Sheep and Goat Production

United States Sheep

2013: 5.34 million head. Decrease of 1% from 2012. Breeding sheep: 3.98 million head. Decrease 1% from 2012. Ewes 1 year old and older: 3.14 million head. Decrease 1% from 2012. Market sheep and lambs: 1.36 million head. Decrease 1% from 2012. 2012 lambing rate: 109 lambs per 100 ewes, one year old and older. 2012 shorn wool production: 28.5 million lbs. Decrease 3% from 2012. 2012 shorn sheep and lambs totaled 3.93 million head. 2012 average price for wool = $1.53/lb. 2012 total wool value = $43.6 million. Decrease of 11% ($48.9 million) from 2011.

USA Sheep Inventory, 2014

5.21 million total, -2.3% from 2012 Peak 1942, 56 million 3.88 million breeding sheep, -1% 1.33 million market sheep and lambs, -1% 3.46 million 2012 lamb crop, -2% 109 lambs per 100 ewes one year old and older. 28.5 million lbs shorn wool, -3% 3.93 million head shorn, -2% $1.26/lb for wool, 7.3 lbs. average clip Total value of $43.6 million -11% from 2011, $48.9 million

Goat Terminology

Buck - Dairy: Male of breeding age Billy - Meat Wether: Castrated male Buck kid: Immature male Doe: Mature female Doe kid: Immature female Kid: Newborn

Geep

Chimera, Combine embryos of goat and sheep. Has cells of goat and sheep origin.

Goat Types / Uses

Dairy: Milk production, lesser for meat. Angora: Mohair production, lesser for brush clearance and meat. Meat: Meat production, brush clearance, skins and fine leather. Pygmy: Important, disease-resistant meat and milk producer, pet.

No

Do all sheep have wool?

No

Do any goats have wool?

What species were domesticated before sheep?

Dogs and reindeer

Sheep History

Domesticated about 11,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent of western Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. Theory: Three subspecies of the wild Mouflon (Ovis gmelini spp., Argali, Mouflon, and Urial) form the base. First 'meat' animals domesticated. Theory: Hunters may have brought orphaned animals back to their homes. Mouflon are docile and cute as babies, may have been kept long enough to reach sexual maturity and begin breeding. Provide meat, milk, milk products, hide, bones (building, tools, fertilizer, etc.), wool (later...). DNA studies of European, African, and Asian domestic sheep suggest there are three distinct lineages. Type A: Asian Type B: European Type C: Turkey and China All three types are descended from different wild ancestor species of the Mouflon in the Fertile Crescent. Over 1,000 distinct breeds of sheep. More breeds than any other species of livestock.

Sheep Classification

Fine wool - merino, ramboulle Medium wool - Hampshire, cheviot, dorset Black face - Hampshire, Suffolk, oxford White face - cheviot, dorset, all wool sheep

Difference Between Sheep and Goats (Tails)

Goat tail goes up. Sheep tail goes down.

Difference Between Sheep and Goats (Foraging)

Goats: Browsers. Prefer leaves, twigs, vines, shrubs. Eat the tops of plants. Harder fleshing: Require a more nutritious diet. Sheep: Grazers. Prefer short, tender grasses and legumes. Prefer broadleaf weeds and graze close to the soil surface.

Difference Between Sheep and Goats (Behavior)

Goats: Naturally curious and independent. Seek shelter more readily. Sheep: Stronger flocking instinct. MUCH easier to keep a sheep inside a fence than a goat. Neither species likes it's feet wet and both prefer upland grazing to lowland. Fight: Ram backs up and charge to butt heads. Goat rears on hind legs to come down forcibly to butt heads. Advantage RAM!

Goat Terminology and Facts

Group of goats: Tribe or Trip Kidding: Act of parturition Age of Puberty: 7-10 months Estrous Cycle Length: 18-22 days Gestation Length: 146-155 days Breeding Season: August-January Seasonal Anestrous: February-July Average number(s) born: 1 - 2 (+) Weaning Age: 6 weeks to 3 months Pasture Carrying Capacity: 3-5 does & kids per acre Expected Life Span: 8-12 years

Sheep Terminology and Facts

Group of sheep: Flock Lambing: Act of parturition Age of Puberty: 5-8 months Estrous Cycle Length: 17 days Gestation Length: 145-153 days Breeding Season: August-January Seasonal Anestrous: February-July Average number(s) born: 1-2 Weaning Age: 6 weeks to 3 months Pasture Carrying Capacity: 3-5 ewes and lambs per acre Expected Life Span: 6-11 years.

Sheep Classification

Kingdom: Animalia (animal) Phylum: Cordata (vertebrates) Class: Mammalia (suckle their young) Order: Ungulata (hoofed mammals) Sub Order: Artiodactyla (even toed Ungulata) Section: Pecora (typical ruminants) Family: Bovidae (hollow-horned ruminants) Subfamily: Caprinae (sheep and goats) Genus: Ovis (sheep) Species: Ovis aries (domesticated sheep)

Sheep Primary Purpose

Meat, milk, wool.

Sheep Types / Uses

Meat: Meat production, brush clearance, lesser for wool and skins (Asia, Europe, Oceania, Africa, Russia). Wool: Wool production, brush clearance, lesser for meat and skins. Different types and grades of wool. Dairy: Milk production, lesser for wool and meat.

Goat History

Neolithic farmers kept small flocks of goats for milk, meat, dung for fuel, and materials for clothing and building: hair, bone, skin, and sinew. How did they get to Europe, then to North America? More than 300 breeds. Breeds selected separately for milk, fiber, and meat production. Live in many climates: mountains to desert. Wild goats are from mountain habitats. Called "Poor Man's Cow" for ability to thrive on poor forage and in harsh environments.

54- Sheep

Number of Chromosomes?

Leg, Loin, Rack (rib), shoulder

Primal Cuts of Sheep Carcass

Sheep - Terminology

Ram: Male of breeding age Buck... Wether: Castrated male Ram lamb: Immature male Buck lamb... Ewe: Female of breeding age Ewe lamb: Immature female Lamb: Newborn

Sheep-Goat Hybrid

Rarely fertile Male especially, Haldane's Law

China, India, Australia, Sudan, New Zealand

Sheep and Goat Meat Production, Countries, 2010

2012 US Livestock Numbers

Sheep operations = 79,500 (2012) All operations with breeding sheep: 93.9% had 1-99 head 5% had 100-499 head 1.1% had 500+ head Operations with 1-99 head account for 35.3% of the inventory 100-499 head account for 21.1% of the inventory 500+ head account for 43.6% of the inventory

Differences Between Sheep and Goats (Physical Traits)

Sheep: Upper lip divided by a distinct philtrum (groove). Face or tear glands beneath eyes and foot or scent glands between toes. Many breeds are naturally polled. Horns tend to curl in loops on the side of the head. Goats: Glands beneath their tail. Bucks develop very STRONG odor as they grow in sexual maturity. Ram much weaker odor during breeding season. Some goats have beards. Most goats are naturally horned. Horns are narrower, upright, and less curved.

Morphological Changes (Signs of domestication)

Smaller body size. Ewes without horns. Demographic profiles including large populations of young animals. Develop more wool and less hair. Color of wool and hair changed from brown-ish to white and black-ish. Ears become more of a lop than erect. Tails have less vertebrae. Smaller brain...

Texas, California, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah

Top 5 USA Sheep Producing States

World Sheep and Goat Meat Production

World (2010): 13,459,000 tons Annual Growth (2000-2010): 2.1% Asia: 7,716,000 tons, +2.8% China, India, Iran, Sri Lanka Africa: 2,872,000 tons, +3.2% Sudan, Nigeria, Algeria, South Africa Europe: 1,287,000 tons, -1.2% Russia, United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, France Oceania: 1,053,000 tons, -1.5% Almost all from Australia and New Zealand Latin America and Caribbean: 438,000 tons, +0.2% Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Peru North America: 92,000 tons, -2.3% Almost all from USA (76,000 tons) and Canada (16,000 tons)

China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria

World Goat Numbers by Country, 2008

World Sheep Productivity

World sheep and lamb numbers are similar to the 1960s. Productivity increases cause world production to increase from 11 billion pounds in 1965 to 18 billion pounds in 2011. In past five years, sheep inventories in Australia and New Zealand have decreased 18%. Result of declines in wool demand and drought. Production increase in China and India, while world population growth and increasing incomes in developing countries have caused demand to increase more than supply. Result in US lamb prices exceeding $150/cwt the past couple years. Averaged $125/cwt from 1996-2009.