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Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming / II se peut que certaines pages Blanches ajoutdes tors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6\6 film^s. Additional comments / Commentaires suppldmentaires: This Ham Is fllmsd at ttM rsduetion ratio chscksd bslow / Cs doeumant sst fllm« au taux da rMuetion ktOUvti ei-« (716) 288- MSg -fox -*'1f. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE LIVE STOCK BRANCH OTTAWA CANADA Karakule Sheep AND Persian Lamb Fur Production ft i Karaktile Ram. PAMPHLET No. 15 SHEEP AND GOAT DIVISION Published by authority of Hon T A Cr»pT u^^ 38704—] ^'*'"'^' »*'"i«t«r of Agri icuituro, Ottawa, Ont. Til -heep ; native has bet which ^ipparer BOMlVZOir DEPAmTMZVT OV AOmZOULTUKB. Ohltf, Wimp and 0«at Dlvhim. VAMTHLBT Ho. 15. KARAKULE SHEEP AND PERSIAN LAMB FUR PRODUCTION. By O. Eble O'BnxH. »h« Ihiia^*^ ^t importation of Karakule sheep was brought into America with P«£"l.mb %t^Z ""^'L "t"' ^ *•»*' "»>•» "^owSVtrtrade « fiS hi? 'ten^!!'' „'i'^;f •*"''^'" ^T- .'^'' «"* importation consisted of followed in 1918 .^ iQ,i^ -t T*' °*^" importations to the United SUtes KaSSes were fm^ii i ""'^ ^^^ T"!* '}"' •^""'« »»«• ti™ '^^ «ty.fou^ thtTral wkhX^' .^ "^["."ty °f ''hich were rams, the purpose being to mate Sd StSt^tLt t>. 7? V "t'*," '\^- ^* *" '«"» *»»«• importations to the inZltS^^^^lf'^.fr'i^r^^' "'r^'^Ji'^"* '" ^"•^« -«" obtained when Island ThL foHowin^ ! flocks we^ established in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward ar« between fiTrandShunZlJ^^i'v •?''/>»r»«- ^^ ^^e present time there Karakule ra-SlVith « ttSe ClrJ-ji^'roi" ?""* ^^^''^ "^ --«"« In C;nTdr«'rtL rniU sE^^T^*^^^^^^^ product from Karakule sheep. Both "lied mostly from A."aJ?i^«"? " "^T ^"'^f'"^ '" *^" '"• '''>'«'' i« b""!? sheep. This Kan^r^h TlT^ """J^l *'"' '"«*««'«'»' of thwe same Karakule n few dav^ oM at tW ?u**"!l^ ^ ''"""•^ ^^^ y"""* ^""l^le l«mb when o,.ly >.nt rather loose and v^ fr^n itraThln^'"^ r °°' Possess the regular tight curl, These three classes of f^. P^^^^ian 2 taVtln '^T*^^ '^"^* "' '«*« '''»''"' when taken from the TounrC™v!^^» J^ • ' I" ** ^'*"''^'"' »" '"^"""^^^ "sunlly incIudTwith the abov^blrt * /'^ "' ^T'*'' " '""'^•' '^"^ ''^''<'^ » very similar Tt^l A ♦ tu "^ ^ *"' *"*'*' """^'y- trimmer fur. This clasa is Peninsula. So faV as is known „„.! *'^',?."*^^^ ^J"^^'^ »»inly in the Crimean Karakules in Canada ' °^ *^" °^'"' "^ ^"' ^"^ »>««" P'o^^ce^ Hv the The Origin of the Kanknle. on ■.li..-,.-l,r,,.linK. «m f «vli.>in 1,mv,. vi.it.,| nml ,tii.li..l il„. ,l„.,.|, i„ II..M..irH ,.r. of th.->pmioM thiit th..rp i^ no wh.v ,.f knowiiw l."w Knr.ikul,., oriKiiiof-d. It i.'..ii.l th.t thr fl™.|.. of KHrHkul.. Hi,...,. i„ Hoklu.r.. pn-.-ut ., „mtl,^- ,,i..tun. of di.t,„.l «roui,» „f Ka-Hkul... hitAo. Ar..l.i. M.ir.,;, .,„d AfKhnu. «i(l. K.,rnkMl.. r.u. „r.. Uoiiiiiuitiiitf 11... num.- Ar.il.i oft,.,, us., I i„ ,.o„,„.,.ti„„ „ith K„r.,kul,. .h.v,. con,. r>ri«;« ono of tl,,.*,. ktouih., u„,i it in ,.rol..,l>|,. th„t th.. fou,i,latio„ of t|„. pr. <,„t fu, iH-ariiiK ,1...... w..« fh.. ..nriy n.,tiv.. An.l.i. i„ ,.oi,j„„..tiou with tl,.. »n,<.ll l,l.„Hc |)„„u,l„r «hei.p. now almoHt ..xtimt. Th,. K„r.,kul,. tnk.'s it, i,«n,.. fro„, Kur.,-kul (l.lH.k h.k. . « viIluK." in th.. ,.„Ht..r., pnrf of tj,.. provi,,,-,. „f U.,kh„ra. al-.ut whi-h th.r,. ar,. laru- flork« of th..«. .h....p. Ph.. „r,a of Ilokhara \n alu-ut s.-,,,hh» „|„ar.. .nil,... ,„„| th.. ,un. H-r of »h....p i« ,*t„nat,.,l hi from .•!..mnmhn> to 4,(»IN,.(HMt. wl,i|,. th,. .,v..ratt,. oxp. rf „' l«n,h.k„,. av,.ra«,.H alK.n. ;..VHMHK.. Th,. .kinn ar 11... t.-J i,v ,!..„!,.r, a„.l tr ■, .....I P»..k,.,l into ImliH for .xiM.rt a„,i ar,- «,rt,,l a, r.li,,^ to .|ualitv an.l u„iforn.if> ».v the .l..ali'r,.. K.irakulf iwe and yijung Jamlt. During nwnt y.-ars P,.r:roups n.akin^^ up th,. l,r,-...| i„ ,1„ , nat.ye hon.,- H,,khara. Fhos,. .h,.,.p, how..v,.r, that hav. h,^.,, hrouRht into Ci,,,;,.! , toRethrr with th,.,r ,lc^,...n,lants ,.onform v,.ry w,.!l to a distir.ot typ... an.l n,„v i> dosor.bod as follows: ' Tln-y an- n„.diun, siz,.. with hlar-k fa.-,, and Ic^. Tho wo,',! : maturity ,s ^^rey and v,.ry lonjr a„,l .-oars... At Kirth th.. lamhs an- almost invnri.i black. w,tl, ,.. t,^htly-..url,..l fur. whi..h is th,. .I.sirahl,. f,.atnr,.: as voarii,,.- ■ «ool ,s st.ll 1,1a..-.. l,u, w,th Irownish tint. th,. following y,.ar tnr„i„,. to shad,.s of .„ I he rams hav.^ la,',.,, horns ..urvinjf outw.,r.l>. whil.> th.. ..«•..< ar,. p..ll,.d althouRh hn.ej.thr ..tt.r .rr ul«, horned. Th.. fm-,. :» „urr„w. tl,.- .-v.. full »...| hrmht. ,.,,„. <\rruM\y Roman, tho vnr* *m,x\\ .liwi iH.n.l..l..u.. t!..,.. hi.t t«o f,.«tur... h,.inK vrrv rln.rm-trn.t.c of th- K„rBk Th,. .•„„form..ti..,. of th.. Kurukuh- .l.«. , ^rv.. "'" '"'; "'"";'!' I'"'!--''*, th,. hH,.k Jm-Imk niirrow „ith H..i .i.h.. ..n.l th,. r..,n,, .Ir.mp- M,«. Ihp tuti i» th.- mo«t .lUtin.tivo rhnrH..t..ri.ti... un.l U ,l....rih,sl ... " hr..,.d.ti.iU..r' It I...I.W v.-ry hnrnd ,„.xf th- Ih«1,. ,H.rh,„m ..ight to t.-,. iu-'h..- thi.-k un.t ..InMit thr -mil,' h'l.flrth. ui.i.iilly iiidimr ii, ,, »hiir|i ■ i.rv... I.. m«kinK MhM.ii....^ if ,hn,.l,i Ih. i,. ,,l th..t Hm. w,.,| i,. th.- H...-,. in v, rv obj... fwMuhh.. «hil.. (h<. hair .>n tlu- t; ni..l h-w, -houhl b.. H\'>»*y hUu-k. Climatio Condition!. Th.. Kunikule in it.* imtiv,. honif. link hum, tuiiM withht.in.l ...xtr.ni.. t.n.iMratur.... . .»! vory dry ......sonH. -.,„.,. (h,. .ii.,rt wi.it.rs th.r.. i.rc v..ry «.v.r... whil.. (1... ..........rs -r. v.ry w,.tra with f ..|,....,t ,„.id .torn... Th.- ^ruxin^ ....ndition* of ih,s. ,!„.,.,, ,.n ..Uo H..I.I to ho rathor unf,.vour..bh., a* it i« only in th.. >.prii.w of th.. v....r that th.. |i.i,tur..» aro ..ov.r.Kl with |fr...Mi v..Ki.tatioi.. At thi' ..X|.irati..n of this short i«.rio,l. In-tiiiK from th,. nii.hlh' of Mar.-h until May. th.. uruss l«vins to dry up v.ry .|ui«.k1y with only Miinll i.at.htM «f vogi-tation ri-niainiiiK h-r,. an.l thirc. Th.. sh..,-,, n.'t ''■■-^^J^'l^'^v'?^.^--'^. 7 . tiir n-iiit Of . will! Kiir; (ir.v with »"iil nii-i llitin ticul: •tiif.i far I lii.i fat III Karakule laml>!<. hcirn In Canaila. ii«h the summor som. '.ow and ..ontinu,. to work hard for th.ir living dnrmi- vr, siiK-t. only in rcrpiit yours hav,. owners niado any provisi.ni f..f wint.r fi.^i ni.rso thor,. aro ofton h.N.vy loss,.s of sh.-op duo to tho oold oliniati ...diti.,, rr and to tho In.-k of suffi<.iont food, hut it must h, nolud.-d that natiimllv .knio shiH.p IS a vory hardy a.iiinal al.l,. to withstand oxtron... t..n.p..rMtur, - „.. -nis„ns. furth.'r. tho housing of sh.vp is not pra<.tis..,l in Hokhan,. I,, fa,-. tho -ustomury nn^frations „f tho flo,.ks who,, out in soar..h of fn-sh pastur,. it ho alir.ost imiK.ss.hlo t,. i.rovido any hut natural sh<.ltors. P'or th,. su,.,.o,-f..l '■-' of Karakulo sho,.p it is no,.ossary to pay oonsid,.rahl.. att,...ition to tiio co.i- .yj.idor wh.oh for oot.turios thoy hav,. h»-u roarod i.i othor ro..ntri,.s and par ir y ,s th.s tr,.o whon <.ha.,pinjr from a dry to a wot olimato. Alrradv it has boon I that tho ol.mnto of R„khan. is oxc^otlingly dry and ott,... tho flooks must trav.l tl soaroh of ,.ntor. Tt should, how,n-,.r. ho ,«,i„t,.d o..t that tho s,.m,. wator. th,. , Tk i! ""'r^." '"'f" «"•« "^ tho Kha.iito i„to .1 ,h.,.J stoppo. bo..onu-« to tho sheep when it is over abundant. Ravinff bceom* ■cmMtointd throuRh a leriai of fanarationa to auch a dry olim«t» thay raaet ttrontly when lippliMl with an abundanea of water. It wonld appaar thu- thia would aeocunt for mbm of the dliJculty which Saa bean «xparianead with tin foeka of Kara: ub i.luop in Einte n Canada, and one wlnVh, when rcaliaed, should b<- rary aaay to oTercome, in that ^ry paaturca are obuinable and water may be fiTen u Men it. Naturally a chance of food in itaelf alio afleeU the condition of theae thftp The habitual feeding on the dry pMtures in Aaia also aplaina the fact that Ksrs- knlea, when transported to other countries, will seek the hichest and dryeat plaow for feeling rnthrr than damp or swampy land. They will, howerer, adapt themirlvn to a change nf food rather quickly and readily, while with an abundance of moiaturr there is a tendency that the sheep will not thrire well. One hslf-blood Karaku!e lamb from KarskuU-LlncoIn cross. Attention in Other Conntriei. During recent years much attention has been given by breeders in other coui\tries to these fur-producing Karakule sheep and a fair number of sheep have, with much difficulty, been brought out of Bokhara, thus showing that it is generally believed that the production of Persian lamb fur is both profitable and possible in other lands besides Russian TurkesUn. The industry is certainly profitable to the nativ. s of Bokhara and it ia claimed that the fear of outside competition in the world's w: rkcts for Persian lamb is the reason why such rigid restrictions are placed on the • xport of Karakules. Regardless, howcTer, of these restrictions considerable numbers ha« been brought into other '•ountries. It has been estimated that during the years 1907 to 1910 there were sent into Asiatic Russia 6,307 head, to Russia 1,673 h< .1, to western countries 882, a total of 8,862 or on an average for each year of 1,67T head to Asiatic Russia, 418 to Russia and 261 to the west. Xarakule flecks have ols been established in Scotland, British South Africa, Canada, United Statek, Arg. itini. Germany, Austria and Hungary. There is little infomation as yet on record pertaining to results obtained from the sheep in these couriries, except that very satisfactory skins have been proiluMd, not only from the Kprakules themselves, but also from the crossing of Karakule rams with British biig-wooliHi »heep. such ai the Lincoln, Cotfiwi.UI. Uici.tir. and Iliuh- land Bk-k Faoud. Up to tlie pr.'tfiit th« work hw li^n Urfely th« uaturn of an upariir nt, io an endoTour to datarmiua thoa« breed* ( ihoep that ;rill xt-'e beat rctttlU whan oroaaad with Karakulea, to breed up tta dard flocki, i a. cents to Cr„sses with iwrs of the medium or fine-wooled breeds have produced unsnti.- fac ory n^lts. In ex.H-riments carried on in the l-nited States, cVoss"rKarak le rams on Mer.no and Shropshire ewes, inferior skins were produced matted ackf lustre .mivrfcct ,.url. and valueless from a fur standpoint. ' Half-blood Karakulo rams when cross.-d with the lon^-wooled breeds will not produce sk.ns with .,ny value for fur pur,.,ses, although the lambs nearlv alw"y wi a r'Tf .;»•;""'■' TT'" ""'T^^'" '""^•'''•"«' i^'"-''"''- -"• <-""i'• >■"»"" '«"'•>« must be killed at least before they ore " w.ck old. Only tr.m. experience can one know the best time to take the skin t„r .on... cases he curl will unprove during the first two or thr.* days while in othc. he sku, >s at Its best shonl, after birth. In prematurdy-born Inmks, th.. skin ha.', i t'^Lw *;> :""f, ■■'"'""" T" k' ''"-^ "•'• ''""^"''^' ^'"^■'- " ^"'"'' '"-'^•'' *'"■» """ "o ■ sKin tiiken (roiii the young Iamb. dow,!'ll,'"r'-'i""' ''T '"J"^''* "'*'"• « ■^♦''>'^'l't '"'f' '^t'ouW »«e cut down the bellv and dou , the „Mdc of the lc,rs to meet the centre line. Xo part of the skin is cut .,tf X."'lr "".'T'' "T"' ""'JJ'"';" *'"' t'". "'akinK no unnecessary cuts. The sk^," IS then stretched evenly on a board with the fur si.le down, in a cool place thor u^h v drie.1 and shipped without salting, care beinir taken not to crack the skin. For Wool and Mutton. Th,> wool of the Karakule and its .-rosses varies in colour from light grev to bla.k d..pendei,t upon the age of the sheep, is long an.l coars.- and would be classed J cnrpet wool. The t|,.,H.o is naturally very dry and light in shrinkage Ibc general contorination of the Karakule does not Inul itself rcadilv to mutt,,,, purposes although the texture of the nuitton i- very tin,, and of go,^l £vou T ambs nr<. quuk maturing and ,ip to three months of age will average higher i"i vcig .h,n, the nui ton sheep; after that age, howev.-r, they do not seenf to do s^wd ^, 3 grow much less rapully. As already poinf^d ont, ,1,.. first aim in raising Karak„lu sl,c,.p IS the production of marketable fur, and under or.linary conditions of feed ,„.d .nanagcnient ,t would not be advisable to „se Karakules in ..rossing with t he mut ,, .rc,.ds tor mutton purposes. 0„ the range, or in parts subje.. t■'■* i^ ""!>■ '" Hie 'experimental stage. JIi<. takes have b,...n inad,. and doubtless will be made, but from results alreadv ol t.^in, ,1 in he production of coinnier,.ial f,ir th.r,. s.vins to be no good reason why Por