Table of Contents
Mandya Sheep Profile:
MANDYA Sheep (also known as Bannur and Bandur*):
- a) Mandya Sheep Distribution. Mandya district and bordering Mysore district of Karnataka.
- b) Mandya Sheep Numbers. The total sheep population in the Mandya distribution area, according to the 1972 census, was 0.372 m, and according to the 1977 census, 0.329 m; there was thus a slight decline. The actual number of the breed is much smaller, since the census is not based on breed. Information received from the officers of the State Animal Husbandry Department indicates a large movement of Mandya sheep out of the Mandya district because of an increase in irrigated cultivated area, leaving little land with natural vegetation for sheep grazing. Further, there is a large incidence of cryptorchidism in Mandya, possibly due to selection of animals on the basis of meaty conformation. There is need for conservation of this breed, which is perhaps the best meat breed of the country as far as conformation is concerned, although body weights, weight gains, feed conversion efficiency and carcass yield are not very superior to most other breeds.
- c) Mandya Sheep Climate
| Average | Range | |
| Average monthly temperature (°C) | ||
| minimum maximum |
19.2 29.6 |
16.4–21.4 27–34 |
| Average monthly relative humidity (%) | ||
| morning evening |
79 49 |
69–85 21–70 |
| Annual rainfall (cm) | 69.57 |
- Mandya Sheep Breed characteristics
- Mandya Sheep Size
| Adult males | Adult females | |
| Body weight (kg) | 34.80 ± 1.55 (7) | 23.50 ± 0.27 (140) |
| Body length (cm) | 63.86 ± 1.28 (7) | 59.92 ± 0.22 (140) |
| Height at withers (cm) | 62.0 ± 0.65 (7) | 56.71 ± 0.27 (140) |
| Chest girth (cm) | 78.57 ± 1.75 (7) | 65.25 ± 0.31 (140) |
- ii) Conformation. Relatively small animals. Colour is white, but in some cases face is light brown, and this colour may extend to the neck. Compact body with a typical reversed U-shape conformation from the rear. Ears are long, leafy and drooping; ear length: 14.10 ± 0.10 cm (140). Tail is short and thin; tail length: 9.48 ± 0.19 cm (140). A large percentage of animals carry wattles. Slightly Roman nose. Both sexes are polled. Coat is extremely coarse and hairy.
- e) Flock structure. Flocks are generally small.
- f) Reproduction. Average age at first lambing (2, 3): 745 days (27); lambing interval (2, 3): 397 days. Lambing percentage: 82.0 ± 0.31% (163); in another study: 80.80% (933); litter size: single.
- g) Mortality (2, 14). 0 to 3 months: 5.33% (450); 3 to 12 months: 2.96% (474); adults: 20.07% (1 370).
* Bandur from the name of the village in which the breed is known to have originated.
- h) Mandya Sheep Breeding. Pure breeding. Rams are generally selected on the basis of body weight and conformation.
- i) Mandya Sheep Performance
- Meat: body weight (kg) (sources: 2, 3, 14, 16, 17, 20 to 26)
| At birth | 2.09 ± 0.03 (2 411) |
| At weaning | 9.71 ± 0.16 (1 822) |
| 6 months | 12.76 ± 0.29 (1 261) |
| 12 months | 21.02 ± 1.52 (107) |
Dressing percentage on pre-slaughter live-weight basis (5, 8. 16, 30): for animals slaughtered at 6 months: 45.39 (27); at 8 months: 47.46 ± 2.61 (12); at 10 months: 46.80 ± 2.29 (10); at 12 months: 48.88 ± 3.78 (10). Bone/meat ratio: 1:3.36; feed conversion efficiency in individual feed-lot, from 3 to 6 months: 9.62%. Wool production (5): 0.372 kg (1 169).