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The Damara in the context of Southern Africa fat-tailed sheep breeds

  • SI Fat Tailed Sheep
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Abstract

Sheep production is one of the most important activities in animal production in tropical regions. Southern Africa (SA) fat-tailed sheep such as the Afrikaner, Namaqua Afrikaner, Nguni, Persian Black Head, Tswana, Pedi, Sabi, and particularly the Damara are important animal genetic resources very well adapted to their harsh home environments. In this review, autochthonous sheep genetic resources of SA are reviewed regarding history and productive performance. A special focus is made to the most internationalized of such breeds: the Damara. The following aspects are reviewed: history, standards, productive performance in SA, and importation to Australia. Finally, a reference is made to the influence of fat-tailed sheep formation of composite breeds such as the Dorper or the Meatmaster.

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Acknowledgements

The author is indebted to the authors that kindly ceded some of the photographs published in this article: F Pinho-Morgado (Fig. 1a), JS Santa-Comba (Fig. 1b), and LMJ Schwalbach (Fig. 1d). Author acknowledges the Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical (IICT) for kindly ceding photographs in Fig. 2 by Professor J Lima-Pereira. Manuscript revision by GM Almeida (IPATIMUP, Porto, Portugal) is also acknowledged. Author AM Almeida is supported by a Ciência 2007 Research Contract by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) of the Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (MCTES; Lisbon, Portugal).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IICT–Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical, CVZ-FMV. Av. Universidade Técnica, 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal

    André Martinho Almeida

  2. CIISA–Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação em Sanidade Animal, CVZ-FMV. Av. Universidade Técnica, 1300-477, Lisbon, Portugal

    André Martinho Almeida

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Correspondence to André Martinho Almeida.

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Almeida, A.M. The Damara in the context of Southern Africa fat-tailed sheep breeds. Trop Anim Health Prod 43, 1427–1441 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-011-9868-3

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