Maharashtra Board Class 11 Animal Science And Technology Chapter 4 Sheep And Goat Breeds PDF Download

Sheep And Goat Breeds

Classification Of Sheep Breeds

All the sheep have several characteristics in common. Sheep belongs to family Bovidae (ruminants), genus Ovis and species aries. Within this species many different breeds exist.

Teacher's Note

Sheep are very important animals in India. Many farmers keep sheep for wool and meat. You can see sheep farms in hilly areas of your state.

Exam Trick

Remember: Sheep belong to family Bovidae. Think "Bov" = bovine = cow family. Just like cows, sheep are also ruminants.

Points to Remember

Sheep belong to family Bovidae.
Sheep are ruminant animals.
Many different sheep breeds exist in India.
Each breed is special for different things like wool, meat, or both.

Classification Of Indigenous Sheep Breeds On The Basis Of Agro-Ecological Regions In India

North Temperate Region

1. Bhakarwal (CW)

2. Changthangi (CW)

3. Gaddi (CW)

4. Gurez (CW)

5. Karnah (AW)

6. Kashmir Merino (AW)

7. Poonchi (CW)

8. Rampur Bushair (CW)

North-Western Arid And Semi Arid Region

1. Chokla (CW)

2. Hissardale (AW)

3. Jaisalmeri (MCW)

4. Jalauni (MCW)

5. Kheri (MCW)

6. Magra (CW)

7. Malpura (MCW)

8. Marwari (MCW)

9. Muzaffarnagari (MCW)

10. Nali (CW)

11. Patanwadi (CW)

12. Pugal (MCW)

13. Sonadi (MCW)

14. Munjal (M)

15. Panchali (M)

Southern Peninsular Region

1. Balangir (MCW)

2. Bonpala (MCW)

3. Chottanagpuri (MCW)

4. Ganjam (MCW)

5. Garole (M)

6. Tibetan (CW)

7. Kendrapada (MCW)

Eastern Region

1. Bellary (MCW)

2. Coimbatore (MCW)

3. Deccani (M)

4. Hassan (M)

5. Kanguri (M)

6. Kilakarsal (M)

7. Madras Red (M)

8. Mandya (M)

9. Mecheri (M)

10. Nellore (M)

11. Nilgiri (AW)

12. Rammand White (M)

13. Tiruchy Black (M)

14. Vembur (M)

Within parenthesis is the major product of the breed.

AW: Apparel wool

CW: Carpet wool

MCW: Mutton and Carpet wool

M: Mutton

Teacher's Note

Different sheep breeds are found in different regions of India. The breed type depends on the weather and land of that region.

Exam Trick

Remember the codes: AW = Apparel wool (fine), CW = Carpet wool (rough), MCW = Mutton and Carpet wool (both), M = Mutton (meat only).

Points to Remember

India has sheep breeds in four main regions.
North Temperate region has 8 breeds.
North-Western region has 15 breeds.
Southern region has 7 breeds.
Eastern region has 14 breeds.

Sheep Breeds

Indian Sheep Breeds

Deccani

Habitat: This breed is mostly found in the South-Eastern part of Maharashtra and in the neighbouring areas of Telangana and Karnataka. The breed is widely distributed in several districts which includes Nashik, Pune, Ahmadnagar, Kolhapur, Solapur and Aurangabad districts of Maharashtra state.

Prominent Characteristics

1. The sheep are strong and hardy.

2. The colour is dominantly black, with some grey and roan strain.

3. The breed has thin neck, a narrow chest, prominent spinal processes, raised withers, flat ribs, drooping croup and poor leg of mutton.

4. The rams are usually horned and the ewes are polled.

5. The animals have roman nose, lop ears and short tail.

6. The average live weight of ram and ewes is 38 and 28 kg, respectively.

Economic Importance

1. This breed is mostly reared for mutton production.

2. The fleece is coarse and consists of a mixture of wool fibres and hairs in varying proportions.

3. The average annual wool yield is 700g.

4. The wool is usually black, white and grey in colour. Wool is of inferior quality and used for making rough blankets and carpets.

Teacher's Note

Deccani sheep are common in Maharashtra. Many farmers in Pune and Nashik raise these sheep for meat and wool.

Exam Trick

Remember: Deccani = black sheep from Deccan area. DCW means wool can be black, white or grey color. Use this to remember it's not fine wool.

Points to Remember

Deccani is found in South-Eastern Maharashtra.
The sheep are strong and hardy animals.
Color is dominantly black with some grey.
This breed gives 700g wool per year.
Wool is coarse and used for rough blankets.

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