Edilbay sheep


Edilbay sheep, also known as Edilbaev sheep, are a breed of domesticated sheep which originated in northern Kazakhstan. This breed belongs to the coarse-wooled fat-tailed type of sheep and the Kazakh group. It originated in the 19th century as a cross between Kazakh fat-tailed sheep and Kalmyk/Astrakhan coarse-wooled sheep. Today, it is found in Kazakhstan and Russia.

Characteristics

Edilbaevskaya sheep are very hardy, as they were breed to conform to nomadic life in the semi-deserts and deserts of Kazakhstan. They are adapted to severe winter frosts and summer droughts, can travel over long distances and thrive on poor feed conditions.
Their yearly lambing rate is 110–120 lambs born for every 100 :wikt:ewe#Noun|ewes.
They are mainly bred for their meat and tail fat. At four months old, carcass weight is around and tail fat weight is around. Well-grown :wikt:wether#Noun|wethers can reach a rump weight of and a tail fat weight of.
The milk, though of lesser importance, is also used commercially. Main products are airan, primchik and qurt, and butter. Ewes have a yearly milk yield of 152 l on average. Fat content ranges from 3–9%, with an average of 5.8%.
Their wool production surpasses all other breeds of the Kazakh fat-tailed type, both as regards yield and quality. The average fleece yield from two clippings is for rams and for ewes, fleece thickness is approximately 15 cm. The fleece consists of true wool with a fineness of 18.0 μm, intermediate fibres, and guard hair. Kemp is rarely found.