Breeding Sheep Evaluation
Bob Peterson, 4-H Youth Development Agent
University of Arizona Extension

There are six factors to consider when evaluating breeding sheep. These are 1) size and scale; 2) structural correctness; 3) muscling; 4) volume and capacity; 5) breed and sex characteristics; and 6) wool production. The importance of each characteristic is determined by the breed being judged.

When evaluating wool breeds size and scale is most important. This is the ability to grow. This is characterized by 1) the length of neck, 2) the length of body and 3) the length of the canon bone. It is important to pay attention to6birth dates. A smaller, younger animal may actually be better than an animal that is considerably older, but is only slightly larger in size and scale. In most classes, unless the birth date is given, assume the animals are the same age. If records are available for weight per day of age, this is another good indicator of size and scale.

The next most important characteristic when evaluating wool breeds is structural correctness. An animal that lacks structural correctness will not stay in the breeding herd long and the herdsman needs to be able to recognize those animals that will cost more than they will provide.

Structural correctness begins at the head and neck. The neck ties neatly into the shoulder. The top line from the shoulders through the rump, including hooks to pins, is level. The feet and legs are straight from the comers of the body to the ground, with good width between the legs, both front and rear. The legs are neither camped under nor post legged. The pastems have a slight angle, but almost straight.

When evaluating wool breeds, wool production is the third aspect of the animal to consider.

Wool production counts as much as 20% or more toward the placing of the class. A good wool ewe will production 12 pounds of grease wool at $2-3 per pound, or $24 to $36 of yearly annual income.

Wool is graded as fine, medium, coarse. Fine grades will have a numenc count of 64-65. The crimps are very close together. The finest wool is usually found on the shoulders, becoming coarser over the rnid section and rump. The coarsest wool is located at the britch. The staple length of the wool is to be uniform from shoulder to rump.

Wool character is also important. It is to be pretty and bright white when opened up. A dirty surface color will penetrate into the wool. Coarser wool allows the dirt to penetrate deeper than finer wool. The handle of wool is the softness of the wool. Fine wool is very soft and is most desirable.

The density of the wool is determined by the number of fibers per square inch. Grab a handful of wool. How much does it fill your hand? A fine wool will fill your hand. A coarse wool will feel empty. Once again check to see how far dirt has penetrated down the fiber shafts. Lastly, if you have records, how much grease free wool is produced from the animal? The higher the grease free yields, the better.

Wool is to be free from 1) hairy britch: hair fibers integrated into the wool, usually found in the britch area, lower portion of the hind leg; 2) belly wool: short, dirty or kinky wool, usually found on the belly, but sometimes may be found above a line from the front to rear flanks; ok on the belly, but not in other areas of the fleece; and 3) wool blindness: full faced wool, animals cannot see to find forage and are poor doers, losing body condition.

Volume and capacity are the fourth consideration in evaluating wool breeds. This is expressed as width throughout the body; depth from the bottom of the chest through the flank; and length from the shoulders to the rump. Volume and capacity can be increased by increasing one of these three measurements. Ideally each is to balance the other two aspects.

The amount of muscling follows volume and capacity. Watch how the animal walks. If it walks wide, it is a strong indication of good muscling in an animal that may have too much wool to be able to get a good fix by feel of the leg and forearm muscling.

Lastly, check breed and sex characteristics. Wool breeds are usually white in color. Black fibers are faults and must be heavily discounted as this affects wool quality and value as well as breed character. Ewes are to be feminine and refined while bucks are to be masculine and are usually coarser.

The same characteristics are used, but in a different order.

First is size and scale and the corresponding growth indicators which are the same as those discussed for wool breeds.

Secondly, check for structural correctness. Once again these are the same as noted for wool breeds. However, the meat breeds have a stronger tendency toward buck knees, so watch for that fault.

Muscling is the third most important factor when judging meat breeds. Check for thickness of the shoulder at the 4-5 vertebrate. This indicates the development of the rack. Continue down the back of the animal, checking the width of loin and rump. From the rear check the width of the leg from stifle to stifle. Remember, the wider they walk, the heavier they are muscled.

When evaluating volume and capacity in a meat breed, the 12/13 vertebrate separates the fore and hind saddle. The loin and the rump are prime cuts, of approximately equal length. Those items discussed under wool breeds also apply.

Breed and sex characteristics play a more important role in evaluating breeding meat animals. Rams heads are coarser, which continues through the shoulder. Check the testicles. Are they even, firm? If measurements are available, are they adequate for the age of the ram. Ewes are to be more refined, with clean necks that tie in well with their shoulders. General sex characteristics already noted also apply.

Here breed Characteristics also play a role. Suffolk are to be clean headed and clean legged below the hocks and knees. Hampshire will have wool on both the head and legs. Southdowns and Shropshire may be a mouse brown color. Dorset and Montadale are white. Color in these two breeds is important.

In most cases wool is unimportant in meat breeds. First there is little wool produced, approximately 4-6 pounds. Sec-6nd, the wool, especially from Suffolk and Hampshire, is discounted heavily because of the black fibers in the fleece. In many situations, the wool only pays for the cost of shearing the animal.

There are any number of performance records that may be provided when judging a class. Those most common are: date of birth, birth weight, number born, raised as; 60 day adjusted weaning weight, fleece weight and fleece grade.

Birth dates are important when determining size and scale, the first consideration in evaluating all breeds. Many producers will not have birth weights, but this may provide some indication of individuals which had difficulty in lambing, or those that may be poor doers in the future.

The number born is expressed as s - single, tw - twin, or tr - triplet. The more the better when evaluating this record. This may be altered by knowing how the animal was raised. Was it a triplet raised as a single, or twins raised as twins. This would be important in a keep cull class of ewes or replacement ewe lambs.

The 60 day adjusted gross weaning weight provides an indicator of the animals growth rate and days to market. Fleece weights and grades are important when evaluating wool breeds as noted above.