| SHEEP TERMS |
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Ram |
male of breeding age |
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Wether |
castrated male |
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Ram lamb |
immature male |
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Ewe lamb |
immature female |
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Lamb |
newborn |
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Flock |
group (3 or more) |
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Tupping |
act of breeding |
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Lambing |
act of parturition (giving birth) |
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Birth weight |
5 - 8 lb. |
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Average number born |
1.1 - 1.4 lambs/year |
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Weaning age |
2 - 3 months |
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Pasture carrying capacity |
5 - 6 ewes & lambs/acre |
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| TYPES OF
SHEEP (body covering) |
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Fine wool |
Merino (100%) |
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Medium wool |
1/4, 3/8, & ½ blood |
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Long wool |
coarse, strong, luster, 12"/yr (English breeds) |
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Carpet wool |
lowest quality |
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Hair |
straight, non elastic & glossy |
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| BIOLOGICAL
TRAITS |
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Life span |
|
6 -11 years |
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Chromosome number |
|
54 |
| |
Temperature ( F) |
Respiration rate |
Pulse rate |
| MAXIMUM |
104.0 |
20 |
80 |
| AVERAGE |
102.5 |
16 |
75 |
| MINIMUM |
102.0 |
10 |
70 |
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| DIGESTIVE SYSTEM |
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Ruminant - |
multiple-compartment stomach containing microbes (bugs)
that are able to digest forages |
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Daily consumption levels |
Food = 2 - 4.5 lb.
Water = 0.5 - 1.5 quarts |
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Daily waste volume |
Fecal = 2 - 6.5 lb.
Urine = 10 - 40 ml per kg body weight |
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| REPRODUCTIVE
TRAITS |
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Ewes |
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Mature weight |
90 - 300 lb. |
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Breeding season |
early fall to late winter (some are
poly-estrous year around, ex. Dorset) |
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Estrous cycle |
14 - 19 days seasonally poly-estrous |
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Duration of estrus |
24 - 36 hr. (standing heat) |
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Time of ovulation |
24 - 30 hr. from beginning of estrus |
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Gestation period |
145 -155 days |
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Breeding/year |
1 - 2/yr. |
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Artificial Insemination |
Yes Cervical or Vaginal Method
Intrauterine Method |
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Ewe lambs |
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Puberty |
5 - 8 months (80 - 100 lb.) |
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Minimum breeding age |
8 - 10 months |
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Rams |
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Puberty |
6 - 8 months |
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Mature weight |
150 - 450 lb. |
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Serviceability |
1 ram: 30-35 ewes (60 day breeding season) |
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Ejaculate volume |
0.8 - 1.2 ml |
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Sperm concentration |
2000 - 3000 million/ml |
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Motile sperm |
60 - 80% |
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Semen freezable |
yes |
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| UNDER
THE HIDE (Carcass Information) |
| |
| |
HIGH |
AVERAGE |
LOW |
| Age at Slaughter |
8 months |
6 months |
4 months |
| Live Weight |
160 lb. |
125 lb. |
85 lb. |
| Dressing Percentage (%) |
57 % |
52 % |
45 % |
| Fat Thickness |
.50 in. |
.25 in. |
.05 in. |
| Ribeye Area |
3.6 in.2 |
2.6 in.2 |
1.5 in.2 |
| Kidney, Pelvic & Heart Fat (%KPH) |
6.0 % |
3.0 % |
1.5 % |
Yield Grades
1, 2, 3, 4 & 5, based on the backfat thickness at the 12th rib.
Yield Grade Formula = 0.4 + ( 10 x adjusted back fat thickness,
inches)
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Quality Grades
Based on a composite evaluation of conformation, maturity, and quality
of the lean flesh.
| US Prime |
US Good |
| US Choice |
US Utility |
Degrees of Flank Fat Streaking - used to predict marbling, since
lamb carcasses are not ribbed to expose ribeye muscle marbling
| Devoid |
Modest |
| Practically devoid |
Moderate |
| Traces |
Slightly abundant |
| Slight |
Moderately abundant |
| Small |
Abundant |
Maturity (physiological) - Chronological age of the live lamb is
determined by assessing the physiological age of the bone and muscle. Maturity
grades are A and B
Break joint - young lambs the rigid surface of the joint is quite red,
moist, and porous Spool joint - older sheep the joints become less red,
drier, and harder
| Color of lean |
red to dark red |
Relationship of Maturity & Flank Streaking for Quality Grade in a
Lamb Carcass (Boggs & Merkel, Live Animal Carcass Evaluation and
Selection Mannual) 
SHEEP TEETH
MOUTH & TEETH
20 Temporary teeth
32 Permanent teeth at maturity
4 pairs of Incisor teeth on lower jaw
Upper incisors missing
Cartilaginous (hard) dental pad on upper jaw
Split upper lip with mobile lips
AGE OF SHEEP (teeth)
|
Lamb |
4 pair of Incisors |
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1 year |
middle pair of Incisors |
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2 years |
2nd pair of permanent Incisors |
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3 years |
3rd pair of permanent Incisors |
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4 years |
4th pair of permanent Incisors |
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5 years |
all permanent Incisors close together |
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6 years |
Incisors begin spreading apart |
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7-8 years |
some Incisors broken |
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10-12 years |
all Incisors missing |
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