Sheep are one of the most unpretentious pets. That is why they are bred not only on large farms, but also in small households. They have high plasticity and adaptability to different climatic conditions and feeding regimes, therefore, it was possible to breed a huge number of breeds of these animals, adapted to life in different climatic zones.

This article is a complete guide to sheep breeds. It provides a detailed classification of animals in terms of productivity, and photos and videos will help to objectively assess the advantages and disadvantages of a particular species.

Sheep species

At the moment, there are about 60 different types of sheep, each of which is adapted to certain climatic and forage conditions.

In addition to adaptability, a valuable quality of these animals is the ability to eat the most inexpensive food. Physiological features(a pointed head, movable lips and sharp oblique teeth) allow them to eat even the most scarce and stunted vegetation on desert pastures, and their natural endurance makes it possible to drive them over long distances.

Note: Sheep are classified as ruminants, but their digestive tract differs from other types of livestock in that they are able to digest well even roughage and quickly assimilate a variety of nutrients.

However, they do not tolerate high humidity and intense heat, although the dense coat allows the animals to tolerate the cold well, therefore, in the southern regions of the country, they are often kept in open pastures all year round. In addition, animals have a unique opportunity to use their own fat deposits on the tail or in the fat tail in order to survive the period of starvation, when the pastures are covered with snow. The diagram of the digestive tract of animals is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Diagram of the digestive system

Sheep also have a long life expectancy (about 12-14 years), but in most farms they are kept up to a maximum of eight years, since during this period the maximum productivity falls. All animals reach puberty early (females are ready for mating already at the age of seven months), but to maximize productivity, the first mating is carried out at one and a half years of age.

Animals have well-developed udders, but their main purpose is to produce wool, not milk.

Note: Sheep and rams are also an important source of meat, but for this, special meat-oriented animals should be bred. The best quality meat is obtained from animals in the first year of life, since during this period they are most active in accumulating muscle mass and fat.

Sheep milk is also a valuable product. In comparison with cow, it contains much more protein, fats and other useful substances, and the dairy products of sheep are much better absorbed by the human body.

Taking into account the productive biological qualities, for the distribution by the nature of the coat, the production classification given below is used.

Coarse-haired

Coarse-haired are divided into several directions depending on the type of raw materials produced (Figure 2):

• Fur coat and meat mainly include animals of the Romanov type. Individuals produce high quality sheepskins with excellent heat-shielding properties and high durability. In addition, queens give birth to several lambs per variability and can hunt outside of the mating season.
• Smushkovye (karakul and sokolskaya) are used for the production of beautiful, durable and lightweight buns, which are in great demand in the market. Representatives of the Karakul breed, in addition to sheepskin, produce high-quality milk and meat, and are suitable for year-round keeping on pastures with poor quality feed. Sokolsky animals give gray smushki of a lower quality than astrakhan animals, but due to their specific color they are also very popular.
• Meat products have high endurance and are suitable for year-round grazing. In conditions of poor feeding, individuals begin to consume their own body fat to replenish the lack of nutrients. The meat-feeding direction includes the Hissar breed, the individuals of which are considered the largest in the world.
• Meat-wool and dairy mainly distributed in the mountains of the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia. In animals of this direction, coarse wool with a high fluff content, therefore, it is used for the production of various textiles. Meat with high taste is considered no less valuable.

Figure 2. Representatives of coarse-haired species: 1 - Romanovskaya, 2 - Karakul

Coarse-haired species also include the sheepskin-meat and meat-wool direction. Semi-coarse-wool species, in addition to wool production, have a high meat-greasy productivity. Individuals of this type are perfectly adapted to keeping in arid conditions, therefore they are most often bred on open pastures in the mountainous regions of Central Asia.

Fine-wooled

Fine-wooled ones have a high crimp of wool and are used not only for the production of wool, but also for meat. These breeds are classified into three distinct types (Figure 3):

• Woolen wool is used to produce high quality merino wool. In fine-wooled individuals, meat productivity is poorly developed, but they have a high folding of the skin, which allows you to get a lot of wool from healthy individuals. Since the sheep of this direction better than others adapt to the feeding conditions on arid pastures, they are often bred in the Volga region, Stavropol region, Dagestan and Kalmykia.
• Woolly meat ones have a larger physique and fewer folds on the skin. Individuals in this area are equally highly productive for the production of wool and meat. However, their qualities are best manifested in temperate climates and under conditions of adequate feeding. Often, representatives of the wool and meat direction are bred in Altai, the Caucasus and southern Ukraine.
• Meat-wool ones have low skin folding (or its complete absence), but they have excellent meat characteristics, and puberty occurs early. The positive qualities of animals of the meat and wool direction are well manifested only in favorable climatic conditions and good feeding. Therefore, woolly meat species are rarely bred in semi-arid or dry climates.

Figure 3. Fine-wooled species: 1 - Dagestan mountain, 2 - Askanian, 3 - Grozny

Semi-fine wool

Semi-fine wool often combine meat and wool qualities. Depending on the species, animals have a uniform coat of varying thickness and crimp (Figure 4).

They are divided into two types:

• Longhaired they have a strong constitution, they have a wide head and a good covering of the body. Meat-wool long-haired sheep are divided into individuals with luster and semi-luster wool, and also into animals of the corridle type. Individuals with luster hair (Lincoln, Russian long-haired) have thick skin and a large mass of fleece. The coat is white, long and uniform, has a strong luster (chandelier).
• Meat-coated short-haired(Gorky, Lithuanian black-headed, Tsigai) have a strong constitution, but the coat is not long, although it is uniform and white.

Figure 4. Common semi-fine-wool species: 1 - Gorky, 2 - Kuibyshev, 3 - Tsigai, 4 - Russian long-haired

Sheep with semi-lustrous wool also have a high coat and provide a lot of raw materials, but the wool has a lower sheen. Individuals of the corridel type are the most resistant. They have a uniform white coat with good crimp and a lot of shears. However, a distinctive feature is their high viability: they can be kept year-round in open pastures in a dry climate.

Sheep breeds - photo and description

Depending on the direction of productivity, several of the best breeds can be distinguished, which are suitable for keeping in large farms and subsidiary plots of various climatic zones.

There are the following areas of productivity:

1. Fine wool wool include Grozny and Stavropol. They are bred primarily for quality wool. Individuals have well-developed skin and bones, and there are many folds on the neck, limbs and trunk.
2. Fine-wooled wool-meat direction: Askanian, Transbaikal, Caucasian.
3. Fine-woolen meat-wool: Arkhamerinos, Dagestan mountainous. In such animals, there is no folding of the skin, the skeleton is moderately developed, and the meat characteristics are pronounced. It is thanks to the meat orientation that the wool is cut from them with the lowest mediums of fine-wool.
4. Semi-fine wool with long chandelier wool include the Lincoln and Russian Longhair breeds. These animals have a strong constitution and a wide head, and the body is barrel-shaped with pronounced meaty forms. In addition, semi-fine wool sheep with long chandelier wool have a high quality fleece. It is uniform, white and has a bright sheen.
5. Semi-fine wool with semi-luster wool - this is the Kuibyshev and Romney march. Such animals also have a strong constitution, a wide and deep chest and strong legs. The wool is uniform, but shines less than that of luster.
6. The most popular short-haired semi-fine wool Gorky, Latvian dark-headed, Tsigai and Estonian dark-headed are considered. The most numerous is Tsigai. The animals have a strong constitution, they perfectly adapt to different climatic conditions of keeping and are unpretentious in food. Animal wool is very strong, resilient, does not felle and is therefore often used for the manufacture of technical fabrics and fibers.
7. Semi-coarse include Altai, Saraja and Tajik breeds. The peculiarity of animals is that they are perfectly adapted to grazing in the climatic conditions of Central Asia. They have a coarse coat with a lot of fluff and transition fibers. It is often white in color. Animals of the Tajik species are considered larger.
8. Coarse fur coat and meat include the Romanov breed, which is considered the most common. A distinctive feature of animals is high fertility. For one offspring, queen bees often bring 2-3 lambs, and the hunt begins regardless of the season. It is they who give the best sheepskins, which are distinguished by high heat-shielding qualities, lightness and strength.
9. To coarse-haired smushkov include Karakul and Sokolskaya. Karakul are valued for their beautiful, lightweight and durable white beetles. Sokolskie have sushki of lower quality, but it is valued for its unusual gray color with a blue tint.
10. Coarse-haired meat breeds are as follows (Figure 5): Gissar - animals are very large (the weight of rams can reach 170 kg, and queens - 80 kg). The cut of the wool is not high, but it gives a lot of high-quality mutton. Jaidara: Animals are inferior to the Gissar and Edilbaevs in terms of meat and wool productivity, but they are more unpretentious in terms of keeping conditions and are suitable for breeding in arid regions. Edilbaevskaya is considered to be more productive in wool (in comparison with sheep of the Hissar breed), but they give less meat and are slightly smaller in size.
11. Meat-wool-milk coarse-wool the direction includes animals of the Balbas, Karachai and Lezgin breeds. Balbas is used not only for the production of mutton, but also for coarse wool, from which the outerwear of the cap is made. A distinctive feature is an average physique, excellent endurance and adaptability to various climatic conditions of detention.
12. Meat-wool coarse-wool- these are Voloshskaya, Kuchugurovskaya and Cherkasskaya.

Figure 5. Animals of the meat-feeding direction: 1 - Gissar, 2 - Karachai

Below is a detailed description of the most popular and productive breeds of animal species.

Romanovskaya

Sheep of the Romanov breed of strong constitution, with a wide chest and withers. The main sign of the cleanliness of the species is the complete absence of horns (Figure 6). Animals have a short tail without fat deposits. Due to its high productive qualities, it is used not only for obtaining high-quality raw materials, but also for breeding new species.

Figure 6. Representatives of the Romanov breed

Animals of the Romanov breed are sheared three times a year, in accordance with the timing of the seasonal molt. A delay in trimming can degrade the quality of the coat. In addition to high-quality wool, they give good meat, and the weight of an adult male can reach 70 kg. The value of this species is primarily in the quality and unusual gray-blue color of the coat. In addition, females can be inseminated all year round, and the offspring are distinguished by high early maturity. However, when keeping this species, you need to carefully equip the room, since the animals are sensitive to drafts and dampness.

Edilbaevskaya

The value of the Edilbaevskaya breed is that it is suitable for almost all areas of productivity. And although the animals belong to the meat-greasy species, they give a lot of milk and high-quality wool (Figure 7). In addition, they adapt well to climate change and are resistant to disease.

Figure 7. Edilbaevskie sheep

An external feature is a large fat tail, which develops with age. Obtaining meat and lard is the main purpose of their breeding, with a large livestock, profit can be obtained from the sale of milk and wool.

Hissar

Sheep of the Hissar breed belong to the meat-greasy direction of productivity. The bulk of the live weight is fat tail. The wool is not of high quality due to the coarse fleece, and can be of a wide variety of shades (from white to brown and black).

Figure 8. Appearance of the Hissar breed

Hissar sheep are divided into several areas of productivity. In meat species, the fat tail is almost completely absent, in meat-greasy animals it is located so that it is a small extension of the back, and in sebaceous animals the fat tail is quite large, and sometimes it can make up a third of the total weight of the animal.

Since the Hissar breed was bred in Central Asia, the animals are distinguished by good endurance and unpretentiousness to feed.

This is a meat-and-wool species that is widespread in the world due to its endurance and unpretentious care. The body of animals is proportional, rectangular, the back is even with well-developed muscles (Figure 9).

Figure 9. Texel sheep

The coat is dense, with a uniform color. Animals need to be sheared only once a year, while from a female you can get up to 6 kg of wool, and from males - up to 7 kg. It is not difficult to grow texels, since they are distinguished by a calm character, high physical strength and high-quality meat and wool. But females require careful care during pregnancy and lambing, since childbirth in most cases is complicated.

Kuibyshevskaya

Kuibyshev sheep are almost completely covered with thick wool. At the same time, they have a strong skeleton and a wide body, and not only wool, but also meat is valuable (Figure 10).

Figure 10. Representatives of the Kuibyshev breed

Kuibyshev sheep are distinguished by high maturity, and by 8 months the weight can reach 45 kg. Thanks to this, it is profitable to grow them, since animals can gain a large live weight even with grazing. In addition, the Kuibyshev breed easily adapts to various climatic conditions, is unpretentious to feed, and the females are highly productive.

More information about the Kuibyshev breed is given in the video.

Merino sheep breed

Merino wool is highly prized as it is very light and warm and is cut with one fleece. There are several species of merino animals (for example, Soviet, Askanian, etc.), but regardless of the species, all animals adapt well to cold and hot climates.

Figure 11. Merino - wool breed

You can get quality products of merino only if they are properly kept and fed. Animals do not tolerate dampness and drafts, and although grazing on pastures is mainly used for food in summer, the winter diet should be more varied. Merino must be given oats, bran, fresh roots and mineral dressings. In addition, the animals are regularly bathed, and the containment room is made large enough.

Karakul

Karakul sheep were bred by breeders. Due to this, they are well adapted to various living conditions, and can independently find pasture even on desert and semi-desert pastures. In addition to high-quality wool (karakul), they are used to breed new coarse-haired and fat-tailed species.

Figure 12. Representatives of the Karakul breed

Female milk, which can be obtained in large enough volumes, is also valuable.

Caucasian

The breed was bred in the Soviet Union, and it can be considered universal. Not only wool is valuable, but also animal meat and milk (Figure 13).

The breed is characterized by a strong constitution, dense fleece and high meat and wool productivity. Despite the fact that the amount of meat obtained from Caucasian individuals is lower than that of other breeds, the profit obtained fully justifies the costs of breeding.

How to choose the right breed of sheep

When choosing a certain breed, first of all, you should pay attention to the general health and exterior of the animal:

• Only completely healthy animals with a strong constitution will be highly productive;
• Representatives of the wool direction should have a well-developed bone and skin, and their muscles and subcutaneous tissue are often poorly developed;
• Dairy animals should have a healthy digestive tract and a well-developed udder;
• Fine-wooled ones should have a long coat (at least 7 cm), and if the coat is very thin, this indicates the fragility of the animal, which will negatively affect productivity;
• For meat-wool and dairy animals, not only the average size and strength of the physique plays an important role, but also a well-developed udder, coarse wool, and moderate fat deposits on the abdomen and muscles.

Figure 13. Appearance of the Caucasian breed

Regardless of the direction of productivity, when choosing an animal, you should be guided by several main points:

1. Body type. A healthy individual has a wide chest, a long body, an unbroken belly and strong, even legs. If the limbs of the animal are close, this is considered a defect, since such an arrangement of the legs interferes with normal motor activity. If an individual has a too coarse and heavy head, this indicates a coarse constitution, which will negatively affect productivity.
2. It is important that the withers and back are straight. Sagging or high withers indicate weakness of the animal.
3. The udder of the female should be well developed.
4. For woolly, an important role is played by the coat, the quality of which depends on the condition of the skin. Individuals with thin but dense skin will produce a thick and soft coat, and if the skin is thick, then the coat will be coarser.

Meat

When choosing meat breeds key role when evaluating physique. Animals must have a strong constitution and a proportionate build. In this case, the animal should be free of fat tail, and the amount of fat on the belly and sides should be minimal.

For beef animals, the development of the udder and wool is important. Although obtaining a rune is not the main goal of breeding these breeds, the full development of an animal is the main indicator of an individual's health.

From the video you will learn how to properly care for meat breeds, and what features these animals have.

Dairy

As a rule, sheep are not bred just for milk. Most often, this is a kind of by-product that is obtained from animals of all types of productivity. If breeding is planned not only to obtain wool and meat, but also milk, when choosing an animal, the key attention should be paid to the physique and udder.

If the animal has a too heavy head and a disproportionate body, the animal will have low productivity. Large milk yields can only be obtained from females with well-developed udders.

Woolly sheep breeds: breeding

It is better to select representatives of wool breeds before clipping, as this allows you to assess the quality of the wool and the general fur of the animal. They should have a strong build, straight legs and a well-developed udder.

Based on the production classification, some distinctive features can be identified, according to which the selection of an animal of one or another orientation is carried out.

• The fine-woolen ones are characterized by a high quality of the fineness of the wool. They have poorly developed muscles and body fat, and you can assess their belonging to the breed by their soft, white and sinuous wool. In addition, animals have a high fold of skin, and fine-fleece, intended for obtaining not only wool, but also meat, may have low folds of the skin, or it is absent altogether.
• Semi-fine fleeces have a uniform coat that can vary in tortuosity, sheen or length. In addition, breeds are divided into luster and semi-luster (according to the degree of gloss of the coat).
• Coarse-haired also differ in the type of directionality. For example, you can distinguish the Smushka breed by its characteristic wool, while the meat-sucking ones are distinguished by their strong constitution and limbs. They are often quite large and have a coarse coat with a lot of awn.

Despite the fact that sheep perfectly adapt to different climatic conditions of keeping, when choosing individuals for a personal economy, you should be guided by some recommendations. In particular, each breed has its own favorable conditions under which they will be as productive as possible. From the video you will learn how to properly keep animals in the harsh winter climate.

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Bred in 1921-1936 in the breeding farms "Bolshevik" and "Ipatovsky" Ipatovsky district, Stavropol Territory. The herd of the Bolshevik state farm was originally staffed in 1921-1922 with merino sheep that belonged to local kulaks and landowners. In terms of breed, the sheep represented the New Caucasian and Mazayevsky merino, different in quality and productivity. Sheep-producers had a live weight of 64-74 kg, uterus 35-40 kg.

The sheep in the mass had long, strong, well-leveled fine wool of 64-70 quality, but rare and very greasy with a net fiber yield of 1.5-1.6 kg. In the exterior of the sheep, shortcomings were observed: narrow chest, sharp withers, sagging rump, closeness of the legs at the hock joints.

The work on the creation of the Caucasian sheep breed is characterized by three periods.

In the first period (from 1921 to 1926), the reproduction and improvement of "in themselves" merino sheep of the New Caucasian type were carried out. In 1926, the herd of fine-wool sheep of the state farm in terms of productivity ranked first among other state farms that bred this type of merino sheep.

In the second period (from 1926 to 1930), the state farm used American rambouille rams imported from the United States. By “bleeding” the American rambouille, the task was set to improve the exterior of local merino, to increase their live weight, the density of the coat and the belly overgrowth, while maintaining the good wool qualities of the New Caucasian merino.

In the third period (1931-1936), work was completed on the creation of the Caucasian breed, which was carried out at the Bolshevik state farm under the leadership of Konstantin Dmitrievich Filyansky and Nadezhda M. Ternovenko. The work was carried out at the Ipatovsky state farm using the same methods. This period is the most significant. It is characterized by the use of more advanced methods of selection and selection of animals, improved conditions for their maintenance and an increase in the general culture of sheep breeding on the farm. In 1936, by the decision of the VASKhNIL livestock breeding section and by the order of the NKZ of the USSR, a herd of sheep of the Bolshevik state farm was assigned to the Caucasian breed, and in 1940 - the herd of the Ipatovsky state farm.

In the post-war period (1943-1952) breeding work in the herd was carried out under the guidance of a livestock breeder Plemovtseglavka of the USSR Ministry of Agriculture S.F.Pastukhov

In the 80s, they began to use the Australian merino, famous in the world. As a result, in 1990 a new type of Caucasian breed was recognized - the South Caucasian Merino. The wool of these animals was of high quality, had a moderate white grease, uterus weighed on average 60-70 kilograms, rams - 130, but reached 180

The Caucasian breed of sheep and the North Caucasian breed were bred in the Stavropol Territory. Now these animals are bred mainly in the south of Russia or in neighboring countries with a similar climate. Breeding sheep of these breeds is a profitable activity due to their high productivity in both meat and wool directions.

Caucasian sheep were bred by selection in the Ipatovsky district of the Stavropol Territory. The work on their creation was carried out by breeders at once in two state farms - "Ipatovsky" and "Bolshevik", and it began in 1924.

Three breeds of sheep with excellent characteristics were taken as a basis:

• American rambouille;
• merino New Caucasian;
• Askanian.

From their ancestors, the animals inherited a good coat, the evenness of the fleece, as well as a dense physique and stature.

Description

Caucasian sheep are large enough: adult rams weigh about 100-115 kg, and uterus - 55-65 kg. They have the following characteristics:

• the body is proportional, the constitution is strong;
• the head is small, erect;
• hornless sheep, rams have horns;
• the trunk is elongated, the muscles are well developed;
• the neck is strong, folded;
• back line is straight;
• the sacrum is wide;
• sinewy, strong legs;
• the wool is thick, long (7-10 cm), closed-type fleece;
• head, belly and legs are well covered;
• grease cream in color.

Productivity

High quality wool, meat and milk are obtained from Caucasian sheep. The average annual shearing of raw wool from a ram reaches 9 kg. Less wool can be removed from the queens - 3.5 kg, but she is assigned a quality level of 64, while a rune taken from males is given a 58-60 quality level.

Attention! The net yield of wool from the Caucasian sheep exceeds 58%.

The fertility rate of females is at an average level - 130-150%. Lamb happens once a year, and there are 1-2 lambs in the litter. During the lactation period, an ewe is able to give more than 100 liters of sheep's milk, the fat content of which ranges from 5.8 to 8.1%.

Lambs of the Caucasian breed already weigh 35-42 kg at 4 months. The mass of fattened seven-month-old lambs reaches 60-70 kg. At this age, the slaughter yield of meat from a carcass is 55-60%.

Pros and cons

The advantages of the breed include such qualities of sheep as adaptability to an arid climate, high milk, wool and meat productivity. The disadvantages of the Caucasian sheep are poor uniformity of wool in density on different parts of the body and slow weight gain in lambs.

Where is it bred?

Caucasian sheep are perfectly adapted to a moderately humid and arid climate, therefore they are bred mainly in the southern part of Russia - in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories. There are also small herds in Siberia, in the south of the Ural region. Breeding farms and collective farms located on the territory of Georgia, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan also have Caucasian sheep at their disposal.

North Caucasian breed of sheep

Breeders from the Stavropol Territory also worked on the creation of this breed. The work was started during the Great Patriotic War, in 1943, and it lasted for almost 25 years. In 1958, the North Caucasian breed of sheep was registered. The genotype was based on Lincoln rams and English Romney March. They were crossed with local fine-wool sheep. As a result, the resulting cross was divided into two types:

1. Descendants of the Romney Marsh - type A. These animals have thinner and shorter wool (up to 9.5 cm).
2. Descendants of the Lincolns - type B. The quality of the fleece in these sheep is lower, but the wool itself is longer.

In 1952, the breeders set a goal - to improve the quality characteristics of the wool of North Caucasian sheep classified as type B, and they succeeded.

Description

The descendants of the Lincolns are tall and large animals with well-developed muscle mass, with long and soft, high quality hair, which is used for the manufacture of garments.

Breed characteristics:

• ram weight - 90-100 kg, ewes - 56-69 kg;
• the growth of the male reaches 75 cm, of the uterus - up to 70 cm;
• elongated body;
• the back is straight, wide;
• the chest is well developed, protrudes slightly forward;
• the limbs are muscular, of medium length;
• the skull is wide, the profile is straight;
• well overgrown head;
• the wool is crimped, white, the fibers are long - 12-13 cm;
• fineness quality - 56-60;
• both rams and hornless queens.

Productivity

North Caucasian sheep show high productivity in two directions at once - meat and wool. The average daily weight gain of animals is 200-230 grams. By 12 months, the weight of sheep and rams reaches 85% of the weight of an adult animal. Slaughter meat yield - 50-52%. The degree of meatiness is 77-78%. North Caucasian ewes are increasing their livestock by 140% per year. They lamb once a year.

From an adult lamb, it is possible to get annually up to 12 kilograms of wool, from the uterus - half as much. Fleece is notable for its uniformity, equalization and density. It has a staple-braid structure. The fibers are crimped along their entire length. Fineness quality - level 56-60.

Attention! The net yield of washed wool of North Caucasian sheep exceeds 55%.

Pros and cons

The advantages of the breed include:

• high quality fleece and good wool cut;
• fertility of the broodstock;
• meat yield from carcasses after slaughter.

Farmers note that when breeding North Caucasian sheep, some offspring lines show low fertility, while others are born with sparse wool.

Where is it bred?

The North Caucasian breed of sheep is adapted to the steppe arid climate, therefore, the main areas of its breeding were:

• Armenia;
• North Caucasus;
• Ukraine;
• Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories.

The sheep breeds we have considered are the fruit of the labor of breeders from the Stavropol Territory. Thanks to their work, high performance indicators of sheep were achieved in two directions - meat and wool. Although these breeds have minor flaws, they are still popular in different regions of Russia, Ukraine and the CIS countries.

The Caucasian breed of sheep was bred on the eve of the Second World War in Bolshevik and Ipatovsky (the largest breeding factories of the Soviet Union at that time). Breeding work to create a new breed can be conditionally divided into several stages, replacing each other. At the first stage, the breeders of "Ipatovsky" carried out purebred breeding of merino sheep of the New Caucasian type. In 1926, these sheep were the best in productivity among other breeding plants in the Stavropol Territory. At the second stage, American rambouilles were brought to the state farm, which were supposed to significantly improve the exterior, increase live weight and wool performance. The final stage took place under the supervision of K. Filyanskiy and N. Ternovenko in "Bolshevik". Scientists have applied completely new ways of appraising animals, as well as creating more favorable living conditions. Their efforts were crowned with success, and in 1936, by order of the NKZ of the USSR, the flocks of Bolshevik sheep were included in the newly created breed. In 1940 they were joined by the sheep from Ipatovsky.

Physique features

The Caucasian breed is the owner of a strong proportional physique with well-developed muscles. Females are hornless, and most of the rams have horns. The body is oblong and slightly rounded. In some cases, the legs are incorrectly set. The live weight of males can reach 120 kg, and females - 70 kg.

Features of wool

The wool of Caucasian sheep has a very high performance. It has a light creamy white shade with a light creamy grease (in rare cases, white). The coat is crimped and well leveled. The length of the fibers is 10 cm in rams and 8 cm in queens. The fleece is plank in shape, closed on the outside and has a staple structure. Shearing of rams does not exceed 9.7 kg for rams and 8 kg for females, while the fineness quality is 64 with a pure wool yield of 56%.

Breeding

Females of the Caucasian breed are very fertile - up to 150% of the offspring. In addition, they are distinguished by high productivity at the lactation stage - 115 liters of milk for 77 days of feeding, while the fat content of milk is 6.3%.

Among the Caucasian sheep, there were real record holders in live weight. So, among rams, a weight of 173 kg was recorded, among ewes - 130 kg.

Kira Stoletova

When dealing with animal husbandry, there are many nuances to consider. Not all animals are adapted to cold or warm climates. There are differences within the same species. This article will focus on sheep and rams. Consider what breeds of sheep are popular and talk about the features of each.

Varieties of sheep and rams

There is a special classification of sheep. Each breed belongs to a specific type. Some sheep are valued for meat (meat breeds), others for fleece (wool breeds), and still others for fat tail (greasy species). There are few narrowly targeted rocks. Basically, zootechnicians breed animals that have good performance indicators in 2-3 directions.

There are other features that can be taken as a basis for the classification. There are horned and hornless sheep, fat-tailed and not very, hairless and covered with wool. But animals are classified precisely by the nature of the direction of the breed.

Karakul breed

The Karakul breed of sheep is one of the most ancient meat varieties. It is bred in many European countries, in Africa, America and Asia. In addition to delicious meat, sheep have excellent skin. Karakul sheep appeared thanks to the work of breeders from Uzbekistan. The peculiarity of the sheep of this breed is the presence of a long tail, but the rams do not straighten it, therefore it hardly reaches the hock joints.

If we talk about the features of the exterior, the astrakhan is a hump-nosed ram with medium-length ears. The massive body is held by slender limbs that end in powerful hooves. The head, legs and neck are covered with a short hair dyed black. Over time, most of the coat, regardless of its original color, turns gray. The process of depigmentation is characterized by breeders as graying.

The wool of astrakhan sheep can be dyed black or gray. About 10% of the sheep are sur color. About 4% of sheep are white or brown. Individuals with pink hair are sometimes found.

Productivity indicators

In addition to wool, Karakul sheep are valued for delicious meat. The meat production is 65 kg for sheep and 45 kg for queens. The weight of a newborn lamb rarely exceeds 4.5 kg. Lambs quickly gain weight, which is the advantage of the breed. Excellent sheep's cheeses are prepared from the abomasum obtained from 1-2-day-old lambs and sheep's milk. Livestock breeders also make money on sheep's wool. From rams it turns out to cut about 4 kg of wool in a year. An average of 3 kg of wool is sheared from sheep.

Fertility is another important trait for livestock breeders. A herd of 100 queens produces 140 lambs annually.

Caucasian breed

The Caucasian breed of sheep was born thanks to the work of breeders of the Stavropol Territory. It belongs to the meat-wool type. It is a large sheep with long hair. The breed has had a positive impact on the development of all fine wool breeds. Sheep of the Caucasian breed can be found throughout Russia, but it is most common in the Caucasus.

The body of Caucasian rams is proportionally folded. They have well-developed muscles, cervical folds are present, the head, belly and legs are covered with thick wool.

In Caucasian sheep horns are absent, in rams they are well developed. Queens are used to improve existing and create new breeds. The only drawback that this breed of sheep possesses is the absence in some cases of thick wool on the belly and head. But this phenomenon is rare and due to the lack of breeding work. Another negative effect on the quality of wool is the lack of all vitamins and nutrients necessary for an animal, therefore, when keeping a Caucasian breed of sheep, you should carefully consider the diet of animals. Sheep of this breed slowly gain weight.

Caucasian rams are unpretentious in care, which makes them popular outside of Russia.

Productivity indicators

The meat productivity of this sheep breed leaves much to be desired. The weight of an adult ram varies between 80-101 kg, for a sheep - 50-60 kg. It is worth making a reservation about the excellent taste of meat, for which it is appreciated. The cut is an average of 7.5 kg. When processing shear, 50% of pure wool is obtained.

Fertility is 150 lambs per 100 queens. Milk productivity - 100 kg for a 70-day lactation period. The fat content of milk sometimes reaches 8%. The average is 6%.

Latvian dark-headed breed

The Latvian dark-headed sheep breed is the result of the work of Latvian zootechnicians, whose goal was to obtain highly productive beef rams. They did not quite cope with this task, since the indicators of meat productivity are average. The breed became widespread not only in the territory of Latvia, but also in Russia.

As for the exterior, the animals have good meaty forms and a strong constitution. For their weight, they look quite graceful, thanks to their thin bones. A short and wide enough head is connected to the body by a short neck. The rams have a wide back and the same chest that goes deep to match the head. The body rests on widely spaced straight limbs. The predominantly white fleece color is up to 9 cm long. Sometimes there are separate hairs, dyed in other colors.

Productivity indicators

The live weight of rams is 1 centner. An adult dark-headed sheep weighs about 60 kg. This is an early maturing breed. Lambs quickly gain weight, due to the high milk production of queens during lactation (about 180 kg of milk). The net meat yield after slaughter is 60%.

Fertility of queens is 170 lambs per 100 queens. Sheared - 5 and 3.5 kg for rams and sheep. After processing the shear, up to 55% of high-quality wool remains. Based on productivity indicators, the Latvian dark-headed breed is classified as a meat-wool type.

Edelbay

Edelbay are considered the most beautiful among the representatives of the meat and lard trend. They are well built, the fat tail has a square format. The height at the withers of an adult animal is 80 cm, and the body length is 82-83 cm. But these are average figures that may vary slightly.

The coat is colored black, red or brown. The latter is rare. Studies have shown that red Edelbay have lower levels of wool and meat productivity than their black and brown counterparts.

Productivity indicators

Sheep are gaining up to 160 kg of weight. On average, the meat productivity of rams is 115 kg, of queens - 95 kg. Females gain weight faster. The weight of a newborn lamb is 6 kg. The bright ones weigh 1 kg less. By the age of 4 months, the weight of the fat tail laid in the back of the body is 40 kg. Daily increase with appropriate nutrition - 200 g. Edelbay lamb meat is considered dietary and highly valued in the market.

This breed of sheep is not fertile. Queens rarely produce 3 lambs per year. During lactation, sheep give an average of 150 liters of milk with a fat content of 6%. Sometimes the fat content of milk is 9%.

Woolen productivity of Edelbay rams is also impressive. It is 5 and 2.5 kg for rams and sheep. Moreover, more than 50% of the cut is down. Dead hairs are practically absent.

Ostfriesian breed

The Ost-Friesian breed is originally from Germany. It is versatile. It is prized for its meat, lard and wool.

Ost-Friesian rams are large in size. They have a curved nose line, there is no fleece on the head and thin tail. Long ears are directed towards the nose. The chest and back are broad, with drooping croup. Ostfriesian rams have well-developed muscles. The coat is white.

Sheep of this breed do not differ in endurance and do not tolerate climate change, but if a purebred sheep is crossed with a local breed that has endurance, it will turn out to increase the level of endurance and acclimatization.

Productivity indicators

The weight of an adult ram is 115 kg. The uterus weighs 30 kg less. By 12 months, the Friesian sheep practically reaches its maximum weight, which makes it possible to classify this breed as early maturing. The daily gain with proper care and quality nutrition exceeds 300 g.

Shearing of wool is 6 and 4.5 kg per ram and sheep, respectively. The fleece is short and soft to the touch. The net output of the rune is 70%. Milk productivity - 650 kg per lactation. Some farmers breed Ostfriesian sheep precisely for the sake of obtaining milk with a fat content of 6.5%.

Buubei

Buubei is a beef breed native to Buryatia. This Buryat sheep is also valued for its high quality fleece. Buubei sheep tolerate low temperatures well. They are suitable for pasture-type housing. It is enough to build a canopy on the site that will protect animals from natural precipitation and strong winds.

Buubei are well built, with a large body and slender legs. The body is rectangular and ends with a short tail. The head is neat, the line of the nose is curved. The fleece is dyed white and consists of down and axial hair. At the same time, in percentage terms, down accounts for 80% of the total wool cover.

Productivity indicators

The meat production is 95 kg for sheep and 55 kg for sheep. This is an early maturing breed. In the first 7 months of life, lambs gain 40 kg. If we talk about the net yield after slaughter, it is 50%. Meat without the specific smell of mutton.

Woolen productivity is low. It is 1.5 and 1 kg in rams and queens, but the resulting wool is of high quality. Its length reaches 20 cm. With regard to fertility, Buubei has high rates. A flock of 100 sheep gives birth to 95 heads. It is also difficult to find a sheep that has more developed maternal instincts than the Buubei queens.

Tashlinskaya breed

The Tashlinsky breed was bred in 2008 by zootechnicians of the Stavropol Territory. These are rams of meat orientation, however, Tashlinsky sheep have excellent quality fleece and high indicators of milk productivity. Farmers also note the fertility of the Tashlinsky queens.

The representatives of this breed have no horns. They are well built, the shape corresponds to the meat orientation of the breed.

Productivity indicators

Meat productivity is 96 and 60 kg for sheep and sheep, respectively. Lambs gain weight well. Daily gain during the first 5 months is 200-220 g. Sometimes the weight gain reaches 400 g per day. But such results can be achieved only by organizing proper nutrition.

Woolen production is 6.5 kg for sheep and 4.5 kg for sheep. At the same time, the net yield is more than 60%. The length of the rune of the Tashlinsky sheep is 115 mm. A herd of 100 queens gives birth to 160 lambs and is bright.

It is beneficial to slaughter lambs at the age of 9 months. This is due to the fact that the percentage of meat and bones during this period is 80 to 20.

Vyatka breed

The Vyatka breed was born thanks to the work of Russian livestock specialists. During the selection, the breeds Soviet Merino and Prekos were used. This is a large sheep of meat and wool orientation. It looks massive and has a square format. The advantages of the breed include resistance to many diseases, adaptability to difficult climatic conditions, unpretentiousness in food, early maturity. The head is covered with thick and long hair. The short nose is not curved, the ears are protruding to the sides.

Productivity indicators

The weight of an adult ram reaches 1 centner. The sheep weighs 50 kg less. If we talk about the maximum indicators of productivity, then it is 140 and 80 kg for rams and sheep, respectively. The meat is appreciated for its taste. It can even compete with marbled beef.

Sheared sheep wool - 6 kg. The female gives 2 times less high quality fleece. Some individuals produce 12 kg of wool per year. The length of the rune is 8.5 cm. The output of the rune after cleaning is 55%. A herd of 100 queens gives birth to 140 lambs with strong immunity.

Vyatka sheep are popular in Russia and Ukraine.

Lacon

The homeland of Lacon sheep is France. They have high rates of meat and dairy productivity, are valued for high quality fleece. During the selection, sheep of the Merino breed (fat tails) were used. The French zootechnicians were eager to obtain a dairy sheep. Thoroughbred Lacons are the best dairy sheep in France.

Externally, the Lacons have a well-developed bone structure, deep chest and muscular hindquarters. The semi-thin coat is colored white and yellow. This is the most widespread breed in France. It is from her milk that almost all sheep cheeses are made in this country.

Productivity indicators

An adult ram weighs about 90 kg. The sheep is 45 kg lighter. During the lactation period, a sheep gives about 150 liters of milk. Sometimes milk yield is more than 200 liters per sheep. Fertility is lambs per herd of 100 queens. They begin to happen brightly upon reaching 7 months of age.

East Frisian breed

German zootechnicians are engaged in breeding the East Frisian sheep breed. Of all the Friesian breeds, it has gained the most popularity. This is due to its high levels of meat productivity. There are individuals whose live weight reaches 150 kg.

The sheep has high graceful legs and a medium-sized, proportionally folded body. There is no hair on the head of an oblong shape, there are no horns. Compared to all other parts of the body, the chest is well developed. There is no fleece on the long tail. The body is covered with uniform hair.

Productivity indicators

According to the productivity table, the weight of a ram varies from 110 to 130 kg. The sheep weighs 40 kg less. With proper maintenance, the daily growth is 200 g. Lambs grow faster brightly. Shearing is on average 3 kg (yield - 70%). A lactating sheep during the lactation period gives 650 kg of milk with a fat content of 6.5%. A purebred herd is kept mainly for milk production.

Performance indicators of some breeds

It is not possible to consider the description of the breeds, which are being bred by zootechnicians from all over the world. Consider the performance indicators of some interesting varieties bred in different countries.

• The North Caucasian breed is highly fertile (125%). Its meat productivity is 100 and 60 kg for sheep and queens.
• Zootechnicians of Tatarstan have achieved great success in sheep breeding. Edilbaevskaya breed, for example, is easy to maintain and has high meat productivity (100 kg). The Kuibyshev Longhaired breed is valued for its fleece. Its length is 12 cm. The meat productivity of the breed is 90 and 60 kg.
• The sheep breeds bred in Dagestan are also popular all over the world. The best Dagestan breeds, the population of which are being increased by local zootechnicians, are the Gergebil fat-tailed, Gissar and Grozny. And, of course, the Dagestan breed, which is valued for its fertility and fleece, which is annually sheared from a sheep by 3.5-4 kg.
• Kazakhstani zootechnicians raise lamb of impressive size. So, for example, the Kazakh breed bred in Kazakhstan grows to 150 kg. The same characteristics of meat productivity and the Edilbaevskaya breed, which is also bred in Kazakhstan.
• Askanian sheep, bred by Ukrainian zootechnicians, is famous for shearing. In rams, it is 17.5 kg. Sheep are 8 kg inferior. But the net yield of wool that the Askanian sheep gives is only 45%. It is not uniform, but of high quality.
• The Gorky sheep, widespread in Russia, is valued for its wool, milk and early maturity. Daily gain exceeds 200 g, and milk yield during lactation is 150 kg. These sheep bred in Russia are fertile and unpretentious in care.
• The Kalmyk sheep bred in Kalmykia is popular. She is prolific, gives up to 17 kg of fat tail and has a specific color. Her chest and head are black and the rest of her coat is white. This sheep is unlike any other breed.
• The northern short-tailed sheep cannot boast of high levels of meat production. The annual shears of wool leave much to be desired, but the Northern breed is fertile and unpretentious. It is ideal for small households.

Common and elite breeds

If we talk about the most common breeds, then these include Gorkovskaya, Saradzhinskaya, Yaroslavskaya, Kulundinskaya, Gusarskaya, Gruzinskaya, Charolais, West Siberian. But in different regions they are engaged in breeding breeds, the maintenance of which will not cause trouble due to the climatic characteristics of the region and the available feed. So, in Siberia, the West Siberian meat breed is most widespread, and in Australia - the Merino sheep breed. In Europe, such breeds with interesting names as Balbaz, Blue doo Main, Asaf, Lakayune, Finnish Landrace, Zwartbles (Dutch sheep breed), Katadin and Lincoln are popular. The West Siberian breed has high levels of meat and wool productivity.

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