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The Suffolk is a British breed of domestic sheep. It originated in the late eighteenth century in the area of Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk, as a result of cross-breeding when Norfolk Horn ewes were put to improved Southdown rams. It is a polled, black-faced breed, and is raised primarily for its meat. It has been exported to many countries, and ...
Sheep have a breeding season (tupping) in the autumn, though some can breed year-round. [1] As a result of the influence of humans on sheep breeding, ewes often produce multiple lambs. This increase in lamb births, both in number and birth weight, may cause problems with delivery and lamb survival, requiring the intervention of shepherds. [2]
The main Australian predator of sheep is the dingo, which is a large-enough danger to sheep to precipitate the construction of the world's largest fence: the Dingo Fence. Red foxes also may prey on 10-30% of lambs, costing Australians sheep breeders more than A$ 100 million annually. [ 12 ]
Sheep are flock animals and strongly gregarious; much sheep behavior can be understood on the basis of these tendencies. The dominance hierarchy of sheep and their natural inclination to follow a leader to new pastures were the pivotal factors in sheep being one of the first domesticated livestock species. [ 58 ]
This is a list of sheep breeds usually considered to originate in Canada and the United States. [1] [2] Some may have complex or obscure histories, so inclusion here does not necessarily imply that a breed is predominantly or exclusively from those countries.
Homosexual behavior in sheep has been well documented and studied. The domestic sheep ( Ovis aries ) is the only species of mammal except for humans which exhibits exclusive homosexual behavior. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] "About 10% of rams (males) refuse to mate with ewes (females) but do readily mate with other rams."
The Southdown was traditionally reared for meat and wool. During the day the sheep pastured freely on the downs, and at night they were close-folded in the arable fields of the farmers, where they helped to increase soil fertility. [10] Fleece weights (greasy) are about 2–3.5 kg for ewes, 3.5–5.5 kg for rams.
The White Suffolk was bred by Ewan Roberts, of the University of New South Wales, from 1977.His intention was to create a sheep that had the large size, high ewe fecundity and rapid growth rate of the original British Suffolk, but without the black face and legs and without the occasional dark fibres in the wool which greatly reduced its value in the Australian market.