Karakul Sheep. 523 



IV. 



Karakuls in South Africa. 



As already stated, karakuls are very liardy animaks, aiid are 

 particularly well suited tor the semi-arid regions wliich comprise a 

 considerable poi'tion of the Union of South Afnca. Their hardiDess 

 is to be expected from their environment in their native country, 

 and no effort has been spared to keep up this hardiness. In the 

 Union Government flock at Grootfontein the lambs are turned out 

 into the veld with their dams at about seven days of age, and the 

 sheep never receive anj- additions to the food they find for themselves. 

 (Even the stud rams are treated in tliis manner ) The ewes are 

 exceptionally good mothers, cases of ewes refusing to "take" their 

 lambs being almost unknown. They have further a very abundant 

 supply of rich nourishing milk, and, as the lambs are big and strong 

 at birth (the average weight being ten pounds), they thrive splendidly, 

 and in the four lambing seasons at Grootfontein, during which 

 some 380 pure-bred lambs have been dropped, there have not been a 

 dozen deaths through what might be termed natural causes. In 1916 

 a .small number of the ewe lambs died as tlie result of having their 

 taihi cut off, and an occasional lamb is still lost now through this 

 operation, but otherwise it is seldom indeed that a lamb dies. The 

 average weight of the veld-grown lambs in 1916 was just under 52 lb. 

 at three months of age. In 1919 the weights were less favourable, 

 but as no real rain ever fell from the time the lambs were born, and 

 as consequently the grazing might have been much better when they 

 were weaned, the results were really not bad. The average weiglit 

 of 59 ewe iambs at weaning was 51 lb. The lowest weiglit was 30 lb., 

 a lamb whose dam was killed by jackals, and the highest weight 

 was 68 lb. The average weight of 54 ram lambs, grown under the 

 same conditions, was 541b., the weights varying between 28 lb. and TTlb. 

 EvV'^s cliangiijg their milk incisors for their permanent teeth averaged 

 69 lb., varying from 34 lb. to 85 lb., while rams of the same age 

 averaged 88| lb., varying from 76 lb. to 109 lb. The average weight 

 of 10 pure-bred aethers born September-October, 1918, was, on the 

 15th September, 1919, 87 1/5 lb., and that of the rams for the same 

 age 931 lb., ranging from 84 lb. to 103 lb. Ewes with two incisor 

 teeth up averaged 98 lb., varying from 82 lb. to 112 lb., while the 

 12 heaviest averaged 106 lb. Rams of the same age averaged 103 lb., 

 the weights varying between 83 lb. and 127 lb. All the weights up 

 to this point were of sheep which had had to contend with indifferent 

 grazing due to droughty conditions. The following weights of ewes, 

 taken Eebruary, 1919, were taken just after the lambs were weaned, 

 when the ewes were in the lowest possible condition and not carrying 

 much covering either. Four-toothed ewes averaged 88 lb., as against 

 98 lb. for two-toothed ewes. Six-toothed ewes averaged the same, 

 i.e. 88 lb., while full-mouth ewes averaged 104 lb, A few dry full- 

 mouth ewos weighed up to 135 lb., which is, however, still under 

 what well-grown karakul ewes should weigh. The weight of the 

 pure-bred rams are of less value, as rams, except those retained for 

 stud or for special observation, are sold at twelve months of age, 

 consequently the figures given refer to much smaller numbers tlian 

 those available for the ewes. Four-toothed rams averaged 131 lb. ; 



