Related Research Articles
The Merino is one of the most historically relevant and economically influential breeds of sheep, much prized for its wool. The origins of the breed are the subject of debate, with alternatives of it originating in flocks transferred from Morocco as early as the 12th century, originating and being improved in Extremadura in southwestern Spain, in the 12th and 13th centuries or from the selective crossbreeding of Spanish ewes with imported rams at several different periods. It was instrumental in the economic development of 15th and 16th century Spain, which initially held a monopoly on the trade in its wool. Since the end of the 18th century, the breed was further refined in New Zealand and Australia, giving rise to the modern Merino.
The Perendale is a breed of sheep developed in New Zealand by Massey Agricultural College for use in steep hill situations. The breed is named after Sir Geoffrey Peren, and it achieves its aims by being the offspring of Romney ewes and Cheviot rams with sturdy legs. It is raised primarily for meat.
Polwarth is a breed of sheep that was developed in Victoria (Australia) during 1880. They were of one-quarter Lincoln and three-quarters Merino bloodlines. They are large, predominantly polled sheep with long, soft, quite fine wool and produce good meat carcasses. They were developed in an attempt to extend the grazing territory of sheep because the Merino was found lacking in hardiness in this respect. A dual-purpose breed with a major emphasis on wool production. Richard Dennis, of Tarndwarncoort in south west Victoria, bred the Polwarth, first known as Dennis Comebacks. Descendants of Richards Dennis continue to grow Polwarth wool at Tarndwarncoort, maintaining the original bloodlines in a flock referred to as the "Blue Dots".
The Border Leicester is a British breed of sheep. It is a polled, long-wool sheep and is considered a dual-purpose breed as it is reared both for meat and for wool. The sheep are large but docile. They have been exported to other sheep-producing regions, including Australia and the United States.
The Oxford Down is an English breed of domestic sheep developed in the 1830s by crossing the Cotswold, Hampshire and South Down breeds, and using the resulting cross-breeds to form the basis of the present-day breed. This breed is primarily raised for meat.
Corriedale sheep are a dual purpose breed, meaning they are used both in the production of wool and meat. The Corriedale is the oldest of all the crossbred breeds, a Merino-Lincoln cross developed almost simultaneously in Australia and New Zealand and first brought to the United States in 1914. The Corriedale is internationally farmed, in Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America, Southern Brazil, Uruguay and Patagonia. Corriedales are one of the most popular sheep breeds in Uruguay. On the Falkland Islands, Polwarth and Corriedale form the main sheep breeds.
Bond sheep are an Australian sheep breed that was developed around 1909 near Lockhart, New South Wales by Thomas Bond when he mated Saxon-Peppin Merino ewes to stud Lincoln rams for primarily wool production. The resulting progeny was selected on the basis that they would be more suited to the Riverina environment. Initially these sheep were known as ‘the Commercial Corriedale’.
The Debouillet is a breed of domestic sheep originating from Tatum, New Mexico. It was developed in the 1920s through crossing Rambouillet and Delaine Merino sheep and the breed's name is a portmanteau of these two ancestors. This breed is primarily raised for its wool.
The Blackhead Persian is a fat-tailed breed of domestic sheep from Africa. The sheep is originally from Somaliland and a direct descendant of the Somali sheep. The breed is also a type of hair sheep, meaning they do not grow wool and tolerate heat better than wooled breeds and are raised primarily for meat. The Blackhead Persian has a white body and, as their name would suggest, an entirely black head.
The South African Meat Merino or SAMM is a wool and meat sheep originating in South Africa, but now found throughout the world.
Askanian is a breed of domesticated sheep found in Ukraine. It is a fine-wool breed bred for its wool. It was developed by crossing American Rambouillet with Merinos in the early 1900s.
The British Milksheep is a robust, dual-purpose sheep commonly known for its milking characteristics.
The Charmoise is a domesticated breed of sheep originating in France. The breed was developed in the middle 19th century in the center of France by crossing imported Romney sheep from United Kingdom to ewes from local breeds. There is a monument in Pontlevoy, central France, to creator of the breed, Édouard Malingié (1799-1852. The Charmoise is a meat breed. The population of this breed decreased from over 122,000 in 1993 to over 21,000 in 2001.
The Chios is a breed of domestic sheep with specific unknown origins. It is classified as a semi-fat tailed breed. The Chios are bred mainly for their milk production. Although there is speculation that this breed may have been crossed with Kivircik and Dagliç, it is commonly accepted that it originated on the Greek island of Chios.
The Cholistani is a breed of domestic sheep from Pakistan. Though the Cholistani grows wool, it is raised primarily for meat.
The Coburger Fuchsschaf is a breed of domestic sheep from Germany. It is characterized by its reddish brown to golden color, which is most pronounced at birth, but remains at the head and the legs in the adult. Many animals also have a dorsal stripe.
The Comeback is a type of domestic sheep originating in Australia. This type of sheep results from crossbreds produced by British Longwool sheep and Merinos being mated back to Merinos. This cross is made to achieve a finer, better style of wool. Comeback style wool is also produced by Bond, Cormo and Polwarth sheep and they may prove easier to breed than Comebacks. The Comeback sheep are raised for meat and their fine wool.
The Meatmaster is a breed of domestic sheep native to South Africa. Bred in the early 1990s from various hair sheep breeds, the Meatmaster was created with the goal of improving the meat characteristics of African fat-tailed sheep breeds. The fat-tailed sheep had various advantageous characteristics such as hardiness and suitability for desert life, but was slow to mature, had a poor distribution of fat and lacked the muscling of the hind quarters of European breeds. The composite breed increased the amount of muscle and had a better distribution of fat but retained the hair coat and other desirable traits such as resistance to tick-borne diseases and a good flocking instinct.
The Karayaka is a breed of domestic sheep from Turkey. It is a dual purpose breed producing meat and milk. The wool is used in carpets. The Karayaka is classified as a long thin-tailed breed.
The Eliottdale is a breed of domestic sheep originating from Tasmania. It is a carpet wool breed raised primarily for its wool. Due to the amount of wool grown by the Eliottdale, it needs to be shorn twice per year.
References
- ↑ "Dohne Merino". Sheep101.info. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
- ↑ "Dohne Merino Origin Of The Breed". Indigenousbreeds.co.za. Archived from the original on 2009-08-29. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
