Among the many breeds of sheep, there are famous ones, bred many years ago and still popular today. One of these is Romanovskaya. This is a fur coat breed, bred in Russia in the XNUMXth century. About breed characteristics, advantages, how to breed and maintain these sheep, read further in the review.
History of the breed
Romanov sheep are a coarse-haired breed grown in the Yaroslavl province since the XNUMXth century. Northern short-tailed sheep, which laid the foundation for the breed, had thick wool and were adapted to life in the harsh conditions of the northern regions. Probably, the Romanovskaya breed became a cross between representatives of several, now unknown breeds. In subsequent generations, the peasants developed breed characteristics, consciously selecting among the sheep those who had a thicker and more voluminous fur coat.
Did you know? Sheeps — one of the first domesticated animals. Archaeological excavations in Iran have discovered a figurine of a sheep with wool, which suggests that the selection of woolly animals began more than 6000 years ago.
The original region of distribution of the breed is the Romanovo-Borisoglebsky district. In Soviet times, this breed spread throughout the USSR. The total livestock in 1985 numbered more than 456 thousand individuals in various regions of the country.
Features
Animals are perfectly adapted to temperate and cold climates. They are very vigorous and can breed even under moderately grazing conditions, making them suitable for cultivation in most regions.
Video: Features of the Romanov breed of sheep
Sheep are highly resistant to most sheep diseasesincluding internal parasites. They feed on grass and shrubs; ruminants receive 60–64% of their diet on pastures. The rest can be supplemented with hay and fortified feed.
Appearance and description
The Romanov sheep has a proportional weight and an excellent coat. In Soviet times, she was one of the most sought after breeds. At birth, all Romanov lambs are black with a possible presence of white spots on the head. An adult animal is overgrown with a milky coat. Only the legs and head remain black. Within the breed, they may be horned or hornless.
The Romanov sheep is characterized by a strong, compact build, long thin legs, a barrel-shaped body with a thick woolen coat.
The breed is distinguished by a strong developed skeleton, a rounded body and an excellent skin and wool coat. The breed standard was issued in 1908.
Then he provided the following parameters:
- height at the withers – 70 cm;
- strong skeleton;
- powerful muscles;
- wide chest;
- straight flat back;
- saggy sacrum;
- strong legs.
Did you know? One sign of early domestication is the fact that sheep — the only type of livestock that cannot return to the wild.
Modern representatives of the breed have the following characteristics:
- weight: ram – up to 100 kg; sheep – 55 kg, maximum – up to 70 kg;
- both those and others can be horned or polled (hornless);
- head: oblong with erect ears;
- torso: barrel-shaped, with a straight back and an underestimated line of the sacrum;
- short tail;
- mane: arises from 8 months, consists of an outer pile and clearly stands out against the background of the rest of the coat;
- wool of lambs is considered the most valuable and contains a lot of fluff. It develops into an awn and forms braids.
The coat of adults is considered to be very dense. It contains up to 1 fibers per 2800 cm². The thickness of the awn is 90 microns. They shear them 3 times a year, getting up to 3,5 kg of wool from one adult ram, and up to 1,8 kg from one female for one haircut.
The uterus gives a good offspring, bringing 2-3 lamb per year. The breed is used not only to obtain wool, but can also give a good yield of meat – up to 30–35 kg per carcass.
Performance
The Romanov sheep is characterized by a high fertility rate of 2,3%, a strong maternal instinct and the ability to thrive in adverse conditions. Young individuals are capable of reproduction by 8 months of age. Adult animals are capable of reproduction all year round. Females can bear offspring 2 times a year. More often, 2 lambs are born, less often – 3. Females have enough milk to feed their offspring.
The intended purpose of the breed is the production of high-quality sheepskin. She was considered one of the best not only in the USSR, but also in the world. The most valuable and now considered the wool of lambs 6-8 months. It contains a lot of fluff.
Today, the demand for sheep’s wool is falling. Synthetic materials and things with alpaca wool are in greater demand.
In this regard, farmers are interested in meat characteristics. For coarse-wooled sheep, a meat and meat-greasy bias is possible. So, the Romanovskys have a meat bias. Their meat has a relatively small amount of fat (for example, the Edilbaevskaya fat-tailed breed belongs to the meat and lard direction).
Did you know? In 2004, the merino sheep Shrek in New Zealand got lost and lived in a cave for 6 years. When he was caught and sheared, there was enough wool to make 20 men’s suits.
With a mass of an adult Romanovsky ram from 70 to 100 kg, the meat yield is 45–55%. Lambs are in demand at any age and weight. A three-month-old lamb weighs up to 17 kg, and by the onset of maturity, its weight is 40 kg.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed
- Breed advantages:
- high-quality sheepskin – light, durable, with heat-shielding properties;
- a large amount of wool – from 6 to 9 kg per year from one individual;
- unpretentious content;
- good adaptation to any weather conditions;
- high productivity.
The main disadvantage of coarse wool sheep today is low demand for the main product – sheepskin. This forces farmers to look for new markets or to instill improved meat properties in the breed.
Care
The average life expectancy of sheep is about 6–10 years. With the creation of optimal conditions for life, they can live longer.
Conditions of detention
Animals can live in a barn with equipped stalls. The floor must be wooden and non-slippery to avoid injury. There should be no drafts in the building, but ventilation is required. For bedding, use clean and dry straw. Change it daily as it gets dirty. If you need to disinfect, then slaked lime will help eliminate moisture and prevent the spread of bacteria.
In summer, when grazing, animals will need a fenced area with a canopy where they can be collected for the night. The height of the fence is about 2 m. The openings in the fence should be narrower than the head of a sheep to prevent injury and getting stuck.
Important! It is not recommended to graze animals after rain. Earthworms rise from the soil to the surface, which can be carriers of helminths.
The optimal grazing system is the rotation of several pastures, as sheep eat grass almost to the level of the soil. Changing pastures also reduces the chance of infestation by parasites. Before using the site, inspect it for poisonous herbs and remove them. Unlike cows, sheep eat all the grass and do not distinguish poisonous. Harvest hay in May – June. It is of better quality. To store it, you will need a separate storage or barn attic.
Feeding and haircut
Nutritional needs include the need for clean and fresh water. Animals spend most of their time grazing. The water source must be installed on a hill so that it is convenient for them to drink without spilling.
Be sure to provide access to salt. It is an essential part of digestion. Fix the feeder with salt under a canopy so that it does not fall into the rain. Place a feeder for fortified food in the same place.
Important! Make sure fortified feeds do not contain copper, which is toxic to sheep.
Sheep are ruminants. They eat hay or grass in the pasture. They will need 8 hours of grazing per day. The optimal grazing area is 1,2 ha per individual. In areas where there is heat, pastures should also contain shady areas. They will become a shelter for the sheep from overheating. There should be no wetlands on grazing – this is a source of potential injury.
Sheep add up to 500 g of a mixture of different hay per day. It is advisable to use clover and meadow grasses cut in May. Grain feed is not recommended to be introduced into the diet, as the animals will quickly gain weight. Older individuals are more likely to gain weight regardless of their diet.
Shearing takes place 3 times a year. Purchase for this electric clippers and a machine for fixing the animal. Sheep are very restless, and in order not to injure them when shearing, you need to hold them tightly. It is convenient to carry out a haircut with an assistant. When working with a cutting tool, you need to be extremely careful not to cut off the animal’s nipples along with the hair.
Disease Prevention
Sheep need to have their hooves trimmed every six to ten weeks.. This is very important, as neglecting the procedure can lead to lameness and infection. Hoof trimmers can be purchased at a specialized store.
In the presence of a large livestock, it is convenient to use ear tags and mark in the journal the main stages in the life of a sheep: pregnancy, illness, injury, vaccination. Vaccinate the herd against enterotoxemia and tetanus according to the schedule set by the veterinarian.
Reproduction
Reproduction of sheep occurs reproductively, as in other domestic herd animals of similar physiology. A herd of sheep is usually crossed with one ram. Crossing and breeding in the Romanov breed lasts all year round, but it is better to do this in the fall. Then the sheep will begin to kitten by spring.
Important! During the rut, even calm rams can become aggressive, so never turn your back on him.
Sexual maturity occurs from 7-8 months. A sheep’s hunting cycle lasts 17 days, plus or minus 1 day. At this time, she emits pheromones that signal the male that she is ready to mate.
lambing
It is difficult to determine the pregnancy of a female without ultrasound. Visually, it is noticeable only 6 weeks before delivery. Only a veterinarian can determine its presence. The pregnancy lasts 5 months. A few days before the birth, the sheep become restless, often lie down. The udder fills with milk and the vulva swells.
Contractions can last from 1 to several hours. The physical health of the female affects both the number of offspring and their health. In one lambing, there are often 2 lambs. Many sheep give birth right on the pasture, without outside help. Most births go well.
But sometimes the lamb walks with both feet and head forward, or it is too big. Then you need the help of a veterinarian. After the birth of the cub, the sheep begins to lick it. In this way, it clears the nose and mouth of mucus and dries it. In a lamb, the umbilical cord is cut to 2,5 cm and the place is smeared with iodine to prevent infection. A healthy baby will try to stand up almost immediately.
Raising lambs
Under normal conditions, the sheep feeds the baby with colostrum during the first hours after birth. She then feeds him milk. If the lamb is not eating, a gastric tube is used to force-feed it to save its life.
Smell plays a big role in sheep’s recognition of each other. Disturbing the smell of a newborn lamb by washing or over-processing can cause it to be rejected by the mother. Conversely, the smell of a sheep will help in education if, for any reason, the baby needs to be fed through a pacifier.
A healthy lamb should have a dry little navel, vigorous movements and clear, light eyes. If it is a male, a rubber ring is put on him, otherwise he may become aggressive when he reaches maturity. Make sure both testicles are down before releasing the ring.
In order for the lambs not to die in the first months of life, they must have immunity. If the mother of the lamb was not vaccinated a month before the birth, then the lamb is vaccinated a week after them. If the sheep is vaccinated, he has immunity, and vaccination occurs at 3 months of age. The vaccine prevents the development of kidney disease, tetanus, malignant edema and infectious diseases. Vaccination is repeated in a month, and then in 1 year.
Breeding area
Sheep of this breed are bred in most regions of Russia and Belarus. The main breed line is located in the Borisoglebsk region, in the Hatis breeding farm, as well as in a number of farms in the Tugaevsky district of the Yaroslavl region and the Palekh district in the Ivanovo region.
If you intend to breed the breed, it is worth considering that sheep with a low birth rate and weak ones should be culled from breeding. The rest must meet the requirements of the standard. Since the breed is bred for its wool, pay attention to wool testing schemes and animal performance requirements. This will help optimize the herd and improve its productive performance.
