Top 5 Types of Sheep Breeds - Farming Business

Deccani Sheep, one of India's top 5 sheep breeds, is found in Mumbai-Deccan & parts of Andhra Pradesh/Telangana/Karnataka. This breed is raised for wool & mutton, black & gray fleece and yields 5 kg of low-quality wool, mainly for blankets.

Mandya sheep from Mandya District, Karnataka, have a compact physique and reversed "U" conformation. Males weigh 35 kg, females 25 kg. This breed is known for good mutton conformation compared to other Indian sheep breeds.

Nellore Sheep, found in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, is adaptable to various climates and is the tallest Indian breed. Males weigh 36-38 kg, females 28-30 kg. The breed resembles goats, with large ears, long faces, thick short hair, and red (Nellore Red).

Rugged sheep from Jodhpur/Jaipur, Rajasthan, produce rough white wool and mixed hair. Sheep are tolerant to illness, and worms, have a high survival rate and yield 1.0-1.8 kg of wool per sheep yearly.

Coimbatore sheep also lie in one of India's top 5 sheep breeds, are raised for wool in Tamil Nadu, and have black/purple bands on the head/neck. Sheep are white, adult females avg 20 kg and 30-35% hornless.

Gaddi sheep are a small breed raised for wool in Jammu & Kashmir with a brown face and white fleece. Males have horns, and females don't. This breed produces 1.15 kg of lustrous wool per sheep per year, which is used for Kulu blankets and shawls.