Arabi (sheep)
Encyclopedia
Arabi is a domesticed breed of sheep from southwestern Iran
, southern Iraq
and northeastern Arabia
. Though it does grow wool
, it is primarily raised for meat.
.
It is highly likely that the Arabi is descended from very ancient importations from Arabia across the narrow Bal-el-Mandeb Straits at the mouth of the Red Sea. This breed has adapted to extreme temperatures and conditions. Within the foothills of Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, summer temperatures rise to 41 °C (105.8 °F) and winter tempuratures down to -26 C with less than 400 mm (15.7 in) rain. From 1990 to 2000, the population of the Arabi increased from 1.4 million to 1.5 million.
The Arabi is usually white; however, black, brown and black-and-brown can occur. The wool has an average diameter of 26.2 micrometres. The average weight of mature rams is 53.5 kg (117.9 lb) with an average height at the wither of 81.2 cm (32 in). For mature ewes, their average weight is 38.2 kg (84.2 lb), 71.6 cm (28.2 in) at the withers and provides 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) of wool per shearing. Birth weight for rams is about 4.4 kg (9.7 lb) and ewes 4 kg (8.8 lb). On average, slightly more than one lamb is produced per litter.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, southern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and northeastern Arabia
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
. Though it does grow wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
, it is primarily raised for meat.
Characteristics
The Arabi rams have horns and the ewes are polled (hornless). This breed is the foundation stock for the Wooled Persian of South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
It is highly likely that the Arabi is descended from very ancient importations from Arabia across the narrow Bal-el-Mandeb Straits at the mouth of the Red Sea. This breed has adapted to extreme temperatures and conditions. Within the foothills of Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, summer temperatures rise to 41 °C (105.8 °F) and winter tempuratures down to -26 C with less than 400 mm (15.7 in) rain. From 1990 to 2000, the population of the Arabi increased from 1.4 million to 1.5 million.
The Arabi is usually white; however, black, brown and black-and-brown can occur. The wool has an average diameter of 26.2 micrometres. The average weight of mature rams is 53.5 kg (117.9 lb) with an average height at the wither of 81.2 cm (32 in). For mature ewes, their average weight is 38.2 kg (84.2 lb), 71.6 cm (28.2 in) at the withers and provides 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) of wool per shearing. Birth weight for rams is about 4.4 kg (9.7 lb) and ewes 4 kg (8.8 lb). On average, slightly more than one lamb is produced per litter.