Wessent Dwarf Ornamental Sheep: Breeding Features
The rarest and smallest breed of domestic sheep in the world is the dwarf sheep, or the Wessent mini-sheep (also called Wessan, the Breton dwarf). Animals are distinguished by their small body size and thick warm coat. The article will discuss the features of breeding and keeping such sheep.
Subtype Features
Representatives of the dwarf breed Wessent appeared on Ile d'Uessant - a small island off the coast of Brittany (France). It is known that breeding work on breeding mini-sheep began in this area. Wessent is one of the breeds of short-tailed sheep of Northern Europe, along with several other species from Great Britain, Germany and Scandinavia. Today, the breed is bred in several European countries, including France, Germany and the UK.
According to the Wessent British Society of Breeders, the exceptionally small size of these animals has historically been explained by poor grazing on the island, which has led to the selection of small sheep for breeding. The first mini-sheep were owners of black wool. After crossing with other miniature breeds, the coat color became, in addition to black, white, dark brown or gray.
Appearance, size, weight
Wessent's body is completely covered with thick hair, only the lips and edges of the nostrils are free. The head is small with a muzzle pointed downwards, the profile is straight, and sometimes there is a hunchbacked one. The eyes of the animals are wide apart, which allows them to see what is happening behind without turning the head. However, they prefer open, well-lit areas to shaded areas.
Did you know? Dwarf sheep prefer to be in the herd to protect themselves from predators. These artiodactyls have sensitive hearing and are sensitive to sounds. They can sense the presence of a threat at a distance of several hundred meters. The height of an adult male at the withers usually does not exceed 49 cm, and the weight is in the range of 10–20 kg, the growth of a sheep is 40–46 cm, and its weight is about 14 kg. Wessents grow up to about 3 years. On average, life expectancy is 15-18 years.
Video: Wessent Dwarf French Sheep
Advantages and disadvantages
- Advantages of the breed:
- high-quality wool - about 2 kg per year from one ram;
- friendly character, not shy;
- strong and hardy, adapted to harsh living conditions;
- eat any kind of grass and shrubs; they can graze on pasture all year long;
- very rarely get sick.
- According to breeders, there are not so many shortcomings in the breed:
- low productivity - 1 lamb per litter, twins are very rare;
- early puberty - from 6 months.
Features of breeding and maintenance
A sheep is a herd animal, and the herd consists of at least two animals: two lambs or a sheep and a ram. The latter combination should take into account the expansion of the family over time.
Food
Sheep are ruminants, and the best food for them is grass in the pasture. In winter, you can feed hay in unlimited quantities. Salt stone with minerals is also loved by sheep and is part of the standard equipment of sheep farmers. Since hay is a dry food, make sure animals have free water.
Care and illness
Wessents are not particularly susceptible to disease. But significant damage can be caused by parasitic diseases (miases), viral diseases (blue tongue or catarrhal fever). Sheep are also susceptible to dampness, and in rainy seasons, in spring and autumn, they may develop hoof rot. It is necessary to carefully examine the hooves, and cut the stratum corneum in time.
You may be interested in how to treat worms in sheep. With shaving the wool of dwarf artiodactyls, a sheep shearing machine will cope. July is considered a good month for shaving, as the heat makes the coat smoother. But be careful in bright sunlight, as without protective fur the skin of animals can get a sunburn.
Containment room
The Wessent shepherd should be dry and light, with good ventilation. The floor is usually made of well-compacted clay.
The area of the room is calculated depending on the number of animals:
- one mini-ram occupies not less than 1.5 m² of space;
- a lamb with a lamb needs 1 m²;
- young animals up to a year are enough 0.5 m².
Learn how to make your own feeding troughs, nurseries and drinking bowls for sheep. There are feeders and drinking bowls in the room, which use troughs with a trellised fence or make a manger of wood with your own hands. The pens are insulated with a dense layer of straw or sawdust, which protects the rams from dampness and cold.
In the spring and summer, mostly animals are on a walk in the fresh air. The walking area is provided based on the calculation of 2 m² per individual. The fence must be at least 0.5 m high. It is advisable to equip the canopy so that the sheep are not hot under the scorching rays of the sun or wet in the pouring rain.
Breeding
The reproductive age of mini-rams and sheep begins from six months. It is better to start the mating from 12 months, when the body has matured and is ready for procreation. Sheep gestation period lasts 21 weeks.
For breeding, only healthy females are selected, without pathologies of hooves, teeth. Male producers are kept separate from the herd, carefully providing them with the best pasture.
Did you know? It happens that a sheep goes unnoticed or rejects a ram, then it’s worth a little wait, these sheep can be fertilized later. But do not delay until the "advanced" age. The average term for the birth of offspring in sheep is 7 years, in sheep - up to 15.
Okot
These animals do not belong to highly productive breeds, in one offspring (2 times a year) they usually bring one lamb, and twins are rarely born. Lactation lasts about 4 months, after which the lamb is weaned. Its weight is up to 4.5 kg.
For the next 2–3 months, the lamb must recover before becoming pregnant again. She reduces the amount of succulent feed and watering for the painless completion of lactation. It is necessary to examine the udder every day to exclude the development of mastitis.
Growing lambs
From the age of two weeks, the lambs are given top dressing in the form of decoctions of oatmeal and oilcake, vitamin hay, silage and mineral supplements. From 1 month it is advisable to give finely crushed cake. From two to three weeks of age in winter, in good weather, the lambs begin to be released for short walks, which favorably affects their health. Read also how to care for weak lambs. After weaning from the mother, the young animals are ungrouped. By this time they should already be accustomed to "adult" feed. Moreover, they are watered with water more often than adults, at least 3-4 times a day.
Caring for a miniature herd requires enthusiasm, interest, as well as knowledge and experience. By observing the behavior of animals, you learn a lot, gain knowledge by talking with other breeders and reading specialized literature. Fortunately, the Wessents are not very susceptible to disease and undemanding, but they love care and good care, like any living thing.
