SHEEP BREEDSAg Production Technology III

Mr. DeBord

Meat Breeds

Cheviot Dorset Hampshire Suffolk Shropshire Southdown

Cheviot

Mountain breed Very hardy Common in cold and wet area

Dorset

Long season Early puberty Good milkers Twinning rate

Hampshire

Twinning rate Rapid growth Good milkers

Suffolk

Suffolks have bare heads, black faces, and bare black legs

Relatively large breed, developed in England, well-known for its high quality meat

Suffolk rams are widely used with ewes of other breeds to produce crossbred lambs for slaughter

Shropshire

Twinning rate Good milkers Heavy wool producer of medium wool

Southdown

a medium to small sized breed with a gray to mouse-brown face

early maturing Good milkers Excels in crossbreeding programs

Wool Breeds

Rambouillet Merino Lincoln Columbia

Rambouillet

Hardy Longevity Summer breeder High quality fleece

Merino

Finest softest wool of any sheep

Lincoln

Produces heaviest longest wool

Columbia

Large breed Early maturing Short breeding season

Specialty Breed

Finnsheep Highly Prolific Early Puberty

Hair sheep

Katahdin Dorper St. Criox

Katahdin

Parasite resistant Early maturing Most popular hair sheep breed in U.S.

Dorper

Parasite resistant Early maturing

St. Croix

Parasite resistant Early Maturing