Description of fat-tailed sheep and how they appeared, top 5 breeds and their features

The fat-tailed domestic sheep is an amazing sight. Nature has endowed the animal with a unique ability to accumulate nutrients for future use. This mechanism allows the pet to survive difficult times. Ancient nomads noticed the unusual property of the sheep in time. As a supplier of meat, lard, milk and wool, the fat-tailed animal is of particular value to humans.

Origin

Fat-tailed sheep have long been popular in Asian countries.In those distant times, the territory of Central Asia was inhabited by nomads. For eternal travelers, there was only one available trade - cattle breeding. People faced a difficult task, because the arid climate and lack of water negatively affected the quality of the grass, so it was difficult to maintain livestock.

As a result of evolution, animals appeared that were able to survive on meager food for a long time, but at the same time quickly gain weight and store fat. Thus, people received a lot of meat, wool and valuable fat tail fat. With the help of the latter, travelers were able to preserve meat for a long time. The fat acted as a preservative.

Today, fat-tailed sheep are found in the North Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Crimea and Afghanistan. Sheep are increasingly found on farms in North Africa. Due to their specificity, sheep never became widespread in European countries; in addition, the animals are poorly adapted to modern livestock farming methods.

General description and characteristics

The fat-tailed ram is distinguished from its curly counterparts by fat deposits concentrated in the sacrum area. These fat reserves form a large bag - fat tail. Its size depends on the variety and sex of the animal; the weight of the fat tail freely reaches 5-10 kg. Fat tail contains many useful substances, moisture and nutritious fat. Like camels, pets can use natural storage in case of drought or famine.

Fat tail fat is strikingly different from the internal fat supplied by ordinary animals. It melts easily, has a pleasant oily texture and is healthier than regular lard.

Representatives of different breeds of fat-tailed animals have common features and characteristics:

1. Sheep are impressive in size. The growth of a breeding ram reaches 100-110 cm, the female grows up to 80-90 cm.
2. The fat tail is an integral part of the body of all representatives of this unusual species of sheep.
3. Pets are very massive. The weight of the male often reaches 150 kg, the ewe gains about 60 kg. Lambs rapidly gain weight and reach 40 kg by the age of 1.5 years.
4. In most cases, the animals are polled (hornless), but occasionally there are those with horns.
5. The narrow, hook-nosed head and hanging long ears give the pet a touching appearance.
6. The coat is coarse, bristly, and devoid of fluff.
7. The tail of the animal is modest in size, only 8-10 cm.
8. The pet's color is often red or light brown. White, black or gray individuals are often found.

Fat-tailed sheep are genetically adapted to a meager food supply, so they easily make do with stunted vegetation and, like many centuries ago, roam with their owners.

Breeds of fat-tailed sheep

In places where fat-tailed animals are traditionally bred, there are many varieties of unusual sheep. Some of them are especially popular:

1. Gissar sheep. Animals are successfully bred in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Massive handsome men rarely get sick and quickly gain weight. Rams of reddish-brown and black colors are more common. The wool is very hard and rough. The ewe easily gains 86-89 kg, the weight of an adult ram reaches 150 kg. During one clipping, about 2 kg of wool is removed from a pet.
2. Edilbaevsky sheep. Edilbaevsky rams are distinguished by strong bones, but they are slightly smaller than representatives of the Gissar breed. The maximum weight of males reaches 120 kg, females gain 57-60 kg.Edilbaevites are found in the vastness of Kazakhstan, Bashkiria and Tatarstan. They successfully breed pets in the Saratov region. The wool of rams is dark red or black. Each time, up to 3 kg of raw material is cut from a pet. The meat of young animals has a delicate taste. During lactation, ewes give up to 100-110 liters of fatty nutritious milk. Black pets are superior to their red relatives in the size of their tail and the amount of fur.
3. Kalmyk breed. Animals are common on farms in Mongolia and China. The weight of a ram does not exceed 115 kg, a sheep weighs 73-75 kg. The breed is famous for its excellent meat quality and soft coat structure. The best raw materials are taken from black and white pets. Each clip brings up to 4 kg of fleece.
4. Sarajin sheep. The Saradzhin sheep has become widespread in Turkmenistan. Pets cannot boast of large sizes (the weight of a ram is up to 90 kg, a sheep’s weight is up to 59 kg), but they produce high-quality wool. From each shearing, the owners receive 2-3 kg of fleece.
5. Tushino breed. Half-tailed sheep are found mainly in Georgia. The animal is well built, hardy, and rarely gets sick. The weight of an adult ram reaches 70 kg, the ewe gains 37-40 kg. A distinctive feature of the pets is a fat tail, similar to a plump pillow. Tushins have wavy, elastic hair. The hair grows up to 25 cm and contains up to 70% fluff. The rest of the fleece contains guard and transitional hairs. Each clip from one pet brings up to 4 kg of raw materials. Sheep milk and meat are of excellent quality.

Advantages and disadvantages

Breeding fat-tailed sheep is a promising business that promises considerable earnings. However, before starting work, you need to take into account all the advantages and disadvantages of animals.

Rules of maintenance and care

In the warm season, pets are sent to pasture. There they spend most of their lives. Pasture should not be established in swampy areas, otherwise animals will feed on plants growing in acidic soil. Such food inevitably leads pets to severe poisoning. In case of bad weather, a canopy is provided for the wards. This is where the pets spend their night hours.

With the onset of frost, the rams are moved to a warm shed. Any spacious, and most importantly dry, room is suitable for pets. Sheep apartments must be protected from harmful drafts and provided with good ventilation. Otherwise, pets risk suffering from ammonia fumes.

Separate compartments are built for pregnant and lactating ewes with lambs. It should be warmer here than in the room for other pets.Newborn lambs feel good at a temperature of 16 degrees. The air temperature in the main shed should not fall below +10 degrees.

The floor is covered with dry grass or sawdust. This bedding must be changed daily. The stalls are equipped with comfortable drinking bowls. The water must be changed 2 times a day. The premises are cleaned daily. The animals are periodically examined by a veterinarian. The specialist assesses the condition of the sheep and carries out routine vaccination. In summer the lambs are bathed. Water procedures are performed no more than once every 1.5 months. A couple of times a year, pets have their hair cut and their hooves trimmed. Sheep wool is regularly treated to remove all kinds of parasites.

What to feed the animals

In summer, the animals are happy to make do with pasture. In winter, animals are switched to a homemade diet. In the morning, pets are treated to solid food, lunch consists of concentrates, and in the evening, pets are content with hay. Experts prohibit giving sugar beets to their clients. The treat can cause diabetes in pets. You cannot treat sheep with frozen vegetables - consuming these products threatens the death of the animals.

Subtleties of breeding

A sheep reaches sexual maturity at 6-7 months. For successful breeding, the herd contains a pair of stud rams. For mating, healthy, tall individuals are selected. The gestation period lasts 5 months. As a rule, childbirth is easy and painless. The newborn lamb is examined, the baby's nose and mouth are cleared of mucus, and then returned to the mother. At one time, a sheep gives birth to 1-2 cubs. After just 2 days, the lamb confidently moves after its mother.

What are they sick with?

Despite their enviable endurance, pets can get sick.If you detect signs of illness in time and contact a veterinarian, many troubles can be avoided.

1. Helminthiasis. Pets often become victims of worms that parasitize the internal organs of pets. The diagnosis is made based on test results. Symptoms of the disease: depression, poor appetite, diarrhea, hair falls out in small shreds. Antiparasitic drugs are used for treatment.
2. Rumen flatulence. One of the most common ailments in pets. The cause of the disease lies in improper feeding of the wards. Symptoms: bloating and sharp hardening of the abdominal area, loss of appetite, anxiety. If help is not provided in time, the animal will die. The problem is solved using a rubber probe. Using this simple tool, accumulated gas and remnants of undigested food are removed.
3. Poisoning. Trouble occurs as a result of a sheep eating poisonous plants. Symptoms: high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite. Treatment consists of emergency gastric lavage using a special solution. The product is prepared from 0.5 cups of vegetable oil, 0.5 liters of water and 50 g of salt.

The use of fat tail in cosmetology and medicine

Fat tail fat has long been successfully used for the production of cosmetics. Nutrients help smooth and rejuvenate delicate facial skin.

Lard is used in the fight against colds. It is added to herbal decoctions and also used for wrapping procedures. Unlike interior lard, the contents of fat tail are not salted. Fat tail fat successfully copes with diseases of the liver and gall bladder. The product has a positive effect on potency, relieves ulcers and gastritis, and also reduces blood sugar levels.Fat tail fat contains a record amount of vitamins and amino acids.