Several aspects determine how successful a sheep enterprise can be. Getting it correct when it comes to selecting the breeding stock lambs is one of these aspects. An assurance of having the suitable livestock in the farm is provided by getting the selection of lambs right. Visual appraisal is still at the top of the list among methods of choosing sheep. This is because one may not be able to be certain of future productivity by using other methods of determining suitability of sheep. When one needs Breeding stock lambs KY Offers the perfect location to visit.
Health of the animal must be the first aspect to consider. One is likely to fail if they start off with unhealthy lambs. Normally, besides being bright, healthy lambs stay alert. They will never isolate themselves from others. A healthy lamb appears to be in better body condition relative to its age, plane of nutrition, and stage of production.
Farms where lambs display certain symptoms of being ill should be avoided. Limping, pink eyes, awfully poor body shape up, animals having abscesses, sore oral lesions and respiratory symptoms are some of the signs to look for. Sneezing, running noses and snorting consist of respiratory signs one should pay attention to. It is better to be safe than sorry.
The other visual appraisal criterion is the soundness of the animal. A person should only consider a lamb to be sound if it is in good physical state and does not have any serious physical defects. People must know that an animal with physical problems has low survival chances and cannot remain productive for a long period of time. Lack of lambing can be quite counterproductive for breeders or anyone.
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.
However, slight variations in jaw alignment should be expected as they are quite normal. The slight variations are not an inherited defect. When in doubt whether the variations in jaw orientation are normal or abnormal, one should observe the structure of the jaw from the side. Also, one should feel the teeth in order to further confirm what is seen. Overshot or undershot jaws affect the grazing ability of the animal.
The state of the teeth depends on certain factors such as diet and land, which should also be visually appraised. Course diet are likely to have teeth grinding away quicker while easily consumed diet mills the teeth slowly. The molars are the ones that grind foodstuff and so the emphasis should be on them and not the incisors.
Lastly, the structure of the lamb generally is another aspect to watch. Its legs and feet need to be straight. It must also be squarely set on the corners of the torso. One needs to consider conformation as well. It tends to differ among different breeds. However, there is a tendency of smooth shoulders and straight backs being desirable.
Health of the animal must be the first aspect to consider. One is likely to fail if they start off with unhealthy lambs. Normally, besides being bright, healthy lambs stay alert. They will never isolate themselves from others. A healthy lamb appears to be in better body condition relative to its age, plane of nutrition, and stage of production.
Farms where lambs display certain symptoms of being ill should be avoided. Limping, pink eyes, awfully poor body shape up, animals having abscesses, sore oral lesions and respiratory symptoms are some of the signs to look for. Sneezing, running noses and snorting consist of respiratory signs one should pay attention to. It is better to be safe than sorry.
The other visual appraisal criterion is the soundness of the animal. A person should only consider a lamb to be sound if it is in good physical state and does not have any serious physical defects. People must know that an animal with physical problems has low survival chances and cannot remain productive for a long period of time. Lack of lambing can be quite counterproductive for breeders or anyone.
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.
However, slight variations in jaw alignment should be expected as they are quite normal. The slight variations are not an inherited defect. When in doubt whether the variations in jaw orientation are normal or abnormal, one should observe the structure of the jaw from the side. Also, one should feel the teeth in order to further confirm what is seen. Overshot or undershot jaws affect the grazing ability of the animal.
The state of the teeth depends on certain factors such as diet and land, which should also be visually appraised. Course diet are likely to have teeth grinding away quicker while easily consumed diet mills the teeth slowly. The molars are the ones that grind foodstuff and so the emphasis should be on them and not the incisors.
Lastly, the structure of the lamb generally is another aspect to watch. Its legs and feet need to be straight. It must also be squarely set on the corners of the torso. One needs to consider conformation as well. It tends to differ among different breeds. However, there is a tendency of smooth shoulders and straight backs being desirable.
About the Author:
If you are interested in breeding stock lambs KY area we urge you to pay a quick visit to our updated website. Find the relevant link to click on right here http://www.kentuckylamb.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment