Sheep Breeds
Maternal breeds of Sheep
 Bred for their ability to raise l_____________, good m_____________, good m_______
production, high lambing p________________, easy l____________
 They are also shorn for their w_________. Good wool needs to be l________ and
s_____________, right m___________ diameter (t___________ of fibre), and c_________
Characteristics of Wool
 M__________ d____________ – t______________ of the fibre, ranges from 13 microns
in Merino to 40 microns in Drysdale sheep
 S__________ l_____________ – how l_________ the fibres are. 100mm staples are
ideal for spinning into yarn
 C____________ – needs to be white for d__________ purposes
 C____________ – how wavy the fibres are and no staining
 V______________matter – no p___________, leaves, sticks
Terminal Breed Characteristics
 Meat breeds are selected for their meat producing qualities:
Such as r___________ growth, good m______________ development, low f_______
 Breeds include S__________, S___________, D________ Down, T_________
Aging Sheep
 Lambs – have ___milk teeth
 Two tooths – 1 to ___ years old, ____ incisors come through first
 H___________ – next incisors come through _____ to ____ years old. These sheep have
__ incisors
 Ewes – full mouthed have ___ incisors
Composite Breeds
 A composite sheep is made up of at least ___ breeds
 A half bred sheep is made up of t____ p______ bred sheep eg. m__________ cross