Ovine and Caprine Husbandry: restraint and breed
Dr. Dipa Brahmbhatt VMD MPH
Chapter 14 - 1
Objectives• Zoological classification of the species.• Terminology associated with the species.• Physiological data for the species• Prominent anatomical or physiological properties of the species.• ID and describe characteristics of common breeds. • ID and know the uses of common instruments relevant to the
species. • Normal living environments and husbandry needs of the species.• reproductive practices of the species.• Specific nutritional requirements of the species.
Reading Assignment
Chapter 14: Ovine and Caprine Husbandry and small ruminants terminology
Zoological Classification of Sheep and Goats
• Kingdom: Animal• Phylum: Chordata• Class: Mammalia• Order : Artiodactyla• Family: Bovidae• Genus and species
– Ovis Aries– Capra Hircus
Terminology for Sheep
• Ewe: Adult female• Ram: Adult male • Wether: Castrated male• Yearling ewe: Immature female• Lamb: Neonate• Wether lamb: Castrated neonate• Ram lamb: Intact male neonate• Ewe lamb: Female lamb• Lambing: Act of parturition
Terminology for Goats
• Doe/nanny: Mature female• Buck/billy: Mature male • Wether: Castrated male • Yearling doe: Immature female• Kid: Neonate• Buck kid: Male less than one year • Doe kid: Female less than one year• Kidding: Act of parturition
Sheep and Goats: Both family Bovidae
• Sheep – Ovis aries– Tail down– Grazers close to soil
(short tender grasses and clovers)
– Distant and aloof– Distinct philtrum– Curved horns
• Goats – Capra Hircus– Tail up (unless sick)– Natural browsers on top
of plants (twigs, vine, shrubs)
– Curious and independent
– Distinct odor as they mature
– Straight horns
Sheep & Goat Overview• Originated: Europe and cooler regions on Asia.• Important in temperate and tropical agriculture.• Provide fibers, milk, meat, and hides.
– Sheep• Milk: more nutritious• Cheese: Feta (Greece, Italy, and France), Ricotta and Pecorino Romano (Italy) and Roquefort (France)• Fiber and meat
– Goat: milk, meat, fiber
• Versatile and efficient: developing countries.
Sheep & Goat Overview
Sheep – declined in the U.S. (less than 0.2% of total farm revenue in U.S.). Mostly import. Avg: 50/ farm– Less demand for wool.– Declining demand for lamb in consumer diets.– Difficulty in obtaining/keeping reliable herders– Competition for public-owned rangeland.– Predators ~ 23% lost before maturity
Basic Physical Examination
Rectal Temperature
Heart
Rate
Respiratory Rate
102.5
range
101.0-104.0
70-90/min 12-25/min
102.0
range
101.0-104.0
70-90/min 12-30/min
Anatomical Terms for Sheep
Anatomical Terms for Goats
Sheep breeds
• Fine wool breeds: FWB– Merino, Rambouillet
• Medium wool breeds: MWB– Cheviot, Corriedale, Dorset, Finnish Sheep,
Hampshire, Montadale, Oxford, Polypay, Romanov, Shropshire, Southdown, Suffolk
• Long wool breeds: LWB– Cotswold, Leicester, Lincoln, Romney,
Sheep Breeds
• Meat Breeds or Medium wool– Mainly used for meat production– Are predominant in the U.S.– Include Dorset, Suffolk, and
Hampshire
• Fine Wool Breeds– Highest quality Merino from Spain
and Rambouillet from France, predominant breed in Australia is the Merino
• Long wool• Hair breeds
Jacob
• Origin: England• Two, four, or six horns• Black and white fleece• Fleece is highly sought
after• Unimproved breed• Rare breed
Barbado•Originated in TX.
•Barbados Blackbelly sheep crossed with Rambouillet
•Hair: short hair - coarse wool with a large amount of kemp fibers.•Sex: Males – horns; females - polled•Color: tan, tan with a pale or black belly or pied•Hair (meat)
Cheviot
Cheviot: MWB• Origin: Scotland• Color: White-faced sheep, wool-
free face and legs, pricked ears, black muzzle/nostrils and black hooves
• MWB: resilient and durable– Wool has a helical crimp
• Ease of lambing & strong mothering instinct, resistant to cold, windy climate
• Tend to be resistant to worms and footrot
Dorset: MWB
• Origin:Southern England
• MWB• Most popular white-
faced breed in the United States (2nd after Suffolk: black face)
• Horned and polled varieties exist
Ewes breed out of season: fall lambs
Dorset
White: ear, nose, face and legs, pink skin; Wool: head and legs, Polled and horned
Dorset (cont’d)
Columbia: MWB
• Developed by USDA: long wool breeds crossed with high quality Rambouillet
• Developed to thrive on Western ranges
• Produce medium wool and large amounts of meat
Corriedale: MWB• Origin: New Zealand &
Southern England– Most popular breed
in South America• White face, ear, legs
and wool on head and legs
• meat and wool• bulky, high density wool
Corriedale
Corriedale (cont’d)
Royal White• hair breed, privately funded
in Hermleigh, Texas (heat resistant)
• longer hair coat in the fall - shed spring.
• pure white. • Ewes and rams are polled• Scrapie resistant?
Southdown: MWB• Origin: England• suited to farm flock
production• Medium size: good
conformation• Polled• Medium ears carried erect• Light brown face and legs
with wool on head and legs• Adapted to wet conditions
Southdown
Oxford: MWB
• Origin: England• 2nd largest sheep breed• Brown/gray face and
legs• White with black ears
and bridge of nose• Meat-type breed• forage for its own food
Oxford
Hampshire: MWB
• Origin: Hampshire, England– Popular: Midwest
• Black face, legs, nose• Mild demeanor• Polled• Unbroken wool cap • Meat, multiple births
(wool)
Hampshire
Suffolk• Origin: England• Most popular breed - US• Large• large amounts of meat• White with black faces, ears
and legs; droopy ears• Polled• Great market lambs
Suffolk
Merino: FWB• Origin: Spain
– Most popular breed in Australia
• wool breed: high quality• White-faced and legs, white wool on head and legs.
Skin: pale• Rams: horned; ewes polled A, B, C
American merinos: Wrinkled skin A > BC: Little wrinkle: Delaine Merinos, popular US
Merino
Rambouillet
• Origin: France– Developed from
Spanish Merino• White-faced and legs,
white wool on head and legs Skin: pale
• Rams: horned/polled; ewes polled
• Large angular body• Western states
Rambouillet
Lincoln: LWB
• Origin: England• largest breed of sheep• Long-wool• White faces and legs• Polled• Pronounced forelock
between the ears, ringlets - wool
• Crossbreeding programs
Lincoln
Breeds of Goat
• Common meat breeds– Boer– Spanish– Pygmy
• Common dairy breeds– French Alpine– LaMancha– Nubian– Saanen– Toggenburg
• Common fiber breed– Angora– Cashmere
Goats
• Meat Breeds: Boer Goat– White with brown head fromSouth Africa• Milk breeds: Nubian,Toggenburg, Saanen,Oberhasli, Lamanche,Alpine– Heavy milk producers perbody size vs. cattleproduction per body size• Hair breeds for Mohair(Angora) and Cashmere
Major Breeds of GoatsToggenburg (Switzerland)
Medium in size Hair is short or medium in length Ears are Erect and Forward Face may be straight or dished Color is solid varying from Usually polledlight fawn to dark chocolate Distinct white markings
white ears with dark spot in middle two white stripes down face from
above each eye white legs below knee and hock white triangle on either side of the
tail. some have wattles
Oberhasli kid with wattles
Toggenburg
Major Breeds of GoatsAlpine (French Alps) - Dairy
Medium to large sized only breed with erect ears
all colors and combinations of colors: Pure white, black; shades: fawn, brown, gray buff, red
Hair is medium to short straight face with roman nose
Polled and horned
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/goats/
French Alpine
Major Breeds GoatsGolden Guernsey (Channel island: British)
color varies from cream to brown usually polled
lower in milk production than most Swiss breeds higher in butter fat and protein %
Major Breeds of GoatsSaanen (Switzerland) (NOT ROYAL WHITE)
Usually yields 3-4% milkfat: “Queen of dairy goats” medium to large in size white or light cream in color. Ears are erect and carried forward. Face straight or dished• Are popular in US with dairies due to the quantity of milk they produce.• Large size, vitality, herd compatibility, great temperament
Saanen
Major Breeds GoatsNubian (Africa)
Large framed, most polled face being convex between the eyes and muzzle
ears are long, wide and pendulous. They flare out in a bell shape. Any color or colors, solid or patterned: black, gray, cream, white, tan
and reddish brown• Their milk tends to be higher in protein and butter fat than other
breeds.
Nubian
Major Breeds GoatsLaMancha (Oregon)
Face is straight Gopher ear - max one inch in length preferably non-existent cartilage or Elf ear-max.
length of two inches with tip being turned up or down They have ears that are so small that it looks like they don't have ears (no cartilage) Any color or combination is acceptable. Hair is short, fine and glossy high butterfat
LaMancha
Major Breeds GoatsAngora (Asia Minor) or Mohair
From Angora, Turkey Both sexes are horned: they are some that are polled
Pronounced spiral to the horn Utilized in Mohair Production (Mohair is a silky textile produced from the hair of the
angora goat). White in color
Fiber: kid fleece is more valuable. 6-7 lb / year/ head to fiber
Goat Breeds and SelectionAngora Goat Selection
In selecting for fiber, one is interested in both
quantity (weight) and quality of fiber (length,
fineness, style, character, etc.).
In addition to fiber, one must be concerned
with traits that contribute to the survival or
viability (soundness, fertility, etc.) of the
individual.
Angora
Major Breeds GoatsBoer (South Africa)
Also known as the Africander Early maturing
White color with red head and white blaze: breed standards Fertile
Usually horned Large
Fertility high: kidding rate 200% so 3 kiddings every 2 years
Boer
Major Breeds of GoatsSpanish (Spain)
Feral goat/ brush goat/ meat goat native to U.S.
Long horns, all colors accepted Descended from the goats that
were released or escaped from the early Spanish explorers
Utilized for meat and milk Fat content is less than beef Prolific: survive with little care:
popular in TX
Spanish
Major Breeds GoatsNigerian Dwarf (West Africa)
Main colors are black, chocolate and gold with random white markings.
Breed year round They give 3-4# of milk per day at 6 to 10% butterfat
They make great pets
Major Breeds of GoatsPygmy Goat (French cameroon, Africa)
Full coat of straight, medium-long hair. All colors are acceptable
Polled animals are NOT accepted by registry Females will not have beard or sparse/trimmed, males have beard
Muzzle, forehead, eyes and ears are accented in tones lighter than the dark portion of the body. Make good pets Meat and milk
Pygmy
Pygmy (cont’d)
Pygmy (cont’d)
References
• http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/cheviot/
• http://www.sheep101.info/breedsC_list.html• K Holtgrew-Bohling , Large Animal Clinical
Procedures for Veterinary Technicians, 2nd Edition, Mosby, 2012, ISBN: 97803223077323