Sheep Beginner Study Guide.docx

**Health** - Temperature: 102-104 degrees Fahrenheit (Lambs 102.5-104) - Heart rate: 60-120 beats per minute - Respiratory rate: 12-20 breaths per minute **Nutrition** **All feeds include six basic nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, lipids,** **minerals, vitamins and water**....

**Health** - Temperature: 102-104 degrees Fahrenheit (Lambs 102.5-104) - Heart rate: 60-120 beats per minute - Respiratory rate: 12-20 breaths per minute **Nutrition** **All feeds include six basic nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, lipids,** **minerals, vitamins and water**. **Digestive System** **Ruminant Defined** An animal with four distinct compartments in its stomach, which swallows its food essentially unchewed, regurgitates it, chews it thoroughly and reswallows it. o Examples include cattle, sheep, goats Four Compartments of the Ruminant 1\. Reticulum -- honeycomb -- 5% of capacity 2\. Rumen -- paunch -- 80% of capacity 3\. Omasum -- manyplies -- 7% of capacity 4\. Abomasum -- true stomach -- 8% of capacity **Meat** o Grades for lamb include Prime, Choice, Select and Commercial. o Three maturity grades are: 1\. Lamb, anything less than 1 year old 2\. Yearling mutton 3\. Mutton o Consumers in the U.S. demand almost exclusively, lamb. o Most lambs are grade Choice. Quality grades, reflect differences in eating quality of meat based on: o Marbling scores -- amount of fat interspersed in the muscle. o Maturity scores -- reflects age of animal at slaughter. Types of quality grades are: o **Prime** o **Choice** o **Select** o **Commercial** Wholesale cuts are larger cuts of meat that are shipped to grocery stores and meat markets.  For example, a fore quarter or chuck contains roasts, stew meat, etc. **Wool** Growth of Wool, Hair and Mohair Wool or hair fiber growth takes place in the root bulb of a follicle which occurs in the outer layers of the skin. **Signs of a Sick Lamb** - Bloating - Lethargic - loss of appetite - Quick breathing - Diarrhea - Cold mouth - Pale gums - Gasping - Coughing - Swelling or redness of the navel **Predominant Breeds** Meat type breeds o Dorset o Suffolk o Hampshire Wool breeds o Columbia o Corriedale o Merino Hair breeds o Barbados Blackbelly o St. Croix o Katahdin **Production** Meat production in sheep is more efficient primarily due to twinning. Frequency of twinning in sheep \~ 40-60%. Many lambs (\~ 30-40%) can be marketed as fat lambs at about 5-7 months of age. Fat lambs average 100-130 lbs at marketing condition or finish. Normally require 45-60 days on high grain or lush pasture diets. Some are marketed directly off the ewe if creep fed. Wool production and value is another asset characteristic only of sheep. Wool represents less than 20% of the gross return. Lamb is responsible for 80% or more of the gross return in fine wool breeds. More interest in hair breeds for heat tolerance.  **[\ ]**