Which sheep breeds are best for confined rearing? A detailed guide to breed selection
Which sheep breeds are best for confined rearing? For confined rearing in the south, Boer goats are generally chosen, while in the north, Small-tailed Han sheep are chosen. Of course, this is not absolute; farmers need to determine which breed to use for confined rearing based on their own actual circumstances. Below, the editor will introduce these 2 common breeds for confined rearing.
Boer goat
The Boer goat is an excellent meat-type goat breed. This breed originated in South Africa. As a breeding stock, since China first introduced Boer goats from Germany in 1995, they have shown very good meat characteristics, broad adaptability, relatively high economic value and significant crossbreeding advantages.
Boer goats have wide, drooping ears and short, sparse hair. They have short legs, strong limbs, a full hindquarter and plenty of muscle. They reach sexual maturity early and come into heat in all four seasons. Their reproductive capacity is strong, and they can generally produce three litters in two years. Lambs grow and develop quickly, have a good growth rate and high meat production capacity, and have a strong feed intake. They are currently the most popular meat-type goat breed in the world.
If you buy Boer goats, 5th-6th generation Boer goats are bred with original stock, producing 2 litters per year or 3 litters in 2 years, with 2-3 lambs per litter. The lambs produced are purebred 6th generation. After raising them for 3-4 months, one Boer goat sells for about 400-600 yuan, so 3 Boer goats sell for 1,500 yuan. Calculated at 2 litters, that is 3,000 yuan. Then, raising one first-generation Boer goat, after deducting forage and labor expenses, yields a net profit of no less than 1,000-1,200 yuan. If the investment is a bit larger, buying 5th- and 6th-generation pregnant Boer goat breeding ewes for breeding will bring faster and more considerable benefits. If you simply fatten meat sheep, currently buying 30-40 jin lambs requires an investment of 350-580 yuan. After fattening for 4-5 months, they can reach more than 100 jin. After deducting 200 yuan in forage and labor costs, and with the current market price of live sheep at about 12 yuan, that is, a 100-jin meat sheep can sell for about 1,200 yuan, the net profit from fattening one meat sheep is about 300-400 yuan. Sheep farming projects rely on scale and quantity; if the farming scale is too small, the benefits will not be very good. In the early stage, you can buy a smaller number to explore farming experience, and later you can develop farming on a large scale.
Small-tailed Han sheep
The Small-tailed Han sheep is a famous improved meat sheep breed in China and is also one of the preferred poverty alleviation projects of the Ministry of Agriculture of China. Small-tailed Han sheep have the advantages of a gentle temperament, fast growth, high reproductive rate, strong adaptability and high economic benefits, and can be raised in both northern and southern regions of China. Adult rams weigh about 300 jin, and ewes about 160 jin. Ewes produce 2 litters per year, with 2-4 lambs per litter, and at most 6 lambs. They are currently the meat sheep breed with the best economic benefits at home and abroad, unmatched by other breeds of sheep.
One purebred Small-tailed Han ewe at 5-6 months of age costs about 800 yuan. After fattening for 2 months, it can be mated. The feed cost of raising one ewe is about 350 yuan per year. Calculating 3 lambs produced per year, lambs raised to 3 months of age can sell for about 500 yuan each, so 3 are 1,500 yuan. Calculated at 3 litters in 2 years, this can reach 9 lambs. The cost of raising the ewe for two years is 700 yuan, and the profit from 9 lambs is 4,500 yuan. (This is under the condition of selling at 3 months of fattening; the cost of raising a lamb is 150.) 9 lambs cost 1,350 yuan. 4,500-700-1,350=2,450 yuan. Raising 100 basic ewes for 2 years can yield a profit of 245,000 yuan. The farming benefits are still quite considerable.
Purchase 100 Small-tailed Han fattening lambs. The cost of 3-4-month-old lambs is 500 yuan each. After short-term fattening for 5-6 months, the meat sheep reach 150 jin. Calculated at 10 yuan/jin, they can sell for 1,500 yuan. After deducting 400 yuan in feed costs and 100 yuan in labor and utilities, raising 100 Small-tailed Han sheep for half a year can earn a profit margin of 50,000 yuan.
Summary: No matter which kind of sheep you choose to raise, it will be a long-term farming path, and perseverance is what matters most. Moreover, raising sheep is hard work. Friends who are not willing to endure hardship are advised not to take on this farming project.