Lamb Breeds

You have two categories you can show under market or breeding. If showing a market lamb, at your last show, it will be sold for market. If you show breeding stock then you will have your project over multiple years, however your project can not be housed at the NISD barn while its pregnant. Given this, we encourage students to show market animals. 

According to Texas AgriLife Extension Service, classification guidelines are clearly established for county, district and state shows. A lamb must be typical for the class in which it is shown. There are four major breed classes shown in the state. They are finewools, finewool crosses, medium wools and Southdowns. The following Market Lamb Classification Standards were revised in 1998 by 10 lamb classifiers and will go into effect May 1, 1999. These standards may be helpful when purchasing lambs. 

I. Finewool Breed Characteristics 

A. Acceptable breed characteristics 

1. Rambouillet, Delaine, Debouillet, or a cross between these breeds 

2. Silky, white face that is narrow and clean cut 

3. Silky ears, medium to moderate in size 

4. Soft pelt 

5. White hooves and legs 

6. Horns may be present or absent 

B. Discriminatory breed characteristics 

1. Black or brown spots in the skin or wool on the body of the lamb 

2. Freckles or pigmented areas of black or brown skin 

3. Black pigmentation in the hooves 

4. Black eyelashes 

C. Absolute disqualifications 

1. Coarse, chalky, white hair on the face, down the back of the hind legs, and in the flanks 

2. Black or brown freckles above the hooves in the hairline 

3. Solid black hooves 

4. Harsh, coarse pelt 

5. Black lambs 

6. Surgical alterations other than redocking 

7. Steep hip or tendency to show callipyge gene 

II. Finewool Cross Breed Characteristics 

A. Acceptable breed characteristics 

1. Must be a cross with evidence of at least 50 percent finewool breeding. The other percentage should be predominantly Hampshire and/or Suffolk characteristics. 

2. Soft pelt that is characteristic of 1/2 blood wool (60s, 62s spinning count) 

3. Mottling and/or some spotting on face and ears 

4. Mottling and/or spotting of legs below the knees and stifle joint 

5. Soft and silky face and ears 

B. Discriminatory breed characteristics 

1. Face, ears and legs should not be extremely dark or solid in color 

2. Colored fiber (black or brown spots) in the wool 

3. Absence of wool on the legs below the knees and/or hocks 

C. Absolute disqualifications 

1. Coarse, chalky white hair on the face or ears or legs or in the flanks 

2. Harsh, coarse pelt 

3. Black lambs 

4. Surgical alterations other than redocking 

5. Steep hip or tendency to show callipyge gene 

III. Southdown Breed Characteristics 

A. Acceptable breed characteristics 

1. Hair color on muzzle should be mouse colored, gray to brown 

2. Nostril pigmentation may be black to purplish-gray 

3. Muzzle should be broad, head of moderate length 

4. Ears of moderate length, covered with short hair or wool 

5. Black hoof color 

6. Dark pigmentation on hide and/or birth marks are acceptable 

B. Discriminatory breed characteristics 

1. Solid white color on muzzle 

2. Dark chocolate color on muzzle 

3. Coarse, chalky hair around eyes extending to and including the muzzle 

4. Predominately pink nose with few black spots 

5. Long, narrow nose 

6. Coloration on ears 

7. Coarse hair in flank 

8. Harsh, coarse pelt 

9. Open poll on head 

10. Striped hooves 

11. Black fibers in wool 

C. Absolute disqualifications 

1. Speckled face or legs 

2. Horns or solid scurs 

3. White hooves 

4. Changing color of hair or pigmentation on head, legs, hooves or nose 

5. Total pink pigmentation of nostrils 

6. Black lambs 

7. Surgical alterations other than redocking 

8. Steep hip or tendency to show callipyge gene 

IV. Medium Wool Breed Characteristics: This class generally includes the Suffolk and Hampshire breeds, plus all lambs that do not fit in the finewool, finewool cross or Southdown breed classes (Fehlis & Stultz, 2008). 

References

Fehlis, C. P., & Stultz, R. P. (October, 2008). 4-H Lamb Show Guide. PDF. College Station. 

https://animalscience.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2012/04/AS34059-showlamb.pdf