Breeds of Sheep

Methods to Classify Sheep… The most common way to classify sheep in the United States is by the type of wool produced. There are over 40 breeds of sheep in the US today Fine WoolMedium Wool Cross Wool MerinoCheviotColumbia RambouilletDorsetPolypay Finnsheep Hampshire Southdown __________ Suffolk

Sheep Body Parts

MEAT BREEDS These breeds of sheep are produced for their carcasses. Their wool is not very valuable, therefore they are selected for mainly carcasses. Usually the Medium Wool breeds.

Accounts for about 15% of the world’s sheep population

Cheviot  Originated in Scotland  Resistant to cold, windy conditions  White, wool free faces  Long wool type  Wool has a helical crimp  Tend to be resistant to worms and footrot

Dorset  Originated in Europe  Medium-sized breed with high quality, white wool  Most popular white- faced breed in the United States  Horned and polled varieties exist

Hampshire  Originated in Hampshire, England  Black face and legs  Mild demeanor  Unbroken wool cap should extend from the neck over the forehead

Southdown  Developed in England one of the oldest sheep breeds  Medium to small sized with light brown face and legs  Farm flock breed used to produce meaty, light weight carcass  Low maintenance breed with average prolificacy and milk production

Suffolk  Originated in England, very old breed used as a sire breed in commercial production  Most popular breed in the US today  Produce large amounts of meat, heavy milking but poor fleece  Grow fast, produce lean muscular carcasses  White with black faces and legs, free of wool on legs and head

Account for more than 50% of the world’s sheep

Merino  Originated in Australia  Very fine fleece, produce 20 lbs. of wool a year.  White-faced  High quality wool used in the textile industry  Most dominant breed in the sheep industry

Rambouillet  Originated in Spain  #1 range ewe’s in Texas  Dual-purpose breed, fine fleece also acceptable growth and carcass traits  White in color

Columbia  1 st breed developed in U.S. in 1912 Lincoln x Rambouillet crossesDual-Purpose,  Produce medium wool and large amounts of meat  Produce lbs. of 3/8 blood wool. (coarser than Rambouillet)  Developed to thrive on Western ranges  White faced, polled breed  One of the largest- sized breeds in US.

Targhee  Developed in 1926 at the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station in Dubois, Idaho  Planned breed, developed for range use in West  White-faced, polled breed of intermediate size  Fleeces are mid-way between Rambouillets and Columbias in fineness

Polypay  Developed by U.S. Experiment Station  Five goals of Polypay 1.High lifetime prolificacy 2.Good lamb crop at 1 yr. 3.Ability to lamb more than once a year 4.Good growth rate of lambs 5.Good carcass quality

Lincoln  Originated in England, heavy fleeced. Imported 1825  Heaviest breed in the world, rams weight lbs. ewes, lbs.  White faced and polled, face, legs and ears covered in wool  Pronounced forelock between the ears

About 10% of the world’s sheep population.

Dorper  The Dorper breed was developed out of necessity  Dorset Horn rams crossed with Blackhead Persian ewes  The Dorper has a white body with a black head, while the White Dorper is all white. Otherwise two types are identical but considered separate breeds  Typically hornless  Mature male wight 230 lbs, female lbs.

References:  Sheep 101 (website)  Sheep 201 (website)  American Sheep Industry Assoc