Sheep Husbandry Flashcards
What is the sheep life on easter bush farm?
- Dry period (aut to nov)
- Matting time (nov)
- pregnancy (nov to mar)
- lambing time (mar to apr)
- rearing lambs (apr to aug) + weaning and selling (summer)
What breeds of terminal sire are used on the Easter Bush Farm?
Texel and Beltex
What is currently the female breed used?
Cheviot mule
What breeds is the Cheviot mule a hybrid of?
Cheviot ewe X Bluefaced Leicester tup
What is the Cheviot breed known for?
hardiness and mothering ability
What is the Bluefaced Leicester breed known for?
prolificacy and milkiness
What lambing percentage does the farm aim for but what is the reality?
200% but actually 180%
What does the average adult weigh?
70-80kg
What is their production goal?
producing Texel or Beltex Cross prime limbs
How many teeth does an adult sheep have?
32
What is the dental formula for a sheep?
Whole Upper jaw: M12 (dental pad instead of incisors)
Whole Lower jaw: I8 M12
Before aging a sheep by its teeth what should you look at first?
The sheep itself and decide if its an adult or juvenile BEFORE
How do you visualize the teeth on a sheep?
Just need to draw the bottom lip down to expose the teeth and sometimes raise the upper lip
DO NOT block the nostrils and don’t place a thumb in mouth OR pry open her mouth
What are milk teeth?
the 4 pairs of teeth that birth lambs have - they are small and usually nice and white
How old is a sheep if you see 1st set of incisors (central)?
1 year 3 months between 1 year 9 months
What do adult sheep teeth look like?
large and broad teeth
How old is a sheep if you see 2 sets of adult incisors?
1 year 9 months to 2 year 3 months
age of sheep with 3 sets of permanent incisor erupted teeth?
2 years 3 months to 2 year 9 months
age of sheep with 4 sets of permanent incisor erupted teeth?
older than 2 years 9 months
What does a receding gum line when a sheep gets old look like?
makes the teeth look narrower and more spaced out
What is a broken mouthed sheep?
when a sheep ages and their teeth become loose and fall out so they may have difficulty grazing especially if the grass is short
How do you sex a sheep?
- lift up their tail (good for younger sheep)
- can identify structures like udders or testicles