Livestock Production: Sheep and Goats Breeds - Form 1 Agriculture Notes

• Sheep Breeds:
  • Purpose of Keeping Sheep
  • Exotic Sheep
  • Indigenous Breeds
• Goat Breeds
  • Indigenous Goat Breeds
  • Exotic Breeds

Sheep Breeds:

Purpose of Keeping Sheep;

• Meat (mutton).
• Wool production.

Exotic Sheep

• Wool breeds -for example merino.
• Dual purpose- for example Corriedale, Romney marsh.
• Mutton breeds -for example Hampshire Down, Dorpers.

Merino

Origin: Spain

Characteristics:

• It has white face and its lips and nostrils are pink in colour.
• Rams have horns which are spiral in shape.
• It is susceptible to foot rot, worm and respiratory diseases.

Corriedale

• Origin: New Zealand.
• Size: Rams 85 - 90kg. Ewes 60-- 85 kg
• This is a dual-purpose breed with white open face and white spots on the legs.
• It is hornless and hardy.

Romney Marsh

• Origin: England.
• Size: Rams 100 - 115kg.
• Ewes 84- 100 kg
• It is a dual-purpose breed which is hornless with wide poll and black nostrils and lips.
• It is average in prolificacy.
• It is resistant to foot rot diseases and worm infestation.

Hampshire Down

• Origin: England.
• Size: Rams 125kg. Ewes 80-100 kg
• It is a mutton breed which is early maturing, hardy and prolific.
• Fleece is of poor quality because of the black fibres.
• Lambing percentage is 125-140.

Dorper

• Is a crossbreed of Dorset horn and black head Persian sheep.
• It is mutton breed.

Indigenous Breeds

Dorset Horn

• Dual purpose breed of sheep.
• Indigenous Breeds of Sheep
• Their bodies are covered with hair.
• Their classification is based on their tails and their names vary according to different tribes.
• Characteristics;
  • Thin tailed sheep found in West Africa.
  • Fat tailed such as Maasai sheep.
  • Fat rumped sheep.

Maasai Sheep

• Found in South Western Kenya and Northern Tanzania.
• Size: Ram 38kg, Ewe 20-30kg.
• Colour: Red and brown.
• These are early maturing with long legs and small pointed horns.

Black Head Persian Sheep

• Origin: South Africa
• Colour: White with black head and neck.
• It is polled with a big dewlap, fat rump and a curved tail..

Goat Breeds

Goats well adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions because of the following characteristics:

• They feed on a wide range of vegetation.
• They require very little amount of water.
• They are tolerant to high temperatures.
• They are fairly resistant to diseases.
• They can walk long distances without losing weight.

Indigenous Goat Breeds

Galla 

(white in colour). Adult female can weigh 25kg.

Somali (Boran):

Found in Northern Kenya (white in colour).

Turkana/Samburu:

(Long hair and bearded.

Mubende:

(Black) (40-45kg). These are small and hardy and are kept for meat and milked by the pastoralists.

Exotic Breeds

Boer goat

• Origin: South Africa
• Colour: White
• Has long ears and long hair on their bodies.

Anglo-Nubian

• Origin: North East Africa
• Colour: Roan and White
• These have long legs, lopped ears and are polled.
• They produce 1-2 litres of milk per , day.

Jumnapari

• Origin: India
• Colour: White, black and fawn.
• They are horned, have large lopped ears
• Produce 1-1.5_litres of milk per day.

Toggenburg

• Origin: Switzerland
• Colour: White patches on the body, white stripes on the face and neck.
• Erect forward pointing ears and polled.
• Can produce 2-3 of milk per day.

Saanen

• Origin: Switzerland.
• Colour: White
• They have erect, forward pointing ears and polled.
• Can produce 2-3 Iitres of milk per day.

Angora

• Origin: Angora in Asia.
• Colour: White
• It is kept for wool production.