Hampshire breed of sheep: description and characteristics, diet and breeding

The Hampshire breed of sheep is characterized by certain features. These are semi-fine-fleece animals that belong to the meat-and-wool direction. Sheep of this breed are bred in different countries, including Russia. Animals are characterized by a strong physique and a massive body. It is wide and deep, with rough bones. To be successful in raising pets, it is important to properly care for them.

Description and characteristics of the Hampshire sheep

The Hampshire breed of sheep belongs to the meat and wool direction. It was released in the UK. This happened in the counties of Wiltshire, Hampshire and other regions in the early nineteenth century.The breed was based on meat coarse-haired and local dark-headed sheep and Southdown animals. As a result, it was possible to obtain large sheep, which are distinguished by a wide and deep body. They are hornless. These animals are characterized by high parameters of precocity and excellent meat forms.

The live weight of rams is 94-104 kilograms, of queens - 58-63. Fertility parameters are 115-130 lambs per 100 queens. From 1 animal it is possible to get 7 kilograms of wool. In this case, the length of the wool is 7-8 centimeters. It is mainly used for the manufacture of knitwear. Sheep of this breed are grown in different countries of the world - they are widespread in the USA, Germany, Great Britain.

Pros and cons

Hampshire sheep have a number of advantages. The main virtues of animals include the following:

excellent parameters of precocity of lambs;
high percentage of wool after washing;
easy adaptation to different climatic conditions;
rapid development.

The only disadvantage of animals is not too high fertility. This disadvantage should be taken into account before starting to raise animals.

Maintenance and care requirements

Sheep are considered very obedient animals, which are characterized by a pronounced herd instinct. In summer, they are recommended to graze on pastures. In the winter season, animals need a warm room. It should provide full ventilation.

At the same time, there should be no drafts in the room. It is recommended to start adapting the sheepfold for winter as early as mid-autumn. Don't put it off until the cold weather arrives.

At the same time, it is important to insulate the walls, make a feeder, organize a full-fledged ventilation system. It is important to ensure that the temperature in the room is at least +6 degrees. During the lambing period, the temperature regime should be at least +15 degrees.

Sheep's weak point is the hooves. Therefore, the floor in the room is recommended to be made of plank. From above it should be covered with straw bedding. Equally important is regular cleaning and trimming of hooves. If this is not done, there is a high probability of joint problems.

Feeding

In the summer, there are usually no problems with feeding sheep if there is enough pasture around. Feeding animals is recommended to pay special attention in winter. At this time, it is permissible to use coarse varieties of feed, which should be harvested in the summer. Sometimes sheep even eat dry leaves that farmers use as bedding.

To keep sheep calm in winter, they need to be fed 3-4 times a day. In good weather, it is recommended to do it outside. In addition to hay, silage and straw should be used for feeding. It is also permissible to include root crops in the diet of sheep. It is advisable to give sheep food at the same time. Sheep-producers need more careful care. You should definitely add oats and potatoes to their food. At the same time, hay must be of high quality.

How to breed a breed

Lambing in these sheep occurs once a year. It is worth bringing animals together during the hunt, which lasts 18-36 hours. Sheep are able to give offspring as early as 6-8 months. However, the first time it is better to cover it at 1 year.

The period of pregnancy is about 5 months.At this time, sheep need good nutrition and proper care. It is best to carry out fertilization so that the lamb is born in winter. In this case, by the beginning of pasture feeding, the cubs will eat greens. This will allow them to gain a decent body weight by autumn.

During the second part of pregnancy and lactation, sheep need enhanced nutrition. However, the diet should not contain sour silage or other products that can provoke fermentation in the body. During pregnancy, sheep should be given the following types of food:

hay;
root crops;
compound feed.

In the first week, lambs should be fed their mother's milk. Such food fully saturates their body with valuable substances. Already for 2-3 weeks it is permissible to introduce carrots and small hay into the diet. It is also worth giving vitamins to animals. By the age of 4 months, it is permissible for lambs to graze on pastures separate from their mother.

What do they get sick with?

So that the sheep do not get sick, they need proper nutrition and certain conditions of detention. It is important that the animals remain well-fed and get the maximum amount of vitamins from their food. In summer, sheep are disturbed by insects. They not only bite them, but also leave an infection in damaged areas.

Therefore, the livestock should be systematically inspected for the presence of damaged areas. When they are detected, treatment with disinfectants is required - it is better to use iodine.

To avoid the development of various pathologies of an infectious nature, vaccination is recommended. It is important to do this under the supervision of a veterinarian.

Hampshire breed of sheep is very popular with farmers. These animals are a source of quality meat and wool. For pets to be productive, they should be properly looked after. Equally important is a balanced and high-quality diet.