Fries Melkschaap

Last updated
Fries Melkschaap
Ostfriesische milchschafe.jpg
Conservation status
  • FAO (2007): not at risk [1] :147
  • DAD-IS (2023): at risk/endangered-maintained [2]
Other names
  • East Friesian
  • Ostfriesisches Milchschaf
Country of origin
  • Germany
  • Holland
Distributionabout 24 countries [3] [4]
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    112 kg [2]
  • Female:
    70 kg [2]
Height
  • Male:
    75 cm [2]
  • Female:
    60 cm [2]

The Fries Melkschaap is a Dutch and German breed of dairy sheep. It originates in the Frisia region, which includes parts of both northern Holland and north-western Germany. It has many names: the German stock is known as the Ostfriesisches Milchschaf, or in English as the East Friesian, the East Friesland Milch or the German Milksheep, while the Dutch equivalent is known as the Friesian Milk or Friesian Milksheep, or less often as the Friesian or West Friesian. [5] :810 Under suitable management conditions, it is among the highest-yielding of dairy sheep breeds. [6] [7]

Contents

History

The breed originates in the Frisia region of north-western Germany and northern Holland. [5] :810 [8]

Characteristics

The Friesian sheep breeds are a heathland type sheep, the land environment in much of Frisia. The group includes related dairy breeds taking their names from, and probably largely originating in, West Friesland and Zeeland. Historically, the sheep were kept in small numbers by households for household milk. They do poorly in large, dense flocks. [9]

In physical appearance, East Friesians have pink noses and their heads and legs are clear of wool. Their heads are naturally polled. They generally have pale hooves. The most distinctive feature of an East Friesian is its tail, which is described as a "rat-tail" because it is thin and free of wool. Elsewhere on their bodies they have white wool which is about 35-37 microns, with a staple length of 120–160 mm and their fleece ranges from 4–5 kg (8.8–11.0 lb). There also exists a dark brown variation of East Friesian. [10]

Use

The East Friesian produces roughly 300-600 litres of milk, over a 200- to 300-day lactation. There are reports of individual animals with milk yield reaching 900 litres, counting the milk suckled by the lambs, as well as milking by machine. [11] To provide a high milk yield, the ewe must receive a high-quality diet.

Another attraction of the breed is a relatively high average number of lambs born per ewe.

East Friesians are used as either a purebred milking breed or as a crossing breed for other milking sheep. They can raise the average number of lambs born, as well as milk production, when crossed with other milk sheep breeds. They are not a very hardy or adaptable breed, but their cross-breeds can be. Crossing them with the Awassi breed has been a notable success in Mediterranean or semiarid environments. [6] East Friesians crossed with the Lacaune breed have been a success in the Wisconsin environment. [12] East Friesians were not introduced into North America until the 1990s, but since then, on account of their high milk yield, they have rapidly become the breed of choice among commercial sheep milk producers, although generally not in purebred form. [12]

Related Research Articles

Frisian most often refers to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holstein Friesian</span> Breed of dairy cattle

The Holstein Friesian is an international breed or group of breeds of dairy cattle. It originated in the Dutch provinces of North Holland and Friesland and in Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany. It is the dominant breed in industrial dairy farming worldwide, and is found in more than 160 countries. It is known by many names, among them Holstein, Friesian and Black and White.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suffolk sheep</span> British breed of sheep

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxford Down</span> Breed of sheep

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheep milk</span> Dairy product

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clun Forest sheep</span> Breed of sheep

The Clun Forest is a breed of domestic sheep originating from the area surrounding the Clun Forest in Shropshire, England. Similar to many of the British breeds of upland sheep, Clun Forest are hardy, adaptable, good foragers, and are long–lived. With sleek heads and wide pelvic structures, Clun Forest ewes lamb easily. The breed has a short to medium–length wool and dark brown faces. They are a multi–purpose animal, kept for meat, wool, and milk. Like other dark faced sheep, Clun produce quality lamb and mutton. However, in contrast to more common meat breeds such as Suffolks, their wool is free of undesirable black fibres and kemp, and is suitable for handspinning. The breed's alert and stylish appearance, together with its reputation for hardiness and fecundity have made it popular with hobby farmers and large commercial flock owners alike. The Official Clun Sheep Breeders Society Show & Sale for males and females is held annually in early September at Ludlow livestock market by McCartneys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lacaune sheep</span> Breed of sheep

The Lacaune is a breed of domestic sheep originating near Lacaune in southern France. The native region of these sheep is the Tarn and Aveyron departments and surrounding areas. This region is collectively known as the "Roquefort Sector" which references the milk collection area. The Lacaune is the most widely used dairying sheep breed in France, with a population of about 800,000 ewes. Notably, it is the predominant breed used in the production of Roquefort cheese in France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zwartbles</span> Sheep breed

The Zwartbles is a breed of domestic sheep originating in the Friesland region of the north Netherlands. There it was primarily used for the production of sheep milk as well as lamb and mutton. They were often kept alongside dairy cattle herds.

The Devon Closewool is a British breed of domestic sheep. It is distributed almost exclusively on Exmoor in North Devon, in south-west England. It is raised primarily for meat.

The British Milksheep is a robust, dual-purpose sheep commonly known for its milking characteristics.

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References

  1. Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN   9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Breed data sheet: Fries Melkschaap / Netherlands (Sheep). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed April 2023.
  3. Transboundary breed: Friesian Milk. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed April 2023.
  4. Transboundary breed: East Friesian. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed April 2023.
  5. 1 2 Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN   9781780647944.
  6. 1 2 Friesian Milk Sheep. Stillwater: Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University. Archived 24 September 2009.
  7. Yves Berger (2004). Breeds of sheep for commercial milk production. Dairy Sheep Proceedings. 30 (4). Sheep extensio, University of Wisconsin. Archived 13 June 2010.
  8. East Friesian: Origin and history. Christchurch: New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association. Archived 26 November 2016.
  9. Reported by Kervina et al., as cited by Milk and lamb production of East Friesian-Cross ewes in Northwestern Wisconsin (UW-Extension).
  10. Ostfriesisches Milchschaf, Vereinigung Deutscher Landesschafzuchtverbände
  11. Chapter 2 of the book Principles of sheep dairying in North America published by Cooperative Extension of the University of Wisconsin-Extension (2004).
  12. 1 2 Comparison of East Friesian and Lacaune breeds for dairy sheep production in North America (UW-Extension).