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Mecheri Sheep Breed:
In this article, let us discuss about Mecheri sheep breed profile Information.
Distribution or Origin:
The Mecheri sheep breed, also known as Maiylambadi and Thuvaramchambali in Coimbatore district, are distributed across the Salem and Coimbatore districts of Tamil Nadu.
Mecheri Sheep Breed Performance:
This sheep breed are medium-sized animals, light brown in colour. The ears are medium-sized, both sexes are polled and the tail is short and thin. The body is covered with very short hair which is not shorn. The age at first breeding is 15 months. The lambing percentage is between 80 to 85% and the litter size is single. The Mecheri is primarily a meat breed. Dressing percentage on the basis of pre-slaughter live-weight is about 55 %. The skin is considered to be of the best quality among the sheep breeds of India, and is highly prized for export quality leather.
According to the 18th Livestock Census of 2007, there are 1,771,413 Mecheri sheep in the country.
Breed Features:
| Adult Male | Adult Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Average Body weight (kg) | 35 | 22 |
| Average Body length (cm) | 66 | 58 |
| Average Height at withers (cm) | 72 | 64 |
| Average Chest girth (cm) | 78 | 68 |
Flock structure: The average flock contains 44.38 individuals (range: 4 to 110), of which 4.26 rams, 30.56 adult ewes and 9.56 young.
Reproduction: Age at first breeding: 15 months; lambing percentage: 80 to 85%; litter size: single.
Mortality: Under farm conditions: 0 to 12 months: 9.29% (4 517); adults: 7.49% (4 792). In farmers’ flocks: young and adults: 15 to 20%.