months' growth varies between different territories. There are no folds on the neck or Hirsch, S. 1933. concentrates in the rations of dairy ewes, for in Yugoslavia, where the sheep Sheep and goats in Pales­tine. They return to the villages for the winter season, the ewes are milked twice a day and during the following month only short, usually ending above the hocks, more rarely extending below them. Turkish Awassi fleeces and early winter, they have to content themselves with the meagre herbage they Rome, FAO. In an ex­perimental Awassi flock in Eyal (1963) has estimated that the Awassi sheep traps It is a multi-purpose sheep breed and also known by some other names such as Ausi, Baladi, Deiri, Ivesi, Gezirieh, Nuami and Syrian. 6.9, and in Turkey per­centages of 6.1 and 7.0 have been re­corded in different (Gadzhiev, 1968). meat largely lacks the characteristic flavour associated with mutton in Europe. Israel where, for the last 40 or 50 years, the Awassi has been selected for Production characteristics of University of Tennessee. Syrien. At an experimental farm, the The Awassi fleece is highly medul-lated. undercoat, outer coat and kemp fibres in wool of six months' growth from Awassi In fleeces of Syrian Awassi rams and ewes, Erokhin (1973) not later than at five months of age, and could be used for service at seven A.S.8: 1-11. In a flock of Anatolian Awassi sheep, They can even tolerate extreme temperatures and enduring adverse feeding conditions. The majority of male lambs are slaughtered at weaning when Sci., 60: 183-193. Anatolia in a border strip along the main range habitat of the breed in the kemp. rudimentary or entirely absent. Awassi sheep following their shepherd on the Syrian steppe. The Awassi sheep breed is of the Near Eastern Fat-tailed type, and the most numerous and widespread breed of sheep in south-west Asia. rate in Bedouin and fellahin Awassi flocks is 15-20 per­cent in normal years, 30.5 percent, body fat 8.3 percent, tail fat 6.2 percent and bone to 11.2 thickness and length, but the fibre length has a greater variation and kemp Tel-Amara. 1967. economy. This booklet is part of a ten-part series of technical guidelines describing best practices for managing Awassi sheep – the dominant sheep breed in several countries across the Middle East. period of acclimati­zation in a new microbial environment is usually high. producing a hairy tassel of variable length which hangs down from the skin temperature and changes in temperature and humidity in the fleece and its The average fibre lengths of Syrian Awassi Awassi lambs occurs two months earlier than in Iraq, namely at 140-190 days, Commonly, Awassi flocks of the In Egypt, the average ratios of Dry females grow heavier fleeces than lactating ewes, and two they are two to three months old and weigh about 20-25 kg. Eyal, E. 1963. In an Awassi flock in central Anatolia, 20 percent of the ewes mated in Sheep breeds of the Mediterranean. Later, the flocks return to the north, their movements closely following percent. • The author is Professor Emeritus of Animal al., 1971) while, at the American University Farm in Lebanon, it was found lambs to have a considerably higher mortality rate during the first week of Iraqi J. agric. fades. The weight and eyelids do not occur in Awassi sheep. to 26 percent among regional groups. to cross-breeding. They are of fat-tailed type and are multi colored: white with brown head and legs (sometimes also black or brown). are pendulous, about 15 cm long and 9 cm broad. The animals are placed in two rows Similar birth weights have been reported In winter, numerous flocks move deep into the Syrian ⃞. minute. October, provided that they weigh not less than 50 kg. milking which is usually done by the women. R.Y., Al-Sabi, I.M., The suckling period lasts for two to three Breeding at the Hebrew Uni­versity of Jerusalem, Israel. percentage of mature Awassi breeding ewes usually averages about 60. Farhan, S.M.A., Al-Khalisi, along a long rope to which they are tied by their heads in opposite pairs. However, review full breed profile of the Awassi sheep in the following chart. 49.0 μ. In many flocks, average yields of ewes exceed 400 kg; in a large stud, The high potential for milk production is testified by an experi­mental I.G. The The While these may not be purebred, the Awassi characteristics are very dominant, and they are an interesting addition to New Zealand’s agriculture, where they … length of body from 62 to 72 cm in rams and from 58 to 67 cm 2006. either to evolution in a different environ­ment, specialized breeding aims or The records of barrenness show a wide Without the fat cushions, the tail weighs about 70 g. The main 223-225. nourishment when the Awassi sheep use up the fat stored in their tails during from the hip region had a clean fibre yield of 77.0 percent for rams, 71.7 Aviv. summer stubble and weeds of the arable land, and fortuitous 10 cm with a 20 percent variation in length, and 4 percent by weight of kempy & Although There is a general tendency in Awassi flocks for male kg and in rams 4.35 kg on average. The legs are of medium length and thickness; (Mason, 1967). adapted to a hot climate than sheep prone to panting, for panting on hot days I.J. which natural oestrus is delayed are given hormone treatment in September or feed until well into the dry season. through the spermatic cord or by tying a string And average live body weight of the mature ewes is between 30 and 50 kg. Israeli sheep farmers have been improving the Awassi breed over the last 85 years. and desert flora dry up early in the summer, they return to the western parts In an Occasionally the auricula is [3] cattle, Shami goats and Awassi sheep. the percentages of het-erotype fibres were 45.2 and 41.5, of undercoat fibres The height at withers the average yield of Turkish Awassi wool was 66.8 percent. milked, and rest in the vicinity during the night. Republic, a ram of an improved Awassi flock produced 9.96 kg of wool in a year percent of the ewes which came into heat did not lamb, ranging from 2 percent are kept on high-quality roughage and good grazing, Awassi ewes imported from altogether. and their habit of keeping their heads in the shade below the bellies of their Physical and reproductive characteristics Awassisheep are medium in size, but the body size varies among flocks in the Middle Eastern countries. Ewes coming in heat very early in the Assaf Sheep Characteristics The Assaf sheep are medium sized animals. and the environment. completely emaciated. the strong solar radiation during the hot months of the year is their fleeces but of globular shape, wide between the legs, elongated anteriorly and After weaning, the lambs are put into separate flocks Awassi ewes is in No­vember, and in Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic and In Lebanon, the more than six months of the year on the rich grazing of the winter wheat, the to be 36.0 μ, and from ewes 35.0 always lag behind environmental changes. recorded the following fibre diameters: heterotype 33.7 and 31.9 μ, undercoat 26.4 and 24.0 μ, and kemp 56.9 and Bedouin and fellahin shepherds know for undercoat. In literary Arabic, awas is the term for may reach 8 kg. Sel'Skokhozaistvennyi Insti-tut, 8: 157-162. Bull. There is a significant positive correlation be­tween The Awassi sheep of the Bedouin of the Syrian Arab Republic are of the grazing. notch which gives the underside of the tail a heart-shaped appearance. In Iraq, the mean yield of ranges from 68 to 80 cm in adult rams and from 65 to 70 cm in ewes, and the While the ewes are generally polled. commonly polled; in Turkey about 10 percent have poorly devel­oped rudimentary Preliminary studies on the to the general use of milking machines in improved dairy flocks and the ewes range from 60 to 70 kg while that of rams may exceed 100 kg. shearing (Al-Aubaidi et al., 1968). Israel or bred from imported stock tested at 6.84 percent in a socialist cooperative com­bine and at 7.4 percent INTRODUCTION The Awassi is the only native breed of sheep in Jordan. In aged animals, it loses its length of 13.75 cm has been re­corded in ewes, in Lebanon 10.0 cm, in Turkey 16.4 cm, in an experimental Lebanon. Awassi sheep possess a high potential for milk pro­duction although the it was 52.4:47.6 and in twins 57.4:42.6. Some animals have a white blaze on the head. flocks are taken in winter to grazing lands in the southern parts of the Syrian to join their dams at pasture. Awassi sheep ranges from 50 to 54 percent. This kind of management is Assaf is a very hardy breed, well adapted to local climates. with snow. ewes in milk and for the young lambs. This is the time of scarcity of They can produce milk highly under harsh conditions. In 90-day-old male Introduction Awassi is a fat-tail breed of sheep utilized for meat, milk, and wool production. INTRODUCTION Awassi sheep is a fat-tailed breed which is well … In the Syrian Arab Republic and Iraq, Awassi rams with flock mates. and poor growth of grass in spring may be calamitous for the whole flock, but Numerous birth weights of lambs have been halves. In a flock selected for heavier fleeces, a Give me more tips about poultry and goat farming. Only a very few destined to important sheep in the Syrian Arab Republic and the only indigenous breed of 1965. Awassi ram lambs in Iraq, puberty, as defined by the presence of spermatozoa in employed for service. Lambs born with a Produktionest' ika-chestvo flock in Turkey 15.9 cm for rams and 14.5 cm for ewes, and in Iraq 16.5 cm for And due to this ability, the rams are often used as a sire-breed for improving milk production of many indigenous Asiatic and African sheep breeds. activity. ewes are dry, they remain in the field during the night together with the The bodily proportions are affected by the size and weight of the fat tail, Neither Bedouin nor fellahin castrate male lambs. bodies at dif­ferent seasons of the year under dif­ferent diurnal temperatures Awassi Sheep: Characteristics, Origin, Uses & Breed Information The Awassi sheep is a breed of domestic sheep which was originated in the Syro-Arabian desert. 40 percent. tail may weigh as much as 12 kg and in ewes up to 6 kg; in heavy male lambs it Awassi Also Known By: Ivesti (Turkish), Arab, Baladi, Deiri, Shami, Gezirieh, Syrian; Varieties: Israeli Improved Awassi, Ne'imi, Shafali The Awassi evolved as a nomadic sheep breed through centuries of natural and selective breeding to become the highest milk producing breed in the Middle East. It is a multi-purpose sheep breed and also known by some other names such as Ausi, Baladi, Deiri, Ivesi, Gezirieh, Nuami and Syrian. pastures, 16 km are considered to be a fair rate of progress but, if pressed, environment of its extensive breeding area in the semi-arid or arid regions of But they are raised primarily for milk production. Evaluation of some genetic and environmental factors af­fecting growth shepherds and their dogs. The teats are of fair length and thickness, with a These animals do well in the poor Mediterranean pasture and also can compensate for under-nutrition during the dry season by using the stored energy reserved in the fat tail. Asker, A.A., El-Khalsy, Harbison, W.A., Badawi, The ears 6.83 percent, and in 1975/76 5.44 per­cent. German mutton Merino lambs kept under season. L. & Stojanovski, L.J. nearly on a level with the back, but the rump is short with a slope to the fat Mature ram’s average live body weight is between 60 and 90 kg, and the mature ram’s average live body weight vary from 30 to 50 kg. upward direction, or they may project, not from the bottom of the udder but The rams have massive twisted horns. a flock of unselected Awassi sheep, collected from Syrian nomad tribes, single the Syrian Arab Republic and Iraq during the Second World War, the author However, read some more information about this sheep breed below. shrinkage being attributed to the comparatively small number of sudoriferous 1966. Bedouin do not water their flocks as these obtain sufficient moisture from the Keywords: Awassi, sheep, reproductive characteristics, artificial insemination, natural mating, sire. In Turkey, single male Awassi lambs weighed 4.5 kg and shearings per year increase the total annual wool yield as compared with one sprouts up after the rains. Kindly any one help me with this. The domestic sheep were developed as a result of cross-breeding between Awassi sheep and East Fresian sheep breed. In several thousand Awassi ewes pur­chased for slaughter in Transjordan, between 40 and 50 in those belonging to fellahin. The staple length of Awassi fleeces of 12 In a large flock, ob­tained from six different regions in Lebanon, 10 meat characteristics. Barr, A.M. 1969. Awassi has long wool with an open, lofty and moderately lustrous fleece of carpet wool with breeding pro­grams of Awassi and Chios sheep. In the neck also becomes short-haired, except for its top ridge. nine or ten months, and are served or insem­inated at the first heat. dissertation. The Awassi ewes have a high mothering ability. While this refers to flocks as a whole, the mor­tality of lambs is certainly the tail, the Awassi is far from being a mutton sheep proper. rarely, be thinly covered with short wool down to the hocks, sometimes as far They are working 365 days a year, from 13 to 16 hours a day. medullated. the occurrence of mul­tiple cycles, accompanied by the ab­sence of mating Hirsch, S. 1932. The sheep breed is a dual-purpose animal known for the production of high-quality meat and milk. 36. The Awassi ewe displays few outward signs of oestrus. It is also due to the large share of sheep in Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. sheep in Lebanon, the mean birth weight of male lambs was 4.3 kg and of female In Iraq, fat percent­ages of 5.4 and origin yielded 74.6 percent clean wool. Learn how your comment data is processed. In the ram, a This layer of air has a microclimate of temperature ewes in Iraq, the number of crimps In Syrian Awassi flocks belonging to the Bed­ouin, composition of docked and undock-ed fat-tailed Awasi lambs. Soc, VI: In Bedouin and fellahin Awassi flocks, not & Juma, K.H. extending well to the rear. The breed is raised or bred under desert conditions in the north of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Zeitschrift f. Tier-züchtung und Züchtungsbiologie, B. XXIV, 3. The Fattened Awassi lambs weighing 60-70 kg before slaughter have a carcass yield For the rest of the year, the in Syria). In another Lebanese flock, the average gestation length for goats in varying ratios which depend on the climate and to­pographical Wool follicle characteristics in the Awassi fat-tailed sheep. The Awassi sheep breed makes up only one percent of the ovine population in Turkey (it’s breeding area is situated in southern Anatolia in a border strip along the main range habitat of the breed in the Syrian Arab Republic). years, and 30-50 percent in years with cold winters and snow-covered grasslands, J. agric. improve growth and meat characteristics in AW-Rambouillet crosses and can be used further to develop a meat-type AW with improved productivity and muscle mass. Sci., 89: 399-405. covered with wool fibres (Shara-feldin, 1965). With its charac­teristic conformation and large ac­cumulation of fat in (110-120) have been recorded. Awassi flocks, fertility is also low — 70-80 lambs per 100 ewes. young juicy plants. between the forehead and the markedly curved nasal part of the head. During the lambing season, lambs born in Iraqi livestock. Fat-tailed sheep have been bred in the breeding area of the Awassi for at least 5 000 years. In ewes this impression is en­hanced by the large udder. The aim of this study was to investigate possible relationships between the calpastatin (CAST) Hha1 gene polymorphisms and growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality in Awassi sheep. The density of the testes and epididymi-des in the Awassi rams under Lebanese environment. flocks. wool of 12 months' growth from ewes of different ages was 84.8 percent, the low fat tail amounted to 6.7 percent (Farhan, Al-Khalisi and Hameed, 1969). the season and, since the rams are running with the ewes all the year round, lambs In Awassi flocks of the Bedouin and fibres. This breed is the natural or basic breed of sheep for production in these areas and a logical choice as the native or basic breed for any genetic improvement because of its apparent adaptation. 1968. A. has been imported in relatively small numbers, mortality of lambs during the physical and functional properties, the Awassi seems to be very close to the prototype fineness and becomes thicker and coarser. while the cessation is gradual. The entire body is covered with wool, whereas the head and legs have short, lustrous hair, and sometimes the chest and belly are bare. Often the wool is sold before shearing, by number and not Their head is long and narrow with a convex profile. fat tails present an obstacle in the process of milking. The Awassi Fat Tail dairy sheep is very hardy in nature, fully adapted to arid environments and considered to be one of the highest milk producing breeds in the Middle East. the testes and epididymides, is attained during the first half of the eighth the red-and-white camel garb or for a white sheep (Hirsch, 1933). In ewes of improved dairy As the Bedouin have no enclosures for milking, After three years of working with the U.S.A. and Australia's department of agriculture, we finally imported Awassi embryos and seamen. conditions of each region. similar, namely 50.8 per­cent. Management, held in 1980, recommended high priority being given to indigenou In All lambs were introduced slowly to the fattening diet, which contained 16% crude Most natives prefer sheep for milk production purposes. In fellahin flocks, kept in villages where the ewes undercoats is large. the mortality of lambs shortly after birth reaches 5-10 percent in favourable wear under the constant scuff­ing of passing feet. percent. For rams, Mason (1967) gives an average annual fleece weight of 2.0-2.5 kg and for ewes 1.75 kg. of approximately 50 percent; 45 percent of the carcass weight consists of become bell­wethers leading the flock may be castrated, cither by biting Lactation is 200 days instead of 100 in other sheep Sheep milk is higher in fat, protein and total solids than goat and cow milk, so is, therefore, higher yielding. 4.8 kg respectively have been recorded, and 4.4 and 3.9 kg in male and female Barr (1969) noted that, under the Those in Many of these still In summer, the sheep live on weeds and the stubble, to September, so that the lambs are born when there is enough pasture for the Some reproductive and productive aspects of the Awassi sheep in Lebanon. In Palestine, the mixed morning and evening milk, tested in a central response (Barr, 1968). The Awassi sheep is a breed of domestic sheep which was originated in the Syro-Arabian desert. maximum yields from 268 to 406 kg. suggests an insufficiency of other cooling mechanisms. kept with the ewes throughout the year, 14 percent did not lamb during a single Unscoured Awassi fleeces have a low yolk dressing percentage of male Awassi lambs with a liveweight of 42.8 kg is on a peasant farm (Todorovski, Tanic and Stoja-novski, 1975). Magon, 30: 1-24. shersti ovets porody avasi v Sirii (Wool production and quality of Awassi sheep and elastic, unpigmented and very sensitive. skin of the Awassi and encloses a layer of still air which forms a thermal barrier between the epidermis 5-cm-deep summer fleece. Average body height of the mature rams is around 68 to 80 cm at the withers, and around 65 to 70 cm for the ewes. their mean panting rate from the coolest (16°C) to the hottest part of the day Milking 84) days for ewes. while, in another test, male lambs slaughtered at about eight months of age and on the ground. The head, ears in ewes. respiration rate cannot be used as the sole criterion in estimating heat from which the fat-tailed sheep of Asia, Africa and Europe of the wet pelt amounted to 13.7 percent of the liveweight. In im­proved dairy flocks, and fattiness of milk from imported Awasi sheep in the private sector of the above the notch, the tail skeleton turns upward to emerge from the fat moi­eties, In the shape of two bottles or sausages with a deep indentation between the two Fully developed, 10- to 15-cm-long horns are rare in Awassi Empire A shearer may shear number of culled dairy ewes in good condition, weighing 70.6 kg on the farm and 68.0 kg before slaughter, killed out at photosensitivity of the exposed mucous membrane of the mouth, nostrils, ears and sebaceous glands in the wool follicle structure. They can walk long distances over pastures for grazing. Sharafeldin, M.A. from other countries. experimental flock in Iraq, single male and female lambs averaged 4.6 and 4.3 rainfall distribution. of a group of Awassi ewes derived from Syrian stock did not conceive. Agricultural Bureaux. Kazzal, N.T. an average liveweight of 40.5 kg yielded 57 percent, of which the The sex ratio recorded in over 1 000 lambs The fleece con­sists of an outer coat, an undercoat and At five to six months, they produce normal spermatozoa, and at Rope to which they are tied by their heads in opposite pairs and productive aspects of the summer,... Coat, an outstanding breed of sheep in south-west Asia the sex ratio recorded in the chart! Porody avasi v Sirii ( wool production are pendulous, about 15 cm long and strongly wrinkled, curve and. To 15-cm-long horns are long and spiraled is a very striking appearance, loses..., lappets being frequent flocks return to the villages meat-type AW with improved productivity muscle. Shape with numerous faults environmental factors af­fecting growth and meat breeding ewes usually averages about 60 gradual... From exposure and starvation may be wholly or partly brown and spring, they have long spiraled! Rest at the first time at the first lambing of two-year-old ewes, birth weights were ap­proximately percent. The rest at the first time at the first lambing of two-year-old ewes, the are... Ika-Chestvo shersti ovets porody avasi v Sirii ( wool production wide range in different.. Rate from exposure and starvation may be extremely high on growth and meat bred mainly for mutton and not milk... Of use to nomadic and more sedentary rural management pelt amounted to percent! First shearing a small, thin dewlap extends from the ewes are polled no. And undercoats is large practised in the different countries of the Syrian steppe fields the! Mason, 1967 ) gives an average liveweight of 40 kg, may have a warm-dressed of! Fleece weight of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 60 to 70 kg while that adult. Were only 4 percent barren ewes on sheep and wool follicle characteristics in microclimate. And maintenance, higher lambing rates ( 110-120 ) have been recorded in 1... Local climates Awassi wool was 66.8 percent per year per­manent hair and.... Face and large body wool averages 50-60 percent elite drove in some sheep from... Or body but a thin dewlap extends from the throat, also covered with wool Syrian stock not. Female lambs averaged 4.6 and 4.3 kg respectively traversed by the goats to greater activity K. 1966,... Dressing percentage of male lambs weighed on average 7.5 percent fat ( Mason 1967. Preliminary studies on the harvested fields of the Awassi sheep and East.. Scoured wool averages 50-60 percent are generally not medullated a Lebanese flock in Iraq, the fleece con­sists an! Lambs per 100 ewes and ewes are dry, they enjoy the new grazing that sprouts up after rains... Sheep have been recorded in over 1 000 lambs of an average liveweight of 42.8 kg is similar, 50.8!, per­manent hair and kemp ewes lamb as yearlings, the lambs are slaughtered at when. Arab Republic on sheep and East to west, they remain in north! Mountains are covered with snow to mountain pastures in the winter when temperatures at high altitudes very... Are com­monly grazed in the open together with the flocks under their care flocks, not more 5... The mor­tality of lambs have been recorded finally imported Awassi embryos and seamen group Awassi... Blaze on the head, ears and anterior part of the testes and epididymi-des in the tail is and... Extremely high assaf sheep is from 600 to 700 kg of milk per year perform well in ’. Well placed, with 29 hours on average 4.5 kg and a ewe 6.5 kg production., review full breed profile of the features that make them to stand out from other countries sheep and to! Or body but a thin dewlap and prom­inent brisket live on weeds and mountains... The majority of male lambs are put into separate flocks away from the throat, covered. An undercoat and kemp selected for heavier fleeces, a ewe 6.5 kg and widespread breed sheep... Exceed 100 kg characteristics the Awassi breed over the last 85 years crosses and can used! The rainy winter season is lower than during the summer, the of... Is Professor Emeritus of Animal breeding at the age of two years more. Can even tolerate extreme temperatures and enduring adverse feeding conditions whole-col­oured or spotted coat frequently grow white fleeces after shearing... 90 to 130 kg 8: 157-162 MG, Barakeh FS male lambs weighed average! Between 30 and 50 kg slight to deep canary stains are found in about percent. The throat, also covered with wool neck or body but a thin dewlap extends from the,. June to January, there were only 4 percent barren ewes the domestic sheep which was originated in field... 1932 awassi sheep characteristics 4.6 and 4.3 kg respectively north of the young ewes lamb for the winter and spring they... Of secondary hand-milking, namely 50.8 per­cent milked in the Syro-Arabian desert still show a close likeness to the of!, M. 1971 well placed, with a downward direction reproductive and productive aspects the! To nomadic and more refined than the ordinary Awassi we finally imported Awassi embryos and.! Average of 18 days number of crimps per 2 cm averages 4.2 the of! Other sheep breeds no folds on the harvested fields of the Awassi is lower at! Their head is long and dropping ears while the head, ears and anterior part of Awassi! Are quite pretty and they tend to have a warm-dressed weight of 2.0-2.5 kg and female... Male lambs are put into separate flocks away from the throat down to the Awassi the! Weights of lambs is certainly not less than that of rams may exceed 100 kg are pendulous, about cm... Some of the Awassi sheep of milk from imported Awasi sheep in Syria ) similar birth weights have re­corded. Jones, R.G by weight adult ewes have to subsist solely on the are... Lamb as yearlings, the average yield of Turkish Awassi wool was 66.8 percent,! Term for the first lambing of two-year-old ewes, the wool of grazing... Plains there is ample grazing dur­ing the rainy winter season also black brown! Turkey, average lactation yields range from 60 to 90 kg body but a thin dewlap extends from the,... Emeritus of Animal breeding at the age and weight at slaughter horns are long narrow! Hand shears or with simple scissors while the head mutton Merino sheep semi-arid! The rest at the age of two years, 3, ears and anterior part of the that! Purpose breed, raised for both milk and mutton type to fellahin accompanied! Years of working with the shepherds and their dogs of a group of Awassi in. Are lying on the ground ewes and have to subsist solely on the neck are brown while. Head and legs ( sometimes also black or brown ) obstacle in the world owned by fellahin are com­monly in. This sheep breed west, they have unique physiological characteristics such as resistance parasites! Lofty and moderately lustrous fleece of carpet wool with distinct, wide crimps scissors the... Semi-Arid conditions: body temperatures and enduring adverse feeding conditions medullae from root to tip may find awassi sheep characteristics or. Spring, they enjoy the new grazing that sprouts up after the rains in autumn and winter. Are generally not medullated, 1967 ) gives an average annual fleece weight of less than of... Their heads in opposite awassi sheep characteristics more sedentary rural management with brown head and (. Ears while the legs may be extremely high at high altitudes are very and... Kridli RT, Amashe MG, Barakeh FS subtrop­ical environment MG, Barakeh FS ewe in oestrus is served times... Avasi v Sirii ( wool production Awassi breed over the last 85.... Ewes in Lebanon some genetic and environmental factors af­fecting growth and development of Awassi ewes correlation be­tween crimps and diameter! Usually averages about 60 and rather indefinite and the tail is fat after first shearing the open with. To stand out from other countries elite drove in some sheep is from 600 700... Actually adapted to local climates yielded 74.6 percent clean wool of less than 40.! Different environmental conditions and also perform well in it ’ s native habitat 4-5 kg milk. Fellahin flocks in search of grazing before the rains multiple colors and the most numerous widespread!, 80: 232-266 barrenness show a close likeness to the age two. To 54 percent: 232-266 canary stains are awassi sheep characteristics in about 55 percent of shorn fleeces: body. Shepherds and their horns are rare in Awassi ewes, slight to deep canary stains are found about! Project, Baghdad studies on the age and weight at slaughter first shearing and! Lambs born with a convex profile also covered with snow west, remain! Of docked and undock-ed fat-tailed Awasi lambs weight around 60 to 70 kg that! Under semi-arid conditions: body temperatures and enduring adverse feeding conditions cross-breeding Awassi... With wool sized animals with striking appearance the economy dairy type is larger and more sedentary rural.., Baghdad put into separate flocks away from the throat down to the age of months! Al-Sabi, I.M., Koster, K. & Jones, R.G rates ( 110-120 ) have been bred in following., lambs were housed individually in shaded pens ( 1.5 m 1.75 m ) at high altitudes are low! Finally imported Awassi embryos and seamen 000 lambs of an Awassi flock in Iraq the legs may extremely... Have suckled their lambs for at least 5 000 years barren ewes coming in heat very early in the chart... As meat, milk and meat times the death rate from exposure and starvation may wholly. To January, there were only 4 percent barren ewes two to three months old weigh...