Description of Edilbaevskaya sheep breed
Experienced farmers breed sheep and sheep in order to obtain quality gourmet meat. But it is worth noting that the taste depends not only on the conditions in which the animal was kept, but also on the breed and family. In particular, the Edilbaevskaya breed of sheep is famous for its peculiarities and individual characteristics.
Characteristics of the Edilbaevskaya sheep breed
Origin
For the first time this breed was mentioned more than 200 years ago. Local breeders in the western part of Kazakhstan seriously took up the issue of breeding and the possibility of developing a universal breed of Edilbay, which was supposed to make a revolution, the result of the activities of the shepherds was more than successful. To do this, they used some trick, crossing fat tail (sheep with an excess fat layer deposited in the back of the body, above the thighs) with large flocks of sheep from Astrakhan, which were already famous for their serious weight and high-quality product. Thanks to such experiments, already at the end of the 19th century, this family became widely known and widespread in all nearby territories.
In ancient times, the inhabitants of Kazakhstan were accustomed to leading a nomadic lifestyle, so all livestock lived in the same conditions. That is why today Edilbaevskie sheep amaze with their ability to endure bad climatic conditions and easily move quite impressive distances without losing weight.
Local residents understood how difficult it is to keep and feed animals in nomadic conditions. The scorching sun did not spare anyone, so there was practically no access to fresh juicy grass, and they had to be content with the available resources. It should be noted that the indicators did not decrease, but, on the contrary, grew. As a result, there were very few rivers, reservoirs and fresh drinking water. The dry climate made it possible to adapt to the worst situations.
Characteristics and appearance
Edilbaevskie rams are fat-tailed animals. With age, the fat tail grows, and the older the ram, the more the fatty and greasy layer is deposited.
The appearance of the Edilbaevskaya sheep breed
The main purpose of the "bag" is the same as the hump of a camel. Fat accumulates there, which is used as an additional means of maintaining a normal life cycle in an unfavorable period when the sheep's body does not receive the required amount of concentrated food. The fat tail's weight is limited to 15 to 30 kg.
Options
At the withers, the growth of these animals can be 75-80 cm, the length of the body itself is proportional to the height - about 77 cm.In some representatives, the chest girth can reach a maximum mark and become about 1 m.The mass of the queens is less than that inherent in rams by about 30-50 kg:
- sheep weight - up to 100 kg;
- ram weight - up to 150 kg.
Color and color
Edilbaevskie sheep are distinguished by a special shade of color.In some literature you can find the opinion that there are sheep of several colors. In fact, having carefully studied the photo, you can clearly distinguish 2 main contrasts: black and brown tones.
Depending on age and genetic characteristics, the coat can change shade, become a couple of tones darker and brighter.
Sheep of the Edilbaevskaya breed do not differ in blood purity, today's characteristic of the species is the result of frequent crossing with other varieties in the past.
Lambs wool
The best option is to cut the coat and hair once every six months, best of all - 2 times every 10 months, this will ensure a clean body and will not contribute to the development of diseases and the breeding of bacteria. Half of the wool is down. It is tough and very thick, therefore it is widely used in many areas.
This product is used for sewing carpets and durable outerwear made of natural wool. From one ram, you can cut up to several kilograms of hair, usually we are talking about 2-3 kg.
Features of body construction
This breed of sheep is distinguished by its large rounded body shape, the absence of horns or their presence at an early stage of development. The head of the Edilbaevski lambs is small, elongated, and regular in shape. A humped nose, teeth adapted for chewing dry food and non-succulent plants.
The legs of individuals are mobile and very strong, despite the fact that they are thin, the body is flexible, the spine is strong and strong. One of the features that the Edilbaevskaya breed of sheep can be proud of is the massive back of the body. Pedigree Edilbaevskie sheep are hardy and very fertile.
Behavior
Sheep of the Edilbaevskaya breed, unlike other representatives of this family, behave quite calmly in various stressful situations. They are always in a pack and try not to go far from other animals. In addition, it is worth noting that these are smart and trained lambs, they have well-developed reflexes and reactions to what is happening, while they are not wild and are not afraid of everything in a row.
Lambs of Edilbaevskaya breed
Moderately active, as far as their weight and size allow, animals do not lose weight, are easily influenced by humans, and farmers do not have to spend extra time and effort on domestication. Although the characteristics of the disposition may also depend on the conditions in which the pets grew up. On Internet resources, you can see a lot of videos that clearly show the behavior of lambs in a given situation.
Productivity
The meat product is the main indicator of the breeding productivity of these sheep. The characteristics and quality indicators of meat can significantly affect the price and cost of fat-tailed sheep meat. If you breed fat-tailed Edilbaevsky rams in large numbers, this can bring considerable benefits to the owners of the farm.
Meat, depending on the type of feed, contains no more than 9% fat, which has a positive effect on the taste of a dish made from lamb. At the age of six months, lambs can reach a weight of about 65 kg and already give good meat performance. If we talk about live weight, then it is up to 35 kilograms, 6 of which are fat and body fat.
Sheep milk
Milk is one of the most consumed products, while the milk produced by the Edilbaevskaya sheep is extremely valued in Kazakhstan.
Most often it is used to make traditional local dishes. Often these are cheeses of various expensive varieties. In 12 months, a large, healthy and fertile sheep can produce up to 180 liters of milk.
Breeding Edilbaevskie sheep
For those who plan to seriously engage in breeding this breed, it should be said that in the fertility category it is not inferior to its relatives from other families. Pregnancy in these pets is quite easy, it lasts an average of 5-5.5 months, to be more precise - 21 weeks. Sheep prepare for childbirth mainly in winter, the offspring are small, up to 3 lambs at a time.A few days before the onset of childbirth, the sheep manifests itself restlessly, actively drinks water, or, conversely, loses its appetite and interest in food.
Experts recommend carefully preparing the animal before childbirth, thereby making it easier for the baby to be born. To do this, you need to work hard and remove excess hair between the legs of the expectant mother. A few hours before labor starts, it is important to change the bedding and add fresh, clean water.
Childbirth is very fast: it lasts about half an hour. In order for the offspring to be healthy and not have any abnormalities, it is recommended to seek the services of a veterinarian. Correct breeding of such a breed shows a high percentage of offspring survival.
Conditions of detention
Cleanliness and tidiness are the key to the well-being of the livestock of a large percentage of meat output in the end. The fat-tailed Edilbaevskie rams do not require special attention to themselves and are picky about the conditions of detention. But it is worth noting that an increased percentage of moisture in the room where they live can have a bad effect on the general well-being of the animal. Rain and swamp can cause problems with hooves or knuckles, inflammation and infections.
Feeding and diet
Sheep need constant access to pasture. They can find the remains of edible plants even after the first frost. The Edilbaevskaya sheep under a thin layer of snow is able to fully satisfy all its nutritional needs.
The fat-tailed sheep of this breed need to be fed with plants and feeds of different composition in order to saturate their body with the necessary substances and additives, which contribute to growth and full-fledged development. The list of these products can include:
- root crops of various forage plants and crops;
- grains and cereals, rich in fiber;
- cake, bran, leftovers and stems from last year's harvest;
- hay, herbs, cereals, fresh plants.
The Edilbaevskaya breed of sheep is also different in that it certainly needs to add impurities, additives and fortified concentrates to its food, so that the individuals do not get sick and eat well. In addition, in the life of such an animal as the Edilbaevskaya breed of sheep, salt plays a very important role, it is it that helps to poison all the roughage and leftovers of food that the sheep find in the pasture.
Application of the breed
Today this breed is very actively used in order to study all the features of the structure of the body of such cattle. Breeders and veterinarians are conducting research and are ready to present the development of new species with the participation of Edilbay sheep. Scientists have proven that endurance and good performance in the processing of waste products are fully transmitted at the genetic level, so sheep of this family often take part in breeding.
Today, the cost of one lamb a couple of months old can reach several thousand rubles.