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The U.S. Sheep Experiment Station conducts research in the areas of ovine reproductive efficiency, genetic improvement (especially of breeds), nutrient intake and use, ovine growth and development, range/grazing management, and product quality (i.e. meat and wool). In addition to lambs and other attendant sheep, the station has a base flock of ...
Sheep farming in Namibia (2017). According to the FAOSTAT database of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the top five countries by number of head of sheep (average from 1993 to 2013) were: mainland China (146.5 million head), Australia (101.1 million), India (62.1 million), Iran (51.7 million), and the former Sudan (46.2 million). [2]
Intensive animal farming, industrial livestock production, and macro-farms, [1] also known as factory farming, [2] is a type of intensive agriculture, specifically an approach to animal husbandry designed to maximize production while minimizing costs. [3]
Some properties are not exclusively sheep or cattle stations but may have a mix of cattle, sheep, cropping and even goats which makes the owner less vulnerable to changes in wool or beef prices. Management practices vary according to the location of the station and the season being experienced.
Selective breeding for desired traits was established as a scientific practice by Robert Bakewell during the British Agricultural Revolution in the 18th century. One of his most important breeding programs was with sheep. Using native stock, he was able to quickly select for large, yet fine-boned sheep, with long, lustrous wool.
Continuous grazing by sheep or cattle is a widespread extensive farming system, with low inputs and outputs.. Extensive farming most commonly means raising sheep and cattle in areas with low agricultural productivity, but includes large-scale growing of wheat, barley, cooking oils and other grain crops in areas like the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia.
In many instances sheep are held under the shed or in an adjacent area known as a sweating shed. In the shearing shed the woolly sheep will be penned on a slatted wooden or woven mesh floor above ground level. The sheep entry to the shed is via a wide ramp, with good footholds and preferably enclosed sides.
Because of this, many upland ecosystems have become dependent on hill farm land management. [6] Hill farming practices play a significant role in supporting surrounding flora and fauna in the uplands. Through grazing, sheep and cattle maintain a variety of tall grasses and short vegetation. [2]