The success of a sheep enterprise is determined by several factors. One of the factors is getting it right when it comes to choosing breeding stock lambs. Getting this part right will ensure that one has the appropriate animals on their farm. As much as other methods of selecting sheep are used, visual appraisal still tops the list. As with other selection criterion, one cannot tell with certainty the future productivity of an animal. When in search of Breeding stock lambs KY should be given priority.
Health of the livestock should be the first concern. Beginning with unhealthy sheep is recipe for disappointment, making health the most vital aspect. Normally, healthy lambs are bright and alert and do not isolate themselves from the rest of the flock. A lamb which is healthy should look healthy based on its age, nutrition, and stage of production.
All breeding farms or lambs which show symptoms of being unhealthy must be avoided. Very poor body condition, sore oral lesions, pink eyes, limping, animals that show respiratory signs or have abscesses are some of the signs to watch out for. Snorting, sneezing, and running noses are respiratory signs one should be careful about. Such animals must not be bought for breeding. Being safe than sorry is better.
The soundness and healthiness of the animal is another visual appraisal criterion to use. When a lamb is physically in good state and lacks any serious defects, it should be considered safe for purchase. There are low survival chances for an animal with physical defects. Also, they cannot remain very productive for a long duration. For breeders, lack of lambing may be very counterproductive
The next item to be checked on the list of visual appraisal is the mouth of the ewe. The correct or normal mouth should have the bottom and top jaws properly aligned. This means that the pad and the incisors are flush with no incidents of overshot or undershot. Ewes with overshot or undershot jaws are to be avoided since this trait tends to be hereditary.
Nevertheless, slight variations in jaw orientation are quite normal and should be expected. The minor variations are not hereditary defects and so an individual should view the arrangement of the jaw sideways if in doubt whether the alterations in jaw alignment are abnormal or normal. To further substantiate what is seen, a person should touch the teeth. The grazing capability of the sheep is influenced by the jaws being undershot or overshot.
One should perform the visual appraisal of the teeth condition. In most cases, the condition in which teeth are depends on specific aspects. The diet and land condition are some of the aspects. The teeth of sheep gradually get ground based on their diet. Coarse diet tends to grind teeth faster. One needs to focus on molar teeth as opposed to the incisors. This is because they are the ones responsible for grinding food.
In conclusion, the overall structure of the sheep is another aspect to focus on. Its feet and legs should be squarely at the corner of the body and straight. The conformation varies from one breed to the other. However, people tend to have a preference for smooth shoulders and straight backs.
Health of the livestock should be the first concern. Beginning with unhealthy sheep is recipe for disappointment, making health the most vital aspect. Normally, healthy lambs are bright and alert and do not isolate themselves from the rest of the flock. A lamb which is healthy should look healthy based on its age, nutrition, and stage of production.
All breeding farms or lambs which show symptoms of being unhealthy must be avoided. Very poor body condition, sore oral lesions, pink eyes, limping, animals that show respiratory signs or have abscesses are some of the signs to watch out for. Snorting, sneezing, and running noses are respiratory signs one should be careful about. Such animals must not be bought for breeding. Being safe than sorry is better.
The soundness and healthiness of the animal is another visual appraisal criterion to use. When a lamb is physically in good state and lacks any serious defects, it should be considered safe for purchase. There are low survival chances for an animal with physical defects. Also, they cannot remain very productive for a long duration. For breeders, lack of lambing may be very counterproductive
The next item to be checked on the list of visual appraisal is the mouth of the ewe. The correct or normal mouth should have the bottom and top jaws properly aligned. This means that the pad and the incisors are flush with no incidents of overshot or undershot. Ewes with overshot or undershot jaws are to be avoided since this trait tends to be hereditary.
Nevertheless, slight variations in jaw orientation are quite normal and should be expected. The minor variations are not hereditary defects and so an individual should view the arrangement of the jaw sideways if in doubt whether the alterations in jaw alignment are abnormal or normal. To further substantiate what is seen, a person should touch the teeth. The grazing capability of the sheep is influenced by the jaws being undershot or overshot.
One should perform the visual appraisal of the teeth condition. In most cases, the condition in which teeth are depends on specific aspects. The diet and land condition are some of the aspects. The teeth of sheep gradually get ground based on their diet. Coarse diet tends to grind teeth faster. One needs to focus on molar teeth as opposed to the incisors. This is because they are the ones responsible for grinding food.
In conclusion, the overall structure of the sheep is another aspect to focus on. Its feet and legs should be squarely at the corner of the body and straight. The conformation varies from one breed to the other. However, people tend to have a preference for smooth shoulders and straight backs.
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