Exploring the Sheep & Goat Industry Lesson

Interest Approach Ask the students to come up with as many products as possible that are made with sheep and goats. Write the examples on the board. Encourage students to come up with meat, milk, chammy, clothing, and other items.

Student Learning Objectives Discuss terminology associated with sheep and goat production. Describe sheep and goats as organisms and compare them externally. Identify common breeds of sheep and goats. Explain methods of producing sheep and goats. List favorable and unfavorable factors.

Terms Buck Cashmere Chammy Confinement Doe Ewe Kid Kidding Lamb Lambing Mohair Mutton Ram Wether Wool Yearling

Discuss terminology associated with sheep and goat production. Objective #1

What are some specific terms used to describe sheep and goat production? Doe - female goat or sheep. Buck - male goat at any age. Kid - goat of either sex under 1 year of age. Yearling - goat of either sex over one year, but under 2 years of age. Wether - male goat or sheep that has been castrated when young. Ram - male sheep used for breeding purposes.

Kidding - process of a goat giving birth. What are some specific terms used to describe sheep and goat production? Ewe - a female sheep. Kidding - process of a goat giving birth. Lambing - process of a sheep giving birth. Lamb sheep under one year old. meat from a young sheep.

What are some specific terms used to describe sheep and goat production? Mutton - meat from a sheep that is over one year of age. Chammy - leather made from sheep and goats. Wool - a sheep’s coat that is used as a fiber for products such as clothing.

Describe the sheep and goats as organisms and compare them externally. Objective #2

What are some comparisons between sheep and goats? Terms Mohair Hair taken from angora goats and used to make a wooly fabric.

Sheep & Goat Similarities Mammals. Ruminant digestive systems. Have divided hoofs. Raised for food and clothing. Important to economy.

What are some comparisons between sheep and goats? Very efficient converters of feed to meat. Prefer broadleaf plants & grasses. Weigh between 100 to 225 pounds at maturity. Live from 7 to 13 years. Goats Low importance to economy. Prefer to eat twigs & leaves. Weigh between 20 and 150 pounds. Live 8 – 10 years. Produce 60% of mohair.

External Parts of a Goat

External Parts of a Sheep

Identify common breeds of sheep and goats Objective #3

What are common breeds of sheep and goats? Over 200 breeds of sheep. Over 300 breeds of goats. Breed selection is based on personal needs and goals. Animals should come from reputable producers and be free of diseases.

Suffolk Most popular sheep breed. Medium wool breed. United Suffolk Sheep Association PO Box 256 -17 West Main Newton, UT 84327 Phone 435-563-6105 Suffolk Most popular sheep breed. Medium wool breed. Originated in England. Large bodied. Head, legs, ears are black. Polled. 8 – 10 lbs. fleece. 150% lamb crop.

Dorset Originated in England. Medium-wool breed. Polled or horned. Continental Dorset Club PO Box 506, North Scituate, RI (401) 647-4676 Dorset Originated in England. Medium-wool breed. Polled or horned. Completely white. Medium sized body. 7 – 8 lbs. fleece. Ewes breed out of season for fall lambs. Muscular carcasses. Good milk producers.

Hampshire Originated in England. Large sheep. Polled. American Hampshire Sheep Association, 1557 173rd Ave. Milo,IA  50166   Phone: (515) 942-6402 Originated in England. Large sheep. Polled. Black faces, noses, ears, and legs. Early maturing. Good milkers. 7 – 8 lbs. fleece.

Oxford Originated in England. Medium-wool breed. Very large breed. American Oxford Sheep Association 1960 E 2100 North Road Stonington, Ill 62567 Originated in England. Medium-wool breed. Very large breed. Polled. Face, ears, & legs gray to brown. 10 – 12 lbs. fleece. Lambs grow quickly. Used in crossbreeding.

Angora Originated in Turkey. Well adapted to areas not fit for others. American Angora Goat Breeders PO Box 195 Rocksprings, TX 78880 Originated in Turkey. Well adapted to areas not fit for others. Almost totally white at maturity. Produce 7 lbs. mohair. Horned. Long droopy ears. Buck weigh 125 – 175 lbs. Does weigh 80 – 90 lbs.

Dairy Goats Produce 5 lbs. of milk daily. More minerals than cow’s milk. Easier to digest. Dairy breeds French Alpine LaMancha Nubian Saanen Toggenburg LaMancha Saanen

Meat Goats Known as Spanish goats. Produce both milk and meat. Sometimes called brush goats. Largest meat goat population in Texas.

Developed by selective breeding. Cashmere Cashmere Goats Developed by selective breeding. Cashmere Soft undercoat of fine down produced by goats. Large demand for cashmere. Solid colored goats are preferred in cashmere production.

Pygmy Originally exported from Africa. National Pygmy Goat Association, 166 Blackstone St Mendon, MA 01756 Originally exported from Africa. Only 16 to 23 inches tall at withers. Horned. Any color or combination. Research, pets, 4-H and FFA projects, zoos.

Explain methods of producing sheep and goats. Objective #4

How do you produce sheep and goats? Farm Flock Can have 1 to 1,000 animals. Located in midwestern, eastern and southern U.S. Purpose are to produce market lambs and wool. Purebred Flock Sells rams and ewes of an ideal type. High management requirements. Knowledge of genetics. 4-H & FFA members get their first animals from these producers.

How do you produce sheep and goats? Confinement Method Confinement - raising animals completely indoors. Less land. Fewer parasite problems. Ability to monitor animals. Increased building costs. Higher feed costs. Intense management. Range band method Large bands of sheep between 1,000 and 1,500 being managed over a large area by a herder. High vegetation area animals are used for meat. Low vegetation animals are used for wool.

How do you produce sheep and goats? Lamb feeding production. Involves weaning lambs and selling them to feedlots where the lambs are fed out to slaughter weight.

List favorable and unfavorable production factors. Objective #5

Price for wool changes often. What are some favorable and unfavorable production factors you may want to consider before starting a sheep or goat business? Price for wool changes often. Consumption of lamb & mutton are not as common. Cotton & other material are used frequently and that decreases the demand for wool. Predators can kill sheep. Return on investment is usually fast.

Castrating & other health needs can be difficult. What are some favorable and unfavorable production factors you may want to consider before starting a sheep or goat business? Sheep more susceptible to parasites and are less resistant to diseases. Castrating & other health needs can be difficult. Difficult to find knowledgeable help. Easily raised on rough terrain with little feed. Dual income for meat & wool. Animals are easy to handle by young people.

Review What are some specific terms used to describe sheep and goat production? What are some comparisons between sheep and goats? What are common breeds of sheep and goats? How do you produce sheep and goats? What are some favorable and unfavorable production factors you may want to consider some facts before starting a sheep or goat business?