Madras Red
May 03, 2013
The Madras Red breed of sheep is native to the Kanchipuram and Chennai districts of Tamil Nadu.
They are medium-sized animals predominantly brown in colour, the intensity varying from light tan to dark brown; some animals have white markings on the forehead, inside the thighs and on the lower abdomen. The ears are medium long and drooping and the tail is short and thin. The rams have strong corrugated and twisted horns, while the ewes are polled. The body is covered with short hair which is not shorn. Under farm conditions lambing percentage is 93 and the litter size is single. Breeding is pure and selection is based primarily on body size. Dressing percentage on pre-slaughter live-weight basis is 41%.
According to the 18th Livestock Census of 2007 there are 1,149,817 Madras Red sheep in the country. (Refer to maps below)
| Adult Male | Adult Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Average Body weight (kg) | 35 | 23 |
| Average Body length (cm) | 63 to 65 | 58 |
| Average Height at withers (cm) | 72 to 73 | 64 |
| Average Chest girth (cm) | 82 to 84 | 71 |
Text Source: http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/x6532e/X6532E04.htm#ch3.2.12
Photo Source: CSWRI, Avikanagar
