Exotic Sheep Breeds information Guide

Exotic Sheep Breeds:

Exotic Sheep Breeds: In this article, let us discuss about exotic sheep breeds with their features and performance in India.

Exotic Sheep Breeds – Merino Sheep Breed:

1. This sheep is most popular fine wool breed of sheep in the world which is originated from Spain.
2. Kashmir Merino is a white faced sheep with white feet.
3. Males (Ram) have horns whereas the ewes (Female) are hornless.
4. Most of the head and legs of the sheep are covered by wool.
5. The merino sheep is extremely hardy being able to survive in any regions with different climatic conditions.
6. The merino ewes live and yield longer than any other sheep breed.

Exotic Sheep Breeds – Rambouillet Sheep Breed: 

1. This sheep also known as  Rambouillet Merino or French Merino.
2. Basically this sheep breed was developed in France.
3. This sheep breed has a large head with white hair around the nose and ears.
4. Male sheep (Rams) have horns and female sheep (ewes) will not have any horns.
5. Males weigh about 120 kg and ewes up to a maximum of 80 kg.
6. This breed produces an excellent fine-wool fleece.
7. The fleece is heavy, close, compact, covering most of the body including face and legs.

Exotic Sheep Breeds – Cheviot Sheep Breed:

1. This sheep is a medium wool breed and developed in Scotland.
2. The breed is small with erect ears, a clean white face and white legs, covered with short white hair.
3. In most cases, the nose, lips and feet of the sheep are black.
4. Rams (Males) weigh on an average up to 75 kg and ewes (Females) up to 50 kg.

Exotic Sheep Breeds – Suffolk Sheep Bread:

1. This sheep breed native of U.K. and is large a animal with black face, ears and legs.
2. This sheep head and ears are entirely free from wool.
3. Both rams (males) and ewes (females) are polled though rams sometimes have scours.
4. This sheep breed yields average wool of 2 to 3 kg.
5. Generally, mature male sheep weighs 100 to 125 kg and ewes from 70 to 90 kg.
6. These sheep breeds are very prolific and excellent milk producers.

Exotic Sheep Breeds – Dorset Sheep Breed:

1. This sheep breed is polled, horned and native to U.K.
2. This sheep breed face, ears and legs white in colour and free from wool.
3. This breed yields 2.75 to 3.50 kg of wool and produce mutton of good quality.
4. Male sheep (Rams) weighs about 80 to 110 kg and female sheep (ewes) weighs about 50 to 80 kg.
5. This breed is suitable for any kind of environment.

Exotic Sheep Breeds – Southdown Sheep Breed:

1. This sheep breed is one of the oldest English breeds and has greatly contributed to the development of many other breeds of sheep.
2. This sheep is a small in size and excellent for mutton production.
3. This sheep body is a low-set, compact, wide and deep with legs wide apart. This sheep head is broad and face is light brown coloured.
4. Male Southdown sheep weighs about 75 kg and females weighs about 50 kg at maturity.

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