The Principles and Importance of The Principles and Importance of Sheep ProductionSheep Production

National ImportanceNational Importance Sheep production accounts for about 4 – 6% of agricultural

production in Ireland.

Wool, milk and cheese production are of minor importance. The main product of the industry is sheepmeat.

We export sheepmeat to France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Middle East.

Lamb is slaughtered at age 3-12 months and is leaner than hogget mutton which is slaughtered over 12 months.

Production SystemsProduction Systems Mountain and HillMountain and Hill

– Extensive

– Uses rough grazing and heather

– Mortality can be high if management is poor

– Low production targets

– Products are breeding stock and some lambs for fattening

LowlandLowland

– Intensive

– Better land

– Well defined management

– High production targets

– Products are lambs for slaughter

Sheep BreedsSheep Breeds Blackface Mountain – horned, black or black and white

faces and legs. Small carcass. Hardy.

Sheep BreedsSheep Breeds Wicklow Cheviot – polled, white wool, mountain breed but

not as hardy as Blackface Mountain.

Sheep BreedsSheep Breeds Galway – polled, long white wool, lowland sheep.

Border Leicester – polled, long white wool, very prolific breed.

Belclare Improver – very prolific breed.

Down Breeds (Oxford, Suffolk) – polled, short white wool, very fast growing and good conformation

Texel – polled, long white wool, excellent carcass conformation.

GalwayGalway

TexelTexel

Suffolk Ram & Belclare EwesSuffolk Ram & Belclare Ewes

Breeding StrategiesBreeding Strategies Mountain sheep farmers use ewes of a mountain breed and

cross them with rams of the same breed. Lambs are used as replacements or sold to the Italian market as they like a small carcass.

Hill sheep farmers use “culled for age” ewes off the mountain and cross them with prolific breeds such as the Border Leicester to produce crossbreds.

Lowland sheep farmers use these crossbred ewes and Suffolk or Texel rams. This results in a large numbers of good conformation lambs ready for slaughter.

Birth, Growth Rates and PubertyBirth, Growth Rates and Puberty

Lambs weigh 3 – 5kg at birth.

They are slaughtered at 30 – 40kg depending on breed and age.

Ewe lambs reach puberty at about 40kg

ReproductionReproduction

Sheep are seasonally polyoestrous. This means they only come into heat during a certain period of the year, September to February.

The oestrous cycle is 17 days and oestrous lasts for 36 hours.

The gestation period is 149 days.

Synchronised BreedingSynchronised Breeding Traditionally rams go in with ewes in early September and

stay there for 6 – 8 weeks. This leads to a very drawn out lambing season.

Oestrous can be synchronised artificially leading to shorter breeding season and therefore compact lambing which eases flock management.

Progesterone impregnated sponges are placed in the ewes’ vagina and left for 12 – 16 days. This prolongs the life of the corpus luteum.

When the sponges are removed all at the same time the sheep come into oestrous all at the same time within a few days.

Breeding out of SeasonBreeding out of Season This is breeding sheep in July/August to ensure lambs are

born early enough to have them ready for slaughter for the Easter market when prices are highest.

Place sponges in vagina the same as for synchronised breeding but when they are removed give the sheep an injection of another hormone called Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotrophin (PMSG).

If synchronised ram ratio to sheep is 1:10 but if not synchronised it is 1:40.

Mixed GrazingMixed Grazing Cattle and sheep grazing the same area together.

Both animals have higher growth rates.

Sheep grazing close to the ground encourage tillering of grass.

Sheep eat grass that cattle do not (around dung and urine patches) so there is better utilisation of the grass.

Dung and urine of sheep and cattle is different and this leads to better recycling of nutrients.

Wool and Wool QualityWool and Wool QualityWool fibres are solid whereas hair is hollow.

A wool fleece yields about 2 – 4kg per animal per year.

Wool quality is determined by fineness of fibre.

Merino sheep have the finest wool.

The Bradford Count is the standard measure of wool quality.