The sheep are very alert and can spot a predator from afar. The fibre characteristics, notably fineness and yield, of the Damara sheep breed were therefore investigated with a view to assessing the potential of the undercoat as a … Wattles (belletjies) are sometimes found under the throat. The breed is also found in New Zealand and Canada and their popularity is growing as their favourable characteristics become better recognised. The confiscated Damara Sheep were resettled at the Omatjenne Research Station, near Otjiwarongo, Namibia. The fat on the carcass forms a 1mm to 2mm layer, which makes it ideally suited to today’s health-conscious consumer. At 30 to 36 weeks the Ewes can be mated, with first lambing at 52 to 58 weeks. The male sheep called a Ram. The mature Damara ram weighs at 50kg (110 lb) and ewes weigh 35 kg (75 lb) Research has however shown that the breed responds very well to optimum conditions. Twin births do occur and mothers are capable of rearing them. Head. Steps are already been taken to BAN prepping... especially stockpiling food right here in America. The ewes appear feminine, whereas the rams are more robust and masculine. It is one of the oldest sheep breeds. The reproductive lifespan of Damara sheep is around 9 years. A fulltime farmer and blogger who love to share all his farming experiences. The Damara Sheep is a functionally efficient animal and its good performance in South Africa has created a "snow-ball" effect. They care well for their young and will even fight off predators when attacked by such. Feb 23, 2015 - Explore Jessica Doak's board "Damara sheep" on Pinterest. Learn Natural Farming is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.eval(ez_write_tag([[468,60],'learnnaturalfarming_com-medrectangle-1','ezslot_4',172,'0','0']));report this ad, Difference Between a Donkey, Ass and Mule, 20 Most Popular Black and White sheep breeds. The rams have spiral horns and are not polled. Reference: Damara Breeder's Society, 1993. It has a fairly high resistance to most sheep diseases and also good tolerance against internal parasites. The ewes appear feminine, whereas the rams are more robust and masculine. With the exception of the tail and the rear rump there is no visible localized fat. College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, College of Human & Environmental Sciences, Ag Education, Communications & Leadership, Master of International Agriculture Degree Program. The breed is exceptionally vigorous and can produce and reproduce where water and grazing is fairly restricted. The Damara came to Australia in 1996 and has adapted well to most areas. They have long, oval and fairly deep body. The indigenous Damara sheep are highly adaptable and selected by nature for exceptional fertility and foraging ability. Can a Dog run through an Invisible fence. Embryos are also transferred to Australia and the breed is used as a base for a new breed called the Meat Master. Over the next few decades selective breeding improved the meat-producing qualities of the already well-adapted indigenous Damara without losing its main characteristics and adaptive traits for bushveldt savannah grazing. On the back of the ram's head is a well developed cushion. Fat tailed sheep arrived in South Africa between 200 and 400 AD. Damara sheep are raised primarily for breeding and meat. It then follows the line of a typical sloping rump. They are fat-tailed, meaning they lack wool which requires shearing. The Damara breed is a member of the sheep family and as such does not differ exceptionally from any other breed of sheep with regard to many aspects investigated in the program. Please provide a description of this breed as well The Damara sheep is a functionally efficient animal. It is relatively a large breed in terms of shoulder height. Young sheep are inclined to have longer hair with more woolliness which they loose as they grow older. The sheep belong to one of the fat-tail breeds. The desired covering is short glossy hair. Hair is mostly short with a tendency to a fine layer of woolliness developing under the hair during winter. The name is derived from the Damara area of Namibia where the largest number of animals is found. The breed is exceptionally vigorous and can produce and reproduce where water and grazing is fairly restricted. Polls do however occur. Pigmentation in the skin is essential and is the only prescription concerning color. This places the Damara in the same feeding category as goats. The nose tends to be slightly Roman in females and more prominent in rams. Copyright © 1995-2015 Oklahoma State University Board of Regents. Select Genes Ltd., Irene 1675, Republic of South Africa. The body is long, oval and fairly deep. Damara sheep can raise a lamb on the fat reserves stored in the ewe's tail.The tail acts like a camel's hump storing fat. “The tail fat is of the highest quality, with a fine white texture. The Damara is a fat-tailed sheep that grows short, coarse hair. These traits … The … The top-line over the head is arched. The Damara sheep is a functionally efficient animal. The eyes are large and brownish in color, protected by well developed eyebrow-ridges. The Damara can therefore thrive in a wide range of environments without expensive support systems. The mature Damara ram weighs at 50kg (110 lb). Damara sheep can survive in a harsh environment and under poor nutritional conditions. The Damara sheep is a functionally efficient animal. Lambs do not accumulate fat at an early age and can therefore be marketed at a later stage and a higher body weight.Average marketing age is 7 -8 months under extensive conditions. Damaras originated from Southern Angola and Namibia and were later selected in South Africa . Rams weigh from … Damaras are Different The key difference between damaras and other sheep breeds is this – Damaras are a wild natural breed, so every characteristic from colour, temperament, mothering ability and flocking instinct is focussed on “SURVIVAL”. The Damara Sheep Breeder’s Society was established in 1992. The Damara sheep is a fairly large sheep in terms of shoulder height. The legs are long and dry, but strong and well-placed. The Damara Herero, Namaqua and the Kam Karrin Hottentot tribes farmed and traded with what has become the Damara sheep of today. It reached Southern Africa some two thousand years ago, where it spread to northern Namibia and the southern parts of Angola. Jeevamrutham is made of two words - Jeeva and Amrutham. The breed is reproductive at an early age (even as early as 8 months if conditions are favorable). Approximately a 1mm to 2mm layer of fat deposit in its carcass. [Sheep Breeds || Breeds of Livestock || Animal Science Home Page || Comment ]. Damara Sheep Breeders´ Society of South Africa Fat tailed sheep arrived in South Africa between 200 and 400 AD. The ewes produce enough milk even to raise twin lambs which will occur in 5 to 10% of the births. Of course wearing 88 pounds of wool – the unfortunate situation of a sheep named Chris, who was found wandering in the Australian bush in 2015, after having been lost, and thus unshorn, for five years – also puts one at risk of heatstroke.Not to mention how hard it is just to move around. Phone: -27-12-6671129 Fax: -27-12-6671827. The Black and White sheep breeds are so common in the sheep world. It has the typical characteristics of a desert breed, namely long legs, fat tail, short hair and a respiratory rather than a cylindrical conformation. The breed can survive harsh environmental conditions,  breed vigorously and can sustain on low feed. It was only in the middle of the 20th century that commercial farmers became aware of the unique characteristics of the Damara, realizing that the Damara can thrive in a wide range of environments without expensive support systems. Typically alert, lively, long-legged, large deep bodies, short hair varying from black, brown, white or … The Damara (see Figure 1) is one of such fat tailed sheep breeds characterized by a large body frame and a shedding hair coat. The Damara sheep is predominantly a horned sheep, polls do occur, though more in ewes than in rams. The Damara sheep has a high level of immunity to sheep sickness and a resistance to internal and external parasites. It is native to the province of Gotland and is a sheep from open pasture. Even during the drought situation, the Damara has achieved 100%  lambing. Research has indicated that up to 64% of the diet of the Damara sheep can consist of browsing material. The Damara Herero, Namaqua and the Kam Karrin Hottentot tribes farmed and traded with what has become the Damara sheep of today. The Damara sheep is predominantly a horned sheep. The sheep has a wide range of colors which are all equally acceptable and desirable. Meatmaster Sheep Characteristics The Meatmaster sheep are medium sized animal with various wool color. NOTE: The form can also be used for Comments, Suggestions, and Corrections. We are currently looking for high resolution pictures of any of the breeds. Their are very few Damara sheep in NZ. Rams often have long hair along the throat down to the brisket. The Damara breed is well suited for the modern-day farmers to decrease the input and production costs. The unique genetic traits of the Damara ensure that it is a most prolific mutton-producing breed. The Damara's fat tail is a distinguishing feature. Approximately a 1mm to 2mm layer of fat deposit in its carcass. The head is of moderate length and width. There are very few 'fat tailed' sheep breeds at all, in NZ. The breed is originated in Eastern-Asia and Egypt. The confiscated Damara Sheep were resettled at the Omatjenne Research Station, near Otjiwarongo, Namibia. The focus in breeding is mostly on meat production, but they are also very hardy and with good mothering instincts (inherited from their Damara breeding). The sheep belong to one of the fat-tail breeds. Also, a strong supporter of sustainable farming practices. Project initiated April, 1994 - Initial web site opened February 22, 1995. The breed originated from the Hamites of Eastern-Asia and Egypt and moved down to the present day Namibia and Angola. The Damara sheep are large animals with relatively long appearance. The top-line over the head is arched. Damara Sheep Journal. They are a friendly breed and used to being shepherded by people, rather than by dogs. Damara meat tastes different and doesn’t have much fat. The breed has been exported and small flocks can be found in other countries, including Norway, Denmark, the UK and USA. Damara Sheep Journal, Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development, Republic of Namibia, Private Bag 13184, Windhoek, 9000, Select Genes Ltd., PO Box 494, Irene 1675, Republic of South Africa. The lambs born will be active. Order: even-toed ungulates, family: bovids; breed of domestic sheep from Africa: Diet: Grasses and leaves: Habitat: A breed from the region Gross Damaraland in Namibia: Reproduction: Gestation period: ca. Damara meat is juicy and tasty, with a fine texture, and is not mottled with fat. animal-science-mail-form The name Aseel or Asil or Asli are all the same chicken. The Coat Colour of the … Information on adding new breeds or updating existing information. From a conservation view point, they need to be preserved, but perhaps the new owner needs to be dedicated to the cause, rather than after low maintenance sheep? It is known for example that ewes with small lambs can be transported over long distances without ending up with a single orphaned lamb. It has the typical characteristics of a desert breed, namely long legs, fat tail, short hair and a respiratory rather than a cylindrical conformation. Sheep loss had the expected significant negative effect on sheep production in Botshabelo. Multiple births are common, with an average inter-lambing period is between 30 and 34 weeks. The breed is now predominantly medium grey colour and is commonly known as the Swedish Pelt Sheep. A small dewlap is present from the chin to the throat while rams often have a dewlap stretching right down the throat. This makes it very suitable for the communal areas of Namibia where extreme conditions are usually the norm rather than the exception. Please mail your original copies with our email form It has been a success in the pastoral areas and is admirably suited to fill the demand from the Middle East for live sheep exports. Lambing weights are around 4kg to 4.5 kg. All rights reserved. The legs are long and strong, with well shaped hooves. Comm… Damara meat tastes different and doesn’t have much fat. The AFRINO sheep breed is known for its high quality meat with an even fat distribution over the carcass. Orphan lambs are a rarity in the breed because of the outstanding mothering ability. The mothering ability of the breed is exceptional. Photographs: Damara Breeder's Society, 1993. It's also a key to its robust nature and their ability to thrive in these harsh conditions. When they're in good condition, the tails are fat and wide. Ewes can reproduce any time of the year (poly-oestrus). Kaokoland Damara Sheep Rams 13 months old - Piet Coetzee +264811242242 (Namibia) The Damara sheep has a diverse diet. The pastern-joint is fairly long, sloping and supple. There are no significant lambing problems. Breeds of Livestock, Department of Animal Science. A well-known breed characteristic is its fat tail, which tapers to a point. The breed thrived in the hostile desert-like conditions. Damara sheep have short glossy hair (resistant to grass seeds) long legs, fat tail, high fertility, hardiness and good mothering and herding instincts. They can be either horned or polled. The sheep look like a goat, they are present in Namibia and Angola. the rams have well developed spiral horns which stand well away from the head. The ears are of moderate size and mobile. 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