Sheep Breeds Quiz

Sheep Breeds

• Philippine Native Sheep: Believed to originate from Merino imported during the Spanish era. Predominantly white, with brown and brown-white also common. Males are generally horned and Roman-nosed; females are usually polled and thin-tailed, with straight or Roman-nosed ears. Adult weight averages 29.6 kg.

• Superfine Merino: Smaller frame.

• Finewool Merino: Medium-sized, compact frame.

• Medium Wool Merino: Large framed, plain bodied, and open faced.

• Strong Wool Merino: Very large-framed, plain bodied, and open faced.

• Poll Merino: Developed from selecting polled rams.

• Fonthill Merino: Developed by crossing American Rambouillet Merino rams with a fine wool Saxon strain of Merino.

Merino

• Originated in Spain.
• Medium-sized animals with a beautiful appearance.
• A wool sheep breed.
• Strong and hardy animals.
• Need to be shorn at least once a year as their wool continues to grow.

Rambouillet

• Breed of domestic sheep from France.
• Largest of fine wool breeds.
• White in color, large, and have an angular blocky body type.
• Meatier carcass.
• Horned and polled rams. Ewes are polled.
• Strong and hardy.

Suffolk

• Originated in southern England.
• Large with a blocky and muscular body type.
• Face, ears, and legs are black.
• Polled—no wool on the head or legs.
• Fine mutton breed with acceptable wool.

Dorper

• South African breed.
• Dorset Horn x Blackhead Persian Sheep.
• Fast-growing meat sheep; easy care with minimal labor.
• Adaptive to arid extensive regions.
• Thick skin, protecting the sheep from harsh climate.
• High fertility; good maternal instincts.
• Characteristic black head, with some having a white head.

Oxford

• Originated in south-central England.
• One of the largest medium wool breeds of sheep.
• Blocky body type; face, ears, and legs are gray to brown, polled.
• Wool extends over the poll and down to the eye.
• Prolific ewes, good milkers, and fast-growing lambs.

Barbados Blackbelly

• Originated on the island of Barbados in the Caribbean.
• Medium to thick hair coat—brown, tan, or yellow with black underparts and black points (notably on the nose, forehead, and inside the ears).
• Thick hair covering the neck down to the brisket.
• Light carcass.
• Increased resistance to internal parasites.

Border Leicester

• Originated in England.
• Large size and blocky body type.
• White in color and polled.
• No wool on the face and legs; long wool breed.
• Dual-purpose breed.
• Distinctive Roman nose.

Lincoln

• Originated in England (Leicester x Lincolnshire).
• World's largest breed of sheep.
• Rectangular form, deep-bodied.
• Polled.
• Heavy locks twisted into a spiral near the end.

Katahdin

• Originated in Maine, USA.
• Meat sheep that do not require shearing (no fleece production except in very cold weather).
• Thick coat sheds in warmer weather.
• Tolerate humidity, heat, internal and external parasites.
• Docile and easily handled, often producing twins.

Charollais

• From France (same breed as Charolais cattle).
• Leicester longwool x local land-race breeds.
• Used as terminal sires to increase muscling and growth rate of the lambs.
• Fine and short wool.
• Used in fabrics (hoisery, knitting wool, dress fabrics, flannel).

Karakul

• Oldest breed of domesticated sheep.
• Used for milk, meat, tallow, and wool (felted or woven into fabrics/carpeting).
• Wiry coat.
• Large, angular-bodied.
• Face, ears, and legs are black or brown.

St. Croix

• Also known as Virgin Island White.
• Primarily white, but can also have brown, black, or white markings (including spots).
• Rams have a large throat ruff.
• Both sexes are polled.

Test your knowledge about various sheep breeds, including the Philippine Native Sheep and different types of Merino. This quiz covers characteristics, origins, and unique features of these breeds. Perfect for agriculture enthusiasts and livestock farmers.