Karakul breed of sheep: description and characteristics, breeding rules

Karakul is considered one of the most common sheep breeds in the world. These animals are raised for both wool and milk and meat. Moreover, more often the Karakul breed of sheep is bred precisely to obtain fur cut from lambs. The wool of the young is soft and has an attractive appearance, so it is often used in the manufacture of garments.

History

Karakul sheep appeared several thousand years ago. The history of this breed is unknown. It is believed that the first representatives of this species appeared on the territory that today belongs to Uzbekistan.It is believed that the breed was bred in Central Asia. The Karakul breed differs from other varieties in that it quickly adapts to new living conditions, tolerates climate change well and demonstrates high endurance.

The selection carried out on the territory of Asian countries has brought some changes to the breed of Karakul sheep. These animals have a fat tail resulting from mixing with fat-tailed lines.

Appearance and characteristics

Karakul sheep are medium in size. The height at the withers of an adult animal reaches 78 centimeters. Sheep weigh 70-75 kilograms, females - over 50 kilograms. Outwardly, representatives of this breed are distinguished by the following features:

pear-shaped and strong body;
straight back, but rams develop a hump over time;
deep sternum with pouch-like protrusion (appears not in everyone);
elongated limbs with strong hooves;
long neck;
humped nose;
S-shaped fat tail.

The length of the coat, which becomes hard as it grows older, in adults reaches 20 centimeters. The color of 60% of animals is black. But in 25% of cases, the coat becomes gray, and in 5% - white or pink. It is also noteworthy that the pigmentation of the color lasts up to 1.5 years. In the future, the wool becomes white.

A characteristic feature of the Karakul breed is that horns develop exclusively in rams.

Types of Doodle

There are many types of astrakhan. The following are considered the most common:

Valek, or Uzbek astrakhan. The fur of such animals is thin, with a specific pattern, which is formed by curling hairs. The wool of the Uzbek astrakhan has no value. Therefore, the fur of the rolls is used for the mass production of clothing.
Astragan, or Afghan karakul. These sheep have dense and coarse wool, with an intense and normal sheen. Due to its increased wear resistance, astragan fur is valued in the market.
Swakara, or African karakul. The fur of such animals is tightly twisted into small lumps and is characterized by high strength, lightness and plasticity. In this regard, African karakul wool is used in the manufacture of various clothes.

Representatives of breeds with sur color are also considered in demand. This color is found only in 10% of Karakul sheep.

Main advantages and disadvantages

Among the advantages of the Karakul breed are the following:

ability to adapt quickly;
unpretentiousness, both to the content and to the diet;
strong skeleton;
ability to withstand temperatures up to +40 degrees;
high percentage of survival among young animals with a sharp deterioration in living conditions;
lamb wool is valued in the fur industry;
wide variety of skin colors;
suitable for breeding for meat and milk production.

Karakul breed does not tolerate high humidity. Under such conditions, general indicators decrease: the volume of wool and milk decreases. Also, animals are not recommended to overfeed, as this will lead to chopping of the livestock. High humidity provokes similar consequences.

Maintenance and care requirements

It is recommended to keep Karakul sheep in insulated and dry pens with good ventilation.The minimum temperature that animals tolerate is + 6-8 degrees. The room in which the doodles are kept must be disinfected periodically. These animals require regular bedding (mainly straw).

Doodles need daily walking. At the same time, it is possible to drive out to pastures only after the dew dries.

How and what to feed the breed

During the year, the daily diet of Karakul sheep should include:

legumes;
grass;
hay;
straw;
oats, rye, corn or wheat;
fresh vegetables or root vegetables;
s alt.

The winter diet is recommended to be composed of cereals (make up at least 25% of complementary foods) and oilcake (13%). Also during this period it is recommended to give s alt (1%) and dicalcium phosphate (1%). It is forbidden to feed adult animals with sour cereals, beets and swamp grasses, young animals - with bread.

In addition, sheep need to be provided with free access to clean water (rams consume up to a liter per day).

Features of breeding Karakul sheep

Puberty in Karakul sheep comes to 6-8 months, but the first mating is recommended not earlier than 1.5 years. Females during their life and subject to constant walking on the pasture are able to bring up to 130-150 lambs. The case is carried out during the hunting period. The latter manifests itself in the form of aggressive behavior, swelling and redness of the genital organs, the release of characteristic fluids. Moreover, this period lasts no more than two days.Mating is recommended no more than once a year.

If the animal is he althy, then the birth takes place without the participation of a person. Each lamb appears at an interval of about 15 minutes. 1-1.5 weeks before birth (come 5 months after fertilization), it is necessary to prepare a separate room for the female.

Frequent diseases

Doodles have strong immunity, so they get sick mainly due to non-compliance with the rules of keeping. In particular, in young animals, digestive disorders are noted. Infectious diseases are not typical for doodles. However, this breed is not fully protected from the development of rabies, brucellosis, tuberculosis and other infectious pathologies.

Distribution areas

Karakul breed is bred in 50 countries of the world. Mostly these animals are kept in regions with a warm and dry climate: in Central Asia, on the territory of Ukraine and the USA. Doodle farms are also found in Europe and Africa.