- •Dairy and beef cattle The Introduction
- •Exercises
- •Selecting and Housing Dairy Cattle
- •Exercises
- •Translate the following words and word combinations:
- •Maintaining the Health of Dairy Cattle
- •Exercises
- •Peculiarities of Calving
- •Exercises
- •Translate the following words and word combinations:
- •Breeding and Improving
- •Exercises
- •Translate the following words and word combinations:
- •Beef cattle and dairy cattle Feeding
- •Exercises
- •Translate the following words and word combinations:
- •Beef cattle Selecting and Housing Beef Cattle
- •Exercises
- •Translate the following words and word combinations:
- •Maintaining the Health of Beef Cattle
- •Exercises
- •Breeding and Improving
- •Exercises
- •Dairy and beef cattle Revision
- •II. Hogs Selecting Hogs
- •Exercises
- •Housing Hogs
- •Exercises
- •Some More Interesting Facts about Housing Hogs
- •Exercises
- •Feeding Hogs
- •Exercises
- •Maintaining the Health of Hogs
- •Exercises
- •Breeding and Improving
- •Exercises
- •III. Horses
- •Exercises
- •Housing Horses
- •Exercises
- •Feeding Horses
- •Exercises
- •Peculiarities of Foaling
- •Exercises
- •Maintaining the Health of Horses
- •Exercises
- •Breeding and Improving Horses
- •Exercises
- •Revision
- •Indoor Housing
- •Outdoor Housing
- •IV. Sheep Selecting Sheep
- •Exercises
- •Housing Sheep
- •Exercises
- •Lambing Time
- •Feeding Sheep
- •Exercises
- •Maintaining the Health of Sheep
- •Exercises
- •Breeding and Improving Sheep
- •Exercises
- •Revision
- •Glossary
Breeding and Improving Sheep
The breeder of sheep is interested in two products from his flock: lambs and wool.
Selection of ewes and rams is especially important. They should be able to transmit to their offspring the desired characteristics of rapid growth, good market type, and heavy fleeces of good-quality wool. The breeder is also interested in a high lambing percentage, so he should strive to secure a 125 per cent crop or more. Under range conditions, 90-95 per cent would be a good result. The average annual production of wool per sheep for the mediun-wool breeds is 7-9 lb or less. In fine-wool breeds the general average is about 9-11 lb.
Careful selection of ewes and rams is the key to improvement of a purebred flock. For purebred flocks of sheep, secure proved rams. In selecting a ram, give preferance to the one of a pair of twins, as most flock owners wish to increase the number of twins in order to boost the lambing percentage. While the ram has little or no influence on the number of twins among his immediate offspring, he may transmit the tendency of twinning in later generations.
Choose ewes that produce heavy fleeces of good quality and that breed regularly. Pay attention to the tendency for producing twins and to the characteristics of the offspring, including their rate of growth and amount and quality of wool. Obtain the weight and quality of a year’s growth of wool of each ewe.
In selecting ewe lambs, pay attention to the twinning characteristics, as continued selection for twinning is likely to increase the number of twins in succeding generations.
Exercises
Practice back translation. Be ready for the dictation.
Ewes and rams should be able to transmit to their offspring the desired characteristics of rapid growth and heavy fleeces of good-quality wool. |
Оба родителя должны быть в состоянии передать своим потомкам способность к быстрому росту и производству качественной шерсти. |
The average annual production of wool per sheep for the medium-wool breeds is 7-9 lb or less. |
Среднегодовое производство шерсти на одну овцу среднего типа составляет до 7-9 фунтов. |
Careful selection of ewes and rams is the key to improvement of a purebred flock. |
Тщательный отбор овец и баранов позволяет содержать в стаде наибольшее количество чистокровных животных. |
In selecting a ram, give preferance to the one of a pair of twins, as most flock owners wish to increase the number of twins in order to boost the lambing percentage. |
Выбирая барана, отдавайте предпочтение одному из пары, большинство заводчиков стремятся поддерживать тенденцию к многоплодию, это позволяет увеличивать число особей в стаде. |
Sum up the text briefly (4-6 sentences).