Prekos sheep breed: description and characteristics, conditions of detention and care
The Prekos sheep breed, when meeting the requirements for maintenance, care and diet, shows excellent productive qualities. Animals belong to the meat-wool type, are characterized by high precocity, disease resistance, and unpretentiousness. Together, this makes sheep breeding profitable, both for personal farming and for commercial breeding.
History of the breed
Meat-wool breed was bred in the second half of the 19th century simultaneously in France and Germany. The French species was called prekos (translated from French as “early”), the German variety was called merinofleisch (“meat merino”).The genotype was formed by breeding French fine-fleeced rambouillet queens with English Leicester wool and meat sires and German Merinos.
Pigred animals were brought to Russia from Germany in the 1920s and after World War II. The steppe and forest-steppe zones with abundant pastures are suitable for breeding. In a hot, dry climate, with a lack of feed, animals lose productivity, their wool and meat quality decreases.
Character and exterior of prekos sheep
Sheep prekos do not move away from the herd, they are sensitive to suspicious sounds and smells. The uterus does not leave the lambs, they protect from dangers.
Males grow up to 0.8 meters, sheep - up to 0.7 meters. The weight of rams can reach 130 kilograms, lambs - 70.
Distinguishing features of Prekos sheep:
- big-headed;
- short necks;
- barrel-shaped bodies;
- tails are inconspicuous;
- strong, short legs;
- wool is thick, 7-8 centimeters;
- light color (grey/white/milk/sand);
- 80% of sheep are hornless.
The muzzle and legs are hairless, the tail is woolly.
Productivity Metrics
Indicators of meat and wool breeds are determined by the amount of marketable mutton, the cut of unwashed wool and the % of the output of washed wool. The meat of 8-10-month-old lambs has the best taste. With a monthly increase of 4-5 kilograms, they gain weight up to 40-50 kilograms. The maximum shear from a ram is 10 kilograms, from a sheep - 5 kilograms.
Wool characteristic:
- staple fleece;
- output of washed wool - 50%;
- hair length - up to 8 centimeters;
- wool fineness - 60/58-64;
- cream fat 30%;
- curvature is normal.
Staple fleece is a wool cover consisting of bundles of wool, identical in type, length and thickness of the hair. Fine-fleeced sheep have a staple structure of the rune.
Giropot - secretions of sebaceous and sweat glands that protect the coat from matting, pollution, mechanical damage. The maximum percentage of grease is contained in the wool of fine-fleeced merinos (40%). On average, 100 queens produce 140-150 lambs annually.
Pros and cons
Compared to fine-fleeced breeds, the wool on the body of a sheep grows unevenly and differs in composition. On the abdomen, the length and density of the fur is less. The lower back is covered with rough and harsh hair.
Conditions and care
Sheepfolds for winter maintenance are built in regions where during the cold period the temperature drops below +5 degrees. The room must correspond to the number of animals, including ewes with lambs. Each sheep is en titled to 1.5 square meters, the queen with offspring - 3 square meters.
The height of the sheepfold depends on the number of flocks. With a large livestock, equipment is used (for example, a tractor), so the height must be at least 3.5 meters. When care is carried out only by people - up to 2.5 meters. The walls can be with or without insulation, depending on the average winter temperatures.
The width of the doorway or gate must have a capacity of at least 3 animals. Sheep do not tolerate drafts, so the door is arranged on the leeward side, given the wind rose. There should be no gaps in the walls and roof.
The floor in the room must be solid, otherwise the sheep will have problems with ligaments. If the floor is concrete, it should be covered with wooden shields. The rammed earth floor is covered with straw bedding, which is changed weekly.
Windows are located at a height of 1.5 meters from the floor level. The size of the openings can be any. The total number of windows should provide good illumination indoors during the daytime. In the evening, artificial lighting is provided.
Feeders are placed longitudinally. It can be one common feeder or individual. A sheep drinks up to 10 liters of water per day. Drinking bowls are placed along the wall. Autodrinkers are enough 1 per 100 goals. Indoors, it is necessary to have pens for dividing the herd into queens with lambs, inspecting animals, and shearing. In warm regions, with year-round grazing, it is enough to have a paddock with a canopy from the rain. Sheep are sheared in April-May and September-October.
Pet food
In summer, the main food for sheep is forbs in the pasture and lick s alt (10 grams per individual). In the evening, to improve digestion, give up to 2 kilograms of oats, raw chopped fruits and vegetables.In the autumn-winter period, the diet of sheep consists of a mixture of hay and compound feed, succulent feed, and mineral supplements. Hay is the main feed. It is harvested at the rate of 2 kilograms per day per animal. The hay should contain, in addition to herbs, clover, peas. Wheat bran, silage, compound feed give 100-200 grams per head per day.
Juicy food (carrots, cabbage, pumpkin and beets) is given 1 time per day during the daytime feeding. To maintain a high-quality fleece, mineral additives are mixed into the feed (calculated for 1 animal):
- sodium sulfate - 3 grams;
- sodium hyposulfite - 4 grams;
- sulfur - 1 gram.
When fattening young animals for quick weight gain, increase the proportion of concentrated, high-calorie feed. Access to fresh water must be constant, both in the pasture and in the sheepfold.
Breeding
Prekos ewes enter puberty at 6 months. But at this age, mating is skipped so that weak offspring do not appear. In the future, reproduction can occur at any time of the year. The ram-producer guards the flock and covers the sheep that came to hunt.
From 100 queens get up to 150 lambs a year. Usually lambing occurs in early spring. The uterus with a newborn lamb is placed in a manger until it gets a little stronger. Lamb care is not required. The woolen cover protects it from hypothermia, the uterus has enough milk to feed it. A sheep is a caring mother, does not leave a lamb alone until six months. By the year, young animals gain 90% of the weight of adult animals. Young rams that fight a sire are removed from the herd or slaughtered for meat.
Frequent diseases
Prekos sheep are resistant to diseases that affect small livestock, such as:
- necrobacteriosis;
- pruritus;
- bradzot.
Pets may develop snot, which is a sign of a worm infestation.
Popularity of the breed in Russia
Fecundity, strong immunity, good quality wool and meat, adaptability to a temperate climate made the prekos breed in demand in the Black Earth region and in southern Russia. Sheep of the prekos breed are bred in the Voronezh, Kursk, Tambov, Belgorod regions, and the Krasnodar Territory.
Recommended
Blagovarskaya duck: description of the breed and characteristics, conditions of detention
Blagovarian ducks are highly productive and provide excellent dietary meat. In order for the cultivation of birds to be successful, they need to provide competent care.
Ukrainian duck: description and characteristics of the breed, conditions of detention
Ducks of the Ukrainian breed are distinguished by an accommodating disposition, high egg and meat productivity, and rapid weight gain. They can live in an unheated room, with a temperature not lower than 0 ° C.
Texel sheep breed: description and characteristics, conditions of detention and care
Description of the Texel sheep breed, its characteristics, breeding history, features of care and maintenance of sheep and lambs, breeding prospects, the cost of thoroughbred animals.
