An intact male sheep

Question 11

Wether

Answer 11

A castrated male sheep.

Question 12

Lowland sheep breeds (2)

Answer 12

Border Leicester and Bluefaced Leicester.

Question 13

Border Leicester description

Answer 13

Large, long-whool, white, hornless, easily recognisable by its upright ears.

Question 14

Prolific breed

Answer 14

Border leicester

Question 15

Bluefaced leicester description

Answer 15

Large breed, white head and a slight roman nose.

Question 16

Sire

Answer 16

Male parent of an animal

Question 17

Maternal sires

Answer 17

Used to produce daughters with exellent genetic traits for reproduction and mothering ability.

Question 18

Terminal sire

Answer 18

A ram that is used to produce lambs woth high growth rates and good carcase quality for slaughter.

Question 19

Most popular sheep breeds used as a terminal sire are

Answer 19

Texel and Suffolk

Question 20

Native irish sheep breed

Answer 20

The Galway.

Question 21

Describe native irish sheep breed

Answer 21

The galway is a large, white, polled lowland sheep found in Galway.

Question 22

Cast or Draft Ewe:

Answer 22

A ewe whose fertility has declined due to harsh conditions experienced in mountainous area.

Question 23

Blackface mountain crossed with bluefaced leicester produces what

Answer 23

Crossbred mule ewes

Question 24

Dam

Answer 24

female parent of an animal

Question 25

Suffolk ram crossed with mule ewes crossed with texel ram produces what

Answer 25

Easter market lambs and mid-season lambs.

Question 26

Why are terminal sires selected?

Answer 26

Their traits include good conformation, good carcase quality, fast growth rates and leanness of meat.

Question 27

When selecting a ram for breeding, the farmer will look at what?

Answer 27

The breed, pedigree, age, conformation, bcs, feet and teeth of the ram.

Question 28

Seasonally polyoestrous

Answer 28

Many oestrous cycles occer during a set time of year.

Question 29

Length of oestrous cycle

Answer 29

17 days

Question 30

Duration of oestrous

Answer 30

36 hours

Question 31

Gestation period

Answer 31

5 months

Question 32

Flushing

Answer 32

The process of moving ewes from a low plane of nutrition to a high plane of nutrition prior to mating.

Question 33

Advantages of flushing

Answer 33

Increases the ovulation rate, increases conception rates, promotes better implantation of the embryo to the uterine wall, increases litter sizes.

Question 34

Sponging

Answer 34

Involves placing progesterone impregnated sponges into the vagina of the ewes to synchronise the breeding cycles of the ewes.

The sponges are removed after 12 days and the ewes come into heat 2 days later.

The ram to ewe ratio for synchronised breeding is 1:10.

Question 35

Steaming up

Answer 35

The practise of increasing the amount of concentrates being fed to sheep in late gestation in order to ensure a healthy lamb.

Question 36

When should steaming up commence?

Answer 36

6-8 weeks before lambing.

Question 37

Lambs weigh what when born?

Answer 37

3-5kg.

Question 38

Defiency disease

Answer 38

Twin lamb disease,
Cause: breakdown of fat reserves in the ewes body, leading to liver failure.

Sympoms:
Collapse and death,
Staggers, tremors

Prevention: steaming up with concentrates in the late gestation

treatment: energy solution(glucose)

Question 39

Viral disease

Answer 39

Orf (zoonose)

Symptoms:
Poor growth in lambs

Treatment : antibiotic cream for sores

Prevention: vaccinate ewes before lambing

Question 40

Bacterial disease

Answer 40

Navel ill/joint ill

Symptoms:
Navel is swollen and painful

Treatment:
Pain killers and antibiotics

Prevention:
Dip navel in iodine after birth.

Question 41

Parasitic disease

Answer 41

Sheep scab

Cause;
Mange mite

Symptoms: yellow scabs

Treatment:
Dip sheep

Prevention: winter dip sheep

Question 42

Sheep production in Ireland can be divided into 2 main categories:

Answer 42

Mountain/hill and lowland.