In addition to cattle breeding and pig breeding, sheep breeding can be called one of the fairly large and developed branches of agriculture. These animals have conquered harsh regions with rather cold winters due to their unpretentiousness and high productivity. However, not every breed has excellent production characteristics. The article discusses in detail what the Edilbaevsky hybrid of sheep is, presents its detailed characteristics, description and subtleties of breeding.
Breed origin
Edilbaevskaya sheep is considered one of the oldest and most popular to this day varieties of artiodactyls from the Bovid family. This animal was bred a long time ago. The first individuals with stable features of the breed appeared in the second half of the XNUMXth century. The authors of the new highly productive animal were folk breeders who inhabited the territory of Western Kazakhstan.
The main goal of local sheep breeders was to breed a new breed that is unpretentious in terms of habitat and food, capable of withstanding physical exertion and long hauls in mountainous areas and steppes. Such hybrids were supposed to be an alternative to the less hardy and productive species bred earlier. In such conditions, for several decades, this unique breed was formed.
Did you know? Domestic sheep are the oldest domesticated animals. They were actively bred in Ancient Mesopotamia, Syria and Turkey 8 thousand years ago.
For many decades, these animals were bred on the territory of Kazakhstan, but by about the middle of the XNUMXth century they were distributed throughout the territories of the former republics of the USSR. Today, all kinds of individuals of the Edilbaev type are quite widely bred not only in Kazakhstan, but also by sheep breeders in the southern regions of Uzbekistan and Ukraine.
Characteristics and appearance
Sheep of the Edilbay breed have absorbed all the best production qualities. But, despite this, the animals obtained over the years of the formation of the breed acquired not only common, but also unique features, the set of which made it possible to distinguish a new hybrid into a separate group. These include a unique combination of coat type, color and features of the construction of the animal’s body.
Parameters
This breed is distinguished by the body structure characteristic of this group of animals, and also differs by a rather large mass. The average weight of a ram is 110 kg, sheep – no more than 70 kg. However, under optimal conditions, performance can increase up to 60%. The breed is gaining weight well, while the average can be about 200 g / day. The height at the withers of the representatives of the breed is 70–80 cm, while the chest girth reaches 100 cm.
Features of the structure of the body
One of the main features of this Kazakh sheep hybrid is the absence of large horns. This makes it possible to simplify the care of animals, as well as protect them from damage during intra-herd competition. Also, a characteristic highlight of the Edilbais is a fat-tailed pouch in the back of the body, near the tail. There is an accumulation of fat mass in it, which is often one of the main types of products.
Characteristic features of the breed:
- the head is small, elongated;
- hooked nose;
- thick and dense teeth;
- mobile and refined legs, characterized by increased bone density;
- the body is rounded, very flexible;
- strong and dense spine;
- massive back of the body.
Suit and color
The traditional color of this breed of animals is considered to be black or all kinds of red shades. However, today there are also representatives of an adjacent, light or dark brown shade. A characteristic feature of the breed can be called the dependence of productivity on coat color. Individuals with black and brown coats weigh an average of 5% more, and their milk production is 10% more active.
Wool of lambs
The coat of representatives of this breed is very thick and dense. Approximately 50% of its composition falls on fluff, which provides its excellent thermal insulation properties. Wool is ideal for making household items as well as industrial processing.
Did you know? In ancient times, sheep served as one of the main cult animals, they were identified with many deities of the East and the Mediterranean. At the same time, their special role is highlighted in the Abrahamic religions, most of whose characters were associated with sheep breeding (Muhamed, Abraham, Isaac, Moses, etc.).
The average length of the coat is 10–15 cm. If possible, it must be trimmed, this procedure is often carried out on the animal 1–2 times a year, but it is best to do a haircut every 10 months.
Performance indicators
Edilbaytsy are considered the best breed of meat and greasy direction. Due to the large body weight and massive muscles, the average yield of marketable products is at least 55% of the total carcass weight. Of these, about 10% is the fat mass from the fat tail bag, and the rest is meat.
The milk productivity of the variety is low, however, with proper care, a sheep can produce up to 200 liters of milk per year with a content of easily digestible fats of at least 3%. At the same time, wool is a by-product, so the cut from the average representative does not exceed 3 kg.
Advantages and disadvantages
Despite the many useful reviews about the breed, this kind of sheep is not suitable for every breeder. In addition to the positive aspects, such productive species also have some disadvantages, due to which sheep breeding can be almost completely transferred to a loss-making industry, therefore, before buying edilbayts, you should weigh all the pros and cons of these artiodactyls.
Milk
Despite the meat-fat direction, this breed has a good milk production. Such milk is ideal for all kinds of culinary treatments, and also has a high concentration of protein and healthy fats.
But in order to get really impressive milk yields, the animals should be provided with a reinforced feed base, which significantly increases the final cost of milk. With normal nutrition, the breed produces only 100-120 liters of milk per year.
Wool
The breed gives high-quality and dense wool, characterized by increased thermal insulation properties. But the cut taken from the Edilbaians can only be used for the manufacture of dense fabrics with an enlarged strand. This is a coarse-haired hybrid, therefore, such wool is not suitable for making light underwear. In addition, often the woolen cover does not bring much profit, since the cost of shearing is often hardly covered by profit.
Kurdyuk
Due to the increased tendency to accumulate fats, fat tail fat becomes not just a by-product of animal husbandry, but is also one of the main goals of sheep breeding. Salo of the Edilbaevskaya breed is distinguished by its high nutritional value and all kinds of saturated substances, therefore it is excellent for preparing any product.
Important! To determine the age of a sheep, just look at the size of the fat tail bag. The larger it is, the older the animal is in front of you.
However, the growth of the sebaceous sac closely depends on the quality of the feed and the water-salt balance of the growing region, so often its weight is only 5 kg.
Slaughter
Since the Edilbaevsky sheep instantly gain weight, individuals become suitable for slaughter already at the age of 6 months. By this time, sheep and rams should reach a mass of at least 45 kg. At the same time, as the animal ages, the meat does not acquire an unpleasant smell and taste, so the slaughter of livestock can be carried out even the next season after growing up. But it is better to slaughter the livestock when the average age of the animals is no more than 5 months, otherwise the profitability of sheep breeding is significantly reduced.
Rules for maintenance and care
Despite its unpretentiousness and resistance to all kinds of weather changes, when breeding the breed, you need to take care of the appropriate conditions for animals.
Important! Sheep Edilbay must be constantly subjected to physical activity. Without a long daily walk, these animals begin to suffer, which negatively affects the quality of products.
To do this, you must follow a few simple rules:
- keep sheep only in clean and dry rooms. High humidity for representatives of the breed is quite detrimental and can provoke suppression of immunity and productivity;
- the place of overnight stay of animals in winter must be heated, the air temperature should not fall below + 8 ° С;
- sheep need an abundance of fresh food, so they are transferred to dry food only in case of urgent need;
- to achieve the full growth and development of individuals of the breed is possible only through a varied diet, therefore, when feeding, the whole variety of food should be used (from grain to root crops, fresh herbs and specialized feed);
- animals should be provided with fortified supplements, as well as free access to salt. This is the only way to achieve fast and effective weight gain.
Reproduction
Fertilization of sexually mature females of the breed occurs in late spring. Pregnancy in animals passes quickly enough, on average, it takes about 21 weeks. Births of offspring are observed at the beginning of winter. About a week before this, the behavior of the female changes dramatically, she can drink water heavily and eat, or, conversely, almost completely refuse food.
In this case, the animal has increased anxiety and activity. A sexually mature female can give up to 3 lambs in one fertilization, but often the number of offspring does not exceed 2 individuals.
Breed diseases and possible problems
Despite strong immunity, edilbay people are prone to many diseases.
The most common among them is:
Among non-lethal pathologies, the breed is affected by:
- scar flatulence, which leads to bloating and inflammation of the food system;
- white muscle disease – it is characteristic of lambs as a result of a lack of a vitamin and causes impaired motor ability, general weakness and convulsions;
- bezoar disease, the essence of which is the animals eating their own wool, which further clogs the intestines.
Breeding prospects
Despite the fact that Edilbaevsky sheep are reluctant to breed and maintain the number of individuals in the herd on their own, this breed is considered quite promising for breeding. Animals give high-quality meat and lard products, which are distinguished by a particularly delicate taste and structure. In addition, fruiting females are often used to harvest milk, the quality of which is not inferior to dairy breeds.
In addition, these animals are willingly crossed with other breeds of the fat tail type. This makes it possible to breed highly productive hybrids with the necessary set of production qualities, obtaining only good livestock products. This is especially important for regions with a difficult climate and mountainous terrain, where most breeds are bred with difficulty.
But one should also take into account the fact that the meat and tallow products of sheep are not in high demand. In most regions, it is exotic and does not belong to traditional food products, so before breeding sheep, you should first take into account this feature and take care of sales markets, including based on regional and cultural preferences.
Approximate price and where to buy
Today, this breed is considered quite popular among sheep breeders, so it can be purchased both in specialized breeding farms and large sheep breeding enterprises, and in private farms. If you want to purchase an animal without any genetic pathologies, it is best to contact large enterprises for lambs, which ideally retain all breed properties.
The price of animals primarily depends on the region, the elite of the farm and the viability of the animals. The average cost of a healthy lamb is in the range of $2–3 US/kg live weight. In this case, the cost per individual can reach up to $200 US.
Edilbaev sheep are an unpretentious and highly productive species of animals that can thrive even in the most difficult climatic conditions. This contributed to the increased popularization of the breed far beyond the region of breeding. However, it is possible to obtain high-quality and excellent meat and lard products only if the livestock is provided with an excellent forage base and regular walking on the pasture.
Video: edilbaev breed of sheep
