Welcome to ANSC 101! The Sheep Industry

Welcome to ANSC 101! The Sheep Industry Please click the arrow below to begin exploring the sheep industry!

Welcome to the ANSC 101 sheep industry tour!! In this unit you will be able to learn about and explore the unique sheep industry! Please click the arrow below to begin exploring the sheep industry!

Before we begin, familiarize yourself with the navigation buttons below. The green arrow is the next button and will move you to the next page. The red arrow will return you to the previous page. The barn button will return you to the main menu. Help! The help button will direct you to your TA’s information.

Learning Objectives What are the different breeds and types of sheep? What are the 5 major primal cuts of a lamb? What is some general information regarding the sheep industry, specifically Purdue University’s sheep unit?

Welcome to the main menu! Click on a picture icon to begin! If you click on any words you see that are bold and circled , you will be referred to a glossary! Breeds of sheep Parts of sheep General Information Help!

Need help?? Your professor and TA’s information is below if you have any questions. Dr. Colleen Brady bradyc@purdue.edu Ag Admin. Room 227 Abby Sweet asweet@purdue.edu Ag Admin. Room 221

Breeds of sheep: Did you know??? • There are 47 breeds and types of sheep in the United States. • The breeds of sheep in the United States provide a diverse range of performance for growth, carcass merit, reproduction, milk and wool characteristics. Help!

Breeds of sheep: • There are 6 different types of breeds in the United States. Meat breeds Dual purpose Fine wool breeds Hair breeds Long wool breeds Minor breeds Click on the types to learn about an example of that breed type. Help!

Hampshire Wool cap • Meat type breed of sheep • Used as a source of terminal sires for commercial lamb production. • Large in size, moderately prolific. They also have a wool cap on their head with a black face and medium wool fleeces. • Hampshire sheep have very good milking abilities, as well as good growth and carcass cutability. Help!

Rambouillet • The Rambouillet is the foundation breed of most U.S. range flocks. • They have an extended breeding season and produce a high quality fine-wool fleece. • They are white-faced in appearance with wool on their legs. • Rambouillets are the largest of the fine-wool breeds, rugged, and adaptable to a wide variety of arid range conditions. Help!

Romney • The Romney is a medium-sized, white-faced breed with wool extending on their legs. • They make good mothers, and have average or better prolificacy, as well as good milk ability. • Romney’s produce a coarse, long-stapled fleece that is well-suited for spinning. Help!

Columbia • The Columbia is the first breed developed in the United States. • They are a hardy and social breed that make good mothers. • Columbia’s have white faces with wool extending down the legs. • The Columbia is a dual purpose breed because they’re commonly used as terminal sires to produce fast growing, lean market lambs but also produce heavy, medium-wool fleeces with good staple length. Help!

Katahdin • The Katahdin is a wool less breed of sheep that originated in Maine. • They have excellent mothering abilities, good milkers, and quite prolific. • They have an extended breeding season. • Very tolerant of environmental factors such as heat, humidity, and cold. • They are the largest of the hair breeds and naturally produce a lean and well-muscled carcass with good flavor. Help!

Shetland • The Shetland is a primitive breed and also one of the smallest breeds. • They have a natural hardiness, good lambing ease and longevity. • They also are able to survive harsh environmental conditions. • Shetland sheep are known for their production of colorful wool upon which the Shetland woolen industry is based. Help!

Now that you have seen an example of each breed type, let’s see if you can identify the appropriate breed with its matching type!!! Help!

Match the breed with it’s breed type by clicking on the type. Start with the first breed listed. Hampshire Hair breed Rambouillet Long wool breed Sorry! Try Again! Sorry! Try Again! Sorry! Try Again! Sorry! Try Again! Sorry! Try Again! Romney Dual purpose Columbia Minor breed Katahdin Meat breed Shetland Fine wool breed

Now its your turn!! Please look up another meat breed type of sheep and list a few facts (2-3) about that breed, as well as the name of the breed. • Did you list the breed name? • Is this breed a meat type breed? • Did you include 2-3 facts about that breed? • Did you cite any references used? • Make sure you SAVE the PowerPoint and e-mail to your TA. • Please return to the “Home” menu when finished. Submit Help!

While sheep are known for their wool production, they also produce a variety of meat cuts! Help!

Parts of the sheep There are 5 major primal cuts of lamb: Foreshank/Breast Loin Rack Leg Shoulder Help!

Click on the shaded area of the lamb to learn about what cuts of meat come from that part. • Shoulder: • Meat cuts from the shoulder are tough but flavorful. • They are also lowest in price. • Meat cuts from the shoulder include: Blade chop and the boneless shoulder • Rack: • The premium cut of lamb and therefore the highest priced. • Meat cuts from the ribs include: crown roast and rib roast • Foreshank/Breast: • Meat from this part of the lamb is tough but still flavorful. • It also some of the lowest priced cuts of meat. • Some cuts of meat from this part of the lamb include:shank and riblets. • Shoulder: • Meat cuts from the shoulder are tough but flavorful. • They are also lowest in price. • Meat cuts from the shoulder include: Blade chop and the boneless shoulder • Leg: • The most versatile, with mid-priced cuts of meat. • Some cuts of meat from this part of the lamb include: whole leg and American style roast. • Loin: • This is the premium cut of lamb and therefore the highest priced. • Meat cuts from the loin include: loin chop and loin roast. Help!

Now its time to learn about some general management practices at the Purdue Sheep Unit! Help!

Welcome to Purdue University’s Sheep Unit!! Help!

Purdue Sheep Unit • Manager: Gerald Kelly • Purdue’s sheep unit is home to 350-400 ewes annually, with half of the ewes lambing in the fall (non-traditional) and then traditional lambing in the spring. • There are approximately 50 acres of alfalfa, orchard grass, red clover, and birds foot trefoil pastures contained in seven-wire, predator control, high-tensile fence. • Provides facilities for research for intensive efforts in nutrition, reproduction, physiology, neuroendocrinology, and biomedical research. • Research, teaching, and extension activities are daily activities that take place, as well as the daily care of all animals. • The objectives of the sheep unit are to improve the quality of animal protein and increase efficiencies of production. Help!

Reproductive Traits: • Sheep are seasonally anestrous and usually bred in the fall to lamb in the spring. • The gestation length is typically 144-152 days depending on the breed. • The estrous cycle is generally 16-17 days in length. • The estrus period is typically 20-42 hours • Age of puberty is 5-8 months • Typically breed ewes at 9 months if appropriate size/weight. Help!

Common practices to prepare ewes for lambing • Vaccinate ewes with CD/T around 4 weeks before lambing to ensure passive immunity. • Shear ewes 6-8 weeks before ewes are scheduled to lamb. • Feed ewes an additional feed supplement for the last 6 weeks of gestation. • Ewes carrying twins and triplets should be separated from those ewes carrying a single so they receive more supplement. Help!

Please watch this video of a sheep shearing demonstration! Help!

Please answer the following questions about the video you just watched and other information you have learned throughout this unit. Good Luck!! Help!

According to the video you just watched, what’s the most widely used sheep shearing method? A. Use a sheep stand like those used at fairs B. Australian method C. Blade shears D. British method Help!

Sorry! There’s a more widely used method. Please try again! Help!

You’re right. The Australian method is the most widely used method to shear sheep.

Which breed of sheep was the first to be developed in the United States? A. Hampshire B. Romney C. Katahdin D. Columbia Help!

Sorry! Please try again! Help!

You’re right. The Columbia was the first breed to be developed in the United States.

What part of the lamb does the American style roast come from? Meat from this part of the lamb’s body is the most versatile with mid-prices. A. Loin B. Leg C. Rack D. Shoulder Help!

You’re right. Meat from the leg is versatile, with mid-prices.

What breed of sheep is the foundation of almost all range flocks? A. Romney B. Katahdin C. Rambouillet D. Hampshire Help!

You’re right. Rambouillets are known for their hardiness which makes them a good foundation for range flocks.

On average, what is the gestation length in sheep? A. 280-282 days B. 330-340 days C. 110-114 days D. 144-152 days Help!

You’re right.

Congratulations!! You have completed the ANSC 101, sheep industry unit!!

DEFINITIONS: Terminal sire: Used for the breeding of market animals. “Terminal” refers to the offspring from mating's being used for market or “terminated”.

DEFINITIONS: Prolific: producing offspring in abundance. Sheep usually have twins or triplets. High prolificacy means greater chances of having multiples.

Welcome to ANSC 101! The Sheep Industry