Sheep breeding starts with good genes and focused care˳ Whether you are planning to buy, sell, or choose sheep from your existing flock, it is important to know what a veteran sheep breeder is looking for during a visual appraisal˳ Visual appraisals are very complex, and vary greatly depending on a long list of factors˳ It requires extensive, hands-on experience and high attention to detail, as well as, superior lamb caring ethics to learn exactly how to appraise a ewe or ram for breeding˳ However, there are 15 general aspects of a visual appraisal for sheep breeding˳ These include udder, testicles, mouth, teeth, wool, feet and legs, hooves, soundness, conformation, size, volume and capacity, sex character, and overall health˳ Continue reading to learn a brief and basic description of each˳
Udder
For a ewe, or female sheep, the udder is one of the most important features˳ A hard, stiff, or lump udder is not one expected to be suitable for reproduction˳ Instead, breeders are looking for soft, full udders that have two functional, defect-free teats˳ Oversized or bulbous teats are not consider good for breeding purposes and are usually avoided˳ “Supernumerary”, or excessive teats are also considered a genetic defect˳
Testicles
Sheep testicles can tell a great deal about a ram’s breeding promise˳ Like udders on a ewe, they must be physically examined by touch to determine their condition˳ They should be well-developed, evenly-sized, firm, lump-free, and move freely inside the scrotum˳ Scrotal size varies, and heavily depends on a ram’s age, breed, season, and more˳ For sheep breeding, recommended scrotal sizes range between 30 and 33 centimeters˳ This ensures good semen output˳
Soundness
A “sound” sheep is one in good, overall physical condition and mostly free of physical or genetic defects˳ Sound sheep have better productivity and longer lifespans˳
Size
Also called hip height, sheep skeletal size is an important features for breeding˳ Sheep with larger frames tend to develop faster and stronger, and achieve heavier body weights˳ This is true for both rams and ewes˳ Although it is best to choose an adequately-sized female, larger ewes are likely to produce larger, heavier lambs˳
Volume and Capacity
Like size, volume and capacity speak to the integrity of the spring of rib˳ This means a good breeding sheep should have a deep side, wide top, and a round body˳ Sheep with opposite features are less likely to be good producers˳
Sex Character
Sex character refers to the stature of a sheep˳ For rams, breeders want their selections to be stout and masculine, with horns growing away from the head˳ For ewes, breeders are looking for feminine and refined features˳
Conformation
Like the stature of a sheep, conformation speaks to the overall body form˳ Adequate body form, however, varies from breed to breed˳ Breeders are looking for several indications of good conformation, including straight backs and smooth shoulders˳ Market lamb sires are commonly chosen for a level dock, while rams used to sire market lambs should be thick and muscular˳
Wool
Wool type varies from breed to breed˳ Depending on the intended purpose of the wool, demand also varies˳ When wool is important to the breeder, they are assessing specific fleece traits, including fiber diameter, staple length, length and diameter uniformity, and the presence of defects˳ For instance, white wool sheep should not have any colored fibers˳
Mouth and Teeth
The mouth and teeth are important indications of good genetics˳ Also, teeth will tell you a sheep’s age˳ Breeders are looking for a correct mouth, meaning that the top and bottom jaws is aligned so the incisor teeth are flush with the pad on the upper jaw˳ “Overshot” and “undershot” jaws, or “monkey mouths”, are avoided in the industry˳ As for teeth, the molars are more important than the incisors˳
Legs, Feet, and Hooves
A sound sheep has legs that are straight and square under each corner of the body, and free of limping or lameness˳ Legs that are too close to the knees or hocks are not considered straight enough˳ As for hooves, breeders avoid ewes and rams with cracked or defected hooves, as well as, abnormal or excessive hoof growth˳ Hoof colors differ among breeds, but colored hooves are generally preferred over light-colored ones˳
Health
Breeders ultimately want a healthy and capable set of sheep to breed˳ This makes it the most significant criteria of a visual appraisal˳ Sheep that are alert, bright, and social exhibit healthy behavior˳ They should be free of illness, disease, infection, and more˳
Source by https://ezinearticles˳com/?Visual-Appraisal-Checklist-for-Sheep-Breeding&id=9757851
