Sheep Farming Quiz

Sheep Production and the UK Sheep Industry

• Hayley Hickling BVETMED MRCVS PGCERT VETED FHEA is a teaching fellow in production animal medicine at the University of Surrey.
• Learning objectives include recognizing vocabulary relating to sheep production, describing the UK sheep industry, and identifying common sheep breeds.

Sheep Terminology

• Breeding Animals:
  • Tup/Ram: Breeding male sheep
  • Ewe: Breeding female sheep that have had more than one lambing.
  • Tupping: Mating of a ram and ewe
  • Gimmer: A female ewe lamb from first shearing to giving birth.
  • Ewe lamb: A female lamb destined for breeding (more than a year old).
  • Shearling: A lamb (usually destined for breeding) after its first shearing (1-2 years old).
• Meat Production Animals
  • Fat/finished lambs: Lambs that are ready for slaughter within a year of birth.
  • Hogg/Hogget: Lamb destined for meat (1-2 years old).
• Other important terms
  • Barren: Ewes that do not become pregnant after being tupped (often sold).
  • Broken-mouthed: Sheep that have lost or broken teeth (usually over 6 years old).
  • Draft ewe: Older breeding ewe sold to lower ground for less challenging conditions.
  • Teaser: A vasectomised ram placed among ewes to promote heat cycles.

LO2: Describe the Sheep Industry in the UK

• Hill (Highlands and Islands of Scotland and Wales):
  • Harsh climates, short growing seasons, poor soil quality. 
  • Sheep breeds include Welsh Mountain, Swaledale, and Scottish Blackface. These breeds are hardy, have thick coats, and excel at mothering. They usually have 1 lamb a year.
• Upland (Areas of Northern England and Southwest England):
  • Less harsh climates than the hill areas but still not highly productive land.
  • Bluefaced Leicester, Border Leicester, and Wensleydale are some upland breeds and are more prolific than hill breeds, producing ~2 lambs per year, and performing better on easier terrain compared to the hill breeds).
• Lowland (Central and East England):
  • Mildest conditions, more productive soils.
  • Texel, Suffolk, Charollais, Romney, and Down breeds are examples. These breeds are known for growing quickly, having heavier frames, and higher prolificacy (more lambs).

LO3: Identify Common Breeds of Sheep

• Texel:
  • White head, broad body, wide nostrils, short and stocky build, and tight wool.
• Suffolk:
  • Black heads, white wool, broad heads, large floppy ears, thick legs and broad bodies, and large animals.
• Beltex:
  • Ugly white bodies, broad head, double muscling, a short neck and stout builds.
• Border Leicester:
  • Very large upright ears, all-white, and big animals with tight wool.
• Blue Leicester:
  • Large animals, big ears, tight wool, and similar to the Border Leicester, but with bluish/gray colored heads.
• Scottish Blackface:
  • Black face (with a white triangle marking), horned, small animals, loose, and long wool.
• Swaledale:
  • Small breed, horned, black face with white nose and eyes, and long loose wooly.

UK Stratified Sheep System

• This schematic shows how sheep are stratified (or grouped) across the UK
• This identifies and details how breeding rams and ewes are crossed to produce lamb/slaughter and other varieties.

UK Sheep Industry

• The average UK resident consumes 1.9kg of lamb per year.
• The UK sheep industry employs ~34,000 people on farms and contributes £290 million to the UK economy.
• The UK has 3-5% of the world’s sheep population and 20-25% of sheep in Europe.
• Approximately 1/3 of meat produced in the UK is exported.

Environmental Relevance of the Sheep Industry

• 60% of UK farmland is suitable for grass growth and use.
• Sheep and cattle farming can convert this land into healthy food for a growing population.
• Land that is grazed doesn't release significant carbon emissions and helps mitigate against climate change.
• The uplands (especially in Wales) store a substantial amount of carbon and serve as filters for rainwater.

Conservation and the Sheep Industry

• Sheep help maintain grasslands and uplands, which support plant and animal biodiversity.
• The presence of sheep helps control wildfire occurrences.
• Sheep naturally fertilize soil in areas, which promotes crop growth.

Production Cycle

• A flow chart outlining the stages of sheep production from putting sheep to the ram, lambing, weaning, feeding (flushing) before tupping, winter finishing, and slaughtering.

Sheep Farming Breeding Calendar

• A calendar-based table describing the various stages of sheep breeding, including scanning for pregnancy diagnosis, preparation, and mating season, and peak lambing times.

Lamb

• Lambs are slaughtered and roughly weigh 40kg, with deadweight approximately 19kg.
• Lambs are typically 5-8 months old at slaughter.
• Fully trimmed, raw lean lamb typically contains just 8% fat.
• Regional logos (such as Red Tractor) help ensure quality standards are met.

Mutton

• Mutton is meat from sheep that are over two years old.
• The taste and texture are different from lamb, with this product more often from ewes towards the end of their productive life.
• Mutton is available year round.

Carcass Classifications

• Sheep carcasses conform to various types/grades relating to fatness and conformation.
• UK government metrics measure and categorise quality.

Wool

• Wool has been historically valued as an all-weather protection for humans.
• Wool is a renewable and recyclable material.
• Sheep farmers are often compensated on a fleece basis.

Milk

• Sheep milk production is a growing and niche industry in the UK
• Sheep milk output tends to be higher in fat and protein content than cow's milk.
• Sheep milk is often used in cheese production.

Hobby Sheep Farming

• Sheep are occasionally kept as pets.
• Farmers must adhere to legal requirements, such as register holding.

Farm Assurance Schemes

• Schemes such as Red Tractor are accepted by buyers.
• Red Tractor ensures quality within livestock, from food safety to animal welfare to traceability and environmental protection.

Farm Accreditation Schemes

• Several schemes and/or brands have been adopted to ensure quality control (e.g., Premium Sheep & Goat Health Scheme).

Government

• DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) is the UK government's department responsible for safeguarding the environment, supporting food and farming, and sustaining a thriving rural economy.
• APHA (Animal & Plant Health Agency) is responsible for the protection of animal and plant health.
• AHDB (Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board) is responsible for market information and improving supply chain transparency.