Exploring the Sheep & Goat Industry

Lesson #4

Common Core/Next Generation Science Standards Addressed

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.2a - Introduce a topic and organize ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

Bell Work

• What is a ruminant animal?

• Name as many sheep breeds as you can.

• Name as many goat breeds as you can.

Student Learning Objectives

• Discuss terminology associated with sheep and goat production.

• Describe sheep and goats as organisms and compare them externally.

• Identify common breeds of sheep and goats.

• Explain methods of producing sheep and goats.

• List favorable and unfavorable factors.

Terms

• Buck

• Cashmere

• Chammy

• Confinement

• Doe

• Ewe

• Kid

• Kidding

• Lamb• Lambing• Mohair• Mutton• Ram• Wether• Wool• Yearling

What are some specific terms used to describe sheep and goat production?

• Doe– female goat or sheep

• Buck– male goat at any age

• Kid– goat of either sex under 1 year of age

• Yearling– goat of either sex over one year, but under 2 years of age

• Wether– male goat or sheep that has been castrated when young

• Ram– male sheep used for breeding purposes

What are some specific terms used to describe sheep and goat production?

Terms• Ewe

– a female sheep• Kidding

– process of a goat giving birth• Lambing

– process of a sheep giving birth• Lamb

– sheep under one year old– meat from a young sheep

• Mutton– meat from a sheep that is over one year of age

• Chammy– leather made from sheep and goats

• Wool– a sheep’s coat that is used as a fiber for products such as clothing

Lets Compare sheep and goats?

Sheep & Goat Similarities

• Mammals

• Ruminant digestive systems

• Have divided hoofs

• Raised for food and clothing

• Important to economy

What are some comparisons between sheep and goats?

Sheep• Declining numbers• very efficient

converters of feed to meat

• prefer broadleaf plants & grasses

• weigh between 100 to 225 pounds at maturity

• live from 7 to 13 years

Goats• Increasing importance

to the economy prefer to eat twigs & leaves

• weigh between 20 and 150 pounds

• live 8 – 10 years• produce 60% of

mohair• produce milk

External Parts of a Goat

External Parts of a Sheep

What are common breeds of sheep and goats?

• over 200 breeds of sheep

• over 300 breeds of goats

• breed selection is based on personal needs and goals

• animals should come from reputable producers and be free of diseases

Suffolk

• most popular sheep breed

• medium wool breed• originated in England• large bodied• head, legs, ears are

black, no wool on the heads and legs

• polled• 8 – 10 lbs. fleece• 150% lamb crop

Dorset

• Originated in England• medium-wool breed• polled or horned• completely white• medium sized body• 7 – 8 lbs. fleece• Ewes breed out of

season for fall lambs• muscular carcasses• good milk producers

Hampshire

• Originated in England• large sheep• polled• black faces, noses,

ears, and legs• early maturing• good milkers• 7 – 8 lbs. fleece

Oxford

• Originated in England• medium-wool breed• very large breed• polled• face, ears, & legs

gray to brown• 10 – 12 lbs. fleece• lambs grow quickly• used in crossbreeding

Rambouillet • A wool breed developed in France, descendant of the Merino breed.

• Noted for it’s fine wool.

• White in color with horns.

• Very common on NM ranches.

Debouillet • Developed on the Jones ranch in Tatum NM.

• A Merino cross developed for fine wool quality.

• Goal was to develop a breed adapted to arid climates and yield high quality wool.

Columbia• Developed in Wyoming by the USDA in 1912.

• Large open faced medium wool breed.

• Polled

• Heavier muscled than many other wool breeds.

Southdown• An English meat

breed.

• One of the smallest breeds of sheep.

• Gray muzzle with small dusty colored ears.

• Outstanding carcasses!

Angora

• Originated in Turkey• well adapted to areas not

fit for others• almost totally white at

maturity• produce 7 lbs. mohair• horned • long droopy ears• buck weigh 125 – 175 lbs• does weigh 80 – 90 lbs.

Pygmy

• Originally exported from Africa

• only 16 to 23 inches tall at withers

• horned• any color or

combination• research, pets, 4-H

and FFA projects, zoos

Cashmere Goats

• Developed by selective breeding

• Cashmere–soft undercoat of fine down produced by goats

• large demand for cashmere

• Solid colored goats are preferred in cashmere production

Dairy Goats

• produce 5 lbs. of milk daily

• more minerals than cow’s milk

• easier to digest• Dairy breeds

– French Alpine– LaMancha– Nubian– Saanen– Toggenburg

LaMancha

Saanen

Meat Goats

• The Boar goat is the most popular Meat goat in New Mexico

• Meat goats produce both milk and meat

• The largest meat goat population in the U.S is in Texas

How do you produce sheep and goats?

• Farm/ranch Flock– can have 1 to 1,000

animals– located in midwestern,

eastern and southern, southwestern U.S.

– purpose are to produce market lambs and wool

• Purebred Flock– sells rams and ewes of

an ideal type– high management

requirements– knowledge of genetics– 4-H & FFA members

get their first animals from these producers

How do you produce sheep and goats?

• Range band method– large bands of sheep

between 1,000 and 1,500 being managed over a large area

– high vegetation area animals are used for meat

– low vegetation animals are used for wool

• Confinement Method– Confinement

• raising animals completely indoors

– less land– fewer parasite

problems– ability to monitor

animals– increased building cost– higher feed costs– intense management

How do you produce sheep and goats?

• Lamb feeding production– involves weaning lambs and selling them to

feedlots where the lambs are fed out to slaughter weight

List favorable and unfavorable production factors.

What are some favorable and unfavorable production factors you may want to consider

before starting a sheep or goat business?• Price for wool changes

often• Consumption of lamb &

mutton are not as common

• Cotton & other material are used frequently and that decreases the demand for wool

• predators can kill sheep• return on investment is

usually fast

• sheep more susceptible to parasites and are less resistant to diseases

• castrating & other health needs can be difficult

• difficult to find knowledgeable help

• easily raised on rough terrain with little feed

• dual income for meat & wool

• animals are easy to handle by young people

Review

• What are some specific terms used to describe sheep and goat production?

• What are some comparisons between sheep and goats?• What are common breeds of sheep and goats?• How do you produce sheep and goats?• What are some favorable and unfavorable production

factors you may want to consider some facts before starting a sheep or goat business?

The End!