Introduction to Sheep
1.
Sheep can
survive on both mountain and lowland areas.
2.
They can utilize herbage that other animals cannot. E.g. Heather
3.
They can climb to areas where other animals cannot gain access.
On
lowland farms where Cattle and Sheep are grazed together meat output per
hectare is ed separately.
Why?
Because
sheep can control weeds in pastures as they graze herbage that cattle would not.
For
more information on mixed grazing click here!
The EU is
currently about 75% self-sufficient in sheep meat and of course the production
of wool is an added advantage.
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Classification
of Sheep Breeds
The
Old Means of Classification
1.
Short Wool
Breeds (Suffolk & Down Breeds)
2.
Long Wool
Breeds (Galway, Border Leicester)
3.
Hill &
Mountain Breeds (Wicklow Cheviot, Blackface Mountain.
Do
you want to find out more about wool production, if so click here. The
new method of classification is based on Meat production rather than on wool. Can
you think why?
The New Way of Classifying Sheep Breeds
1.
The Ewe Breeds
– The female of these breeds are able to produce good quality carcasses when
crossed with a quality ram. Examples include
Galway,
Blackface Mountain
and the
Cheviot.
2.
The Prolific Breeds
- Ram breeds who give significantly more offspring than the Galway or other Ewe
Breeds. Examples are the Border Leicester, the
Belclare Improver
and the
Blue
Faced Leicester.
3. The Carcase Breeds - include the Suffolk, Down Breeds and the Texel. These are again Ram Breeds, which impart superior carcase qualities on their offspring. They are also known as TERMINAL SIRES. For carcase guidelines click here!
4. The Cross Breeds – Do not include mongrels. The result of systemised cross breeding policies to produce offspring baring all the best qualities. They usually involve a prolific sire and an indigenous (normal) ewe.
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