Key Points

Methods       5 Minutes

Link

Ask students what they know about lamb production in Texas. Also ask if anybody in the class show lambs. Just like other livestock, sheep and goats are used for other reasons besides meat.

Motivation

 After this lesson if you were not sure which breed of lamb you show or that your friends show, you should be able to identify many different breeds

Overview

     Today we will…

·         Explain sheep and goat production systems

·         Identify Breeds of Sheep and Goats

·         Classify fine-wool, medium-wool, and long wool

Teacher Led Discussion

Review Objectives

Key Points

Methods      30 Minutes

Let us begin by viewing this power point which describes the sheep and goat production systems in Texas.

Show PowerPoint presentation on Breeds of Sheep and Goats slides 1-13.

Sheep and goats are raised under extensive conditions.

Number of Goats in Texas is increasing at the rate of 9% per year.

90% of Mohair is produced in the state of Texas.

Sheep and Goats are an excellent complement to beef cattle enterprises as they each use a different proportion of grass, forbes, and browse.

There were 1,050,000 head of sheep and lambs in Texas in 2002.

Extensive management system – majority of the sheep in the Western U.S. are raised under extensive conditions. Guard dogs are commonly maintained with the sheep for protection against predators; ex: Great Pyrenees.

Southwestern range Operations

-utilize fine-wool Rambouillet type ewe as these sheep are adaptable to the environmental conditions in this region

-Producers strive to produce high quality fine-wool fleeces, relatively fast growing lambs.

-Very little supplemental feed

-Major factors impacting profitability include amount of rainfall, predators, and prices for lamb and wool.

Northwestern range operations

-similar to southwest, but greater abundance of feed in Northwest

-larger, heavier shearing, coarser fleeced ewes are utilized

-Often graze federal lands managed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management

Intensive Management Systems

Farm Flock Operators

-Common in the Midwest

Smaller in size and part of a diversified farming operation

Maternal lines of ewes are mated to sire lines of rams to maximize lbs of high quality market lamb produced per ewe.

Lamb Feedlot Industry

-Intensively managed system where lambs are concentrated in a small area and fed diets that vary from 30-90% concentrate(either corn or milo)

-Colorado is the leading lamb feeding state, followed by Texas.

Hair Production

-The Angora goat is the primary fiber producing goat in the world

-Mohair, the fiber produced by the Angora goat, is a long, lustrous fiber that is noted for durability and brilliant color when dyed.

Meat Production

-There is no grading system for meat goats, thus there is greater inconsistency in the palatability of the product.

-Goats are generally marketed at local market auctions in goat producing areas.

Dairy Goat Industry

-Very intensively managed system that mimics the diary cattle industry

-Does are generally managed under confinement conditions and are fed harvested feeds.

-California is the leading dairy goat state

Properties of Wool

1. water resistant
2. good insulation
3. elastic
4. strong
5. felting properties – ability of fibers to interlock

Global Production

1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. South Africa
4. United States

View power point

Extensive conditions require less work. Let Teacher Led Discussion

graze and forget about them.

Complementarities allow sheep and cattle to exist at same time. Do not eat the same grasses

Intensive management system requires more work. As well as more feed.

The taste and texture of the meat is inconsistent, but you never know what you are going to get.

Good to wear when hunting or going outdoors.

United states ranks fourth in global production.

Key Points

Methods        15 Minutes

Students will work on a sheep and goat crossword puzzle.

After finishing their worksheet they should look over other breeds notes as they will have a test next week.

Key Points

Methods      5 minutes

• What are properties of wool?
• How does the U.S. rank in global production?
• Why are sheep and goats a good complement to beef cattle?
• What are three goat production systems?
• What are some sheep production systems?

Thursday or Friday we will be going to the dairy farm. We will also go across the street to look at the lambs next week, as well as have a test over sheep goats and swine.

Oral Questions

Summary—Lead in for tomorrow