Breeds of Breeds of SheepSheep

Mrs. Mrs. Bennett’sBennett’s

Types of SheepTypes of Sheep

BreedsBreeds Fine Wool BreedFine Wool Breed Medium Wool BreedMedium Wool Breed Long Wool BreedLong Wool Breed Crossbred Wool BreedCrossbred Wool Breed Carpet Wool BreedCarpet Wool Breed Fur BreedFur Breed

MerinoMerino

Fine Wool Fine Wool BreedBreed

Good range Good range operation operation breedbreed

As much as 20 As much as 20 lbs of wool per lbs of wool per yearyear

Polled DorsetPolled Dorset

Medium Wool Medium Wool BreedBreed

Found in both Found in both range and farm range and farm flock operationsflock operations

7 to 8 lbs of 7 to 8 lbs of wool per yearwool per year

Great carcass Great carcass qualityquality

HampshireHampshire

Medium wool Medium wool breedbreed

Produce Produce excellent excellent market lambsmarket lambs

Good milk Good milk productionproduction

RomneyRomney

Long Wool Long Wool BreedBreed

Great meat Great meat qualityquality

Wool from the Wool from the darker sheep is darker sheep is highly sought highly sought afterafter

8 to 12 lbs of 8 to 12 lbs of wool per yearwool per year

CorriedaleCorriedale

Crossbred Wool Crossbred Wool Breed from Breed from Lincoln, Leicester Lincoln, Leicester & Merinos& Merinos

Dual purpose Dual purpose breedbreed

10 to 15 lbs of 10 to 15 lbs of wool per yearwool per year

Good flocking Good flocking instinctsinstincts

ColumbiaColumbia

Crossbred Wool Crossbred Wool BreedBreed

Dual purpose breedDual purpose breed Developed by the Developed by the

US Department of US Department of AgAg

Developed to Developed to thrive on Western thrive on Western rangesranges

10 to 13 lbs of wool 10 to 13 lbs of wool per yearper year

KarakulKarakul

Pelt BreedPelt Breed Lambs are Lambs are

harvested for harvested for peltspelts

Used for Used for clothingclothing

Meat has little Meat has little value todayvalue today

The History of Natural Colored Sheep

In the beginning, the choice of breeding animals was limited.  From rather meager beginnings the quality of the animals has been continually improved by careful management and selective breeding.  Many colored sheep are now competitive with their white counterparts.  Almost every breed of sheep is now represented in natural colors ranging from black to gray to silver to brown to beige to red and blonde.

Natural Colored Sheep

Ram in Marking HarnessRam in Marking Harness

How do you know if all the ewes have been bred?

Products from Products from SheepSheep

Fiber….ideas? Fiber….ideas? Meat ….ideas? Meat ….ideas? Dairy ….ideas? Dairy ….ideas? Pelts ….ideas? Pelts ….ideas?

FiberFiber

MeatMeat

Lamb chops… they retail for $39.95 at Ruth Chris Steak House for three chops!

Dairy ProductsDairy Products

PeltsPelts

Oh Yeah…… bathing suits were Oh Yeah…… bathing suits were once made of wool too!once made of wool too!