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Tunis Breed Standard(from the NTSRI website) PURPOSE:
The
purpose of this Breed Standard is to define the Tunis sheep breed. The Registry
considered the diverse opinions about whether the Tunis is best characterized as
a mutton breed, multipurpose breed, wool breed, rare breed or some combination
of these. After much deliberation, the Breed Standard was developed using the
guidelines set forth at the inception of the National Tunis Sheep Registry, Inc.
in 1929. The Registry believes that the Tunis should be preserved as a unique,
and distinct, breed and should not look like any other breed. The Registry
further believes that Tunis sheep should be graded on their value as breeding
stock. For this reason, this Breed Standard was developed to define the Tunis as
the first red-faced American sheep breed and to differentiate it from all other
breeds. Tunis
sheep should be shown or exhibited in breeding condition with a body condition
score of 2.5 to 3.0 rather than being shown or exhibited in an underfed or a too
fat condition. Yearlings or mature animals may be exhibited slick shorn or with
no more than 1" of unblocked wool at the owner's discretion. Lambs may be
exhibited in full fleece. GENERAL
CONFORMATION:
CHEST:
deep and only moderately wide. An excessively wide chest has been found to
interfere with ease of lambing and reduces travel endurance. BACK:
wide, of medium length, with normal curvature and exhibiting no evidence of
spinal deformity, i.e., kyphosis (abnormal anterior or posterior curvature of
the spine, weakness behind the shoulder, or swayback), lordosis (roachback), or
scoliosis (lateral curvature of the spine, deviation to the right or to the
left). The height at the pins should be equal to or slightly lower than the
height at the withers, denoting a pelvic angle conducive to lambing ease. The
rump should slope toward the tailhead. The loin should be well-developed and the
hindsaddle should measure more than one-half the length of the back when measure
from the 13th (last) rib to the dock. LEGS:
The hindquarters should be wider than the forequarters, with a good leg of
mutton. The hind legs should not be cow-hocked or bow-legged. While pasterns
should be straight, they should be resilient rather than stiff to aid in walking
on rough terrain. Front legs should not be set too wide apart as this interferes
with easy lambing. A prominent brisket is to be discouraged as this indicates a
wasteful carcass. BODY:
Well fleshed, skin pink. Black or brown spots are objectionable. Bone
structure should be strong but fine with rams tending to be slightly heavier. TESTICLES:
Both should be of good size and symmetry. The scrotal skin should be pink or
light hazel (tan) with scant or no wool. UDDER:
The udder should be large and full with strong anterior and posterior
attachment, well tucked up with little or no wool present. Anterior milk veins
in a lactating ewe should be prominent and properly positioned accessory nipples
are not to be discouraged. Asymmetry and lumps are objectionable. TEETH:
The incisors are to meet the dental pad squarely and be neither undershot
nor overshot. The number of permanent teeth must correspond to the stated age of
the animal and show no evidence of alteration. SPECIFIC
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BREED:
BODY: Broad and well proportioned, fine boned. The tail should be no less than one inch in length in accordance with Sheep Industry Development Program, Inc, recommendations for breeding stock. It has pronounced width. A swelling on the rump denoting fat deposition is not to be discriminated against in light of the breed's ancestry. The ability to store energy as fat on the rump in times of flush pasture to be used later in times of lean forage makes the Tunis highly adaptable to varied climates and feeding regimes. HEAD: Rams are hornless or nearly so with scurs having an uncut length of no greater than 3/4 inch. Ewes are hornless. The face is slim and tapers toward the muzzle and tends to resemble an hourglass in shape rather than wedge. A wide muzzle facilitates grazing. Too great a width between the ears inhibits easy lambing. Mature animals may have a slight roman nose. In cross-section, the muzzle more resembles a triangle than a circle, being deeper than it is wide. The nose is clean and solid pink to tan in color and should be free of spots. Tongue color is pink and free of spots. The
face is free of wool as are the cheeks and sometimes the throat. A small amount
of wool on the crown of the head is not objectionable. Lambs and yearlings tend
to have more head wool that should disappear in adulthood. In color, the face is
a solid tan or red (cinnamon), not brown, denoting true Tunis character. Fine,
silky, lustrous hair on the face, ears and legs denote superior breeding.
Mottled face coloration is objectionable. The ears are long, broad and
pendulous, covered with fine, lustrous, tan or red hair that is uniform in
color. Wool on the ears is objectionable. The ears are set low on the head and
may curl slightly up at the tips. The ears are dished rather than flat and of
only moderate width. The ears should extend over one-half the distance from the
medial canthus (inner corner) of the eye to the posterior border (outer edge) of
the opening on the nostril, with ears measuring 3/4 the distance being
preferable. At rest, the ears droop. On alert, the ears point forward and not
straight out from the head. Ear movement is graceful, fluid, and shows
expression rather than being stiff. NECK:
Medium length. In ewes the neck is small, tapering and feminine. In rams, it
is muscular and masculine. The neck should blend gradually, rather than
abruptly, into the body. Red fiber on the neck of one to two year old animals is
not objectionable although it is strongly discouraged in more mature animals.
Dewlaps are objectionable. LEGS:
In length, proportional to the body, and covered with fine, lustrous tan or
red (cinnamon), solid colored hair. In mature animals, scant red to white wool
below the knees and hocks is not objectionable. Open legs on mature animals is
desirable. Lambs and yearling tend to have more wool on the legs that should
disappear or be scant in adulthood. The pasterns are to be well-sprung and
straight, but not stiff. The hooves are fine and dark brown or striped beige and
brown. White hooves are objectionable and black hooves are discouraged. The
foreflank and hindflank are free of wool and covered with sparse tan or red
hair. COVERING:
Body and neck should be well covered with wool. The face is open with wool
on the face being objectionable. The crown of the head should be free of wool or
show scant wool. The cheeks, and sometimes the throat, are free of wool. The
face and legs are covered with fine, lustrous tan or red (cinnamon) hair with is
solid in color. Mottled faces and legs are objectionable. FLEECE:
Color light ivory to cream, with a spinning count of 54s (27.85 to 29.20
microns) to 58s (24.29 to 26.39 microns). The quality of wool should be uniform
throughout. Belly and udder wool tends to be less dense. A minimum of 3 1/2
inches of annual fleece growth should be expected. Unskirted, ewes shear 8 to 10
pounds of wool and rams shear 10 to 15 pounds of wool although some individuals
may shear longer and heavier fleeces. The yield should range from 50 to 70%. The
fleece should be dense and even throughout. Red fiber should be discouraged in
mature animals. Black or brown spots are objectionable. Natural colored fleeces
are obtained from the first shearing of lambs and sometimes the second shearing
as well. SIZE:
In breeding condition, mature rams should weigh between 175 and 225 pounds
and measure 28 to 30 inches at the withers, with yearlings measuring at or below
the mean. Rams should be active breeders year round and have a service life of 8
to 10 years. Mature ewes in breeding condition should weight between 125 and 175
pounds measure 24 to 28 inches at the withers with yearlings measuring at or
below the mean. Ewes should be productive to age 8 to 10 years. There is a
marked tendency toward twinning in mature, well-kept ewes. Natural, out of
season lambing should be strongly encouraged. Lambs weigh 7 to 12 pounds at
birth. Newborn lambs should be solid mahogany color and may be double coated. A
white patch of hair on the top of the head and/or the tip of the tail denotes
superior GENERAL
APPEARANCE: A calm and docile disposition is a hallmark of the Breed. The
appearance is graceful, symmetrical and active with a healthy look denoting
constitutional vigor. Head and ear movement should convey intelligence and
grace. At rest, the ears droop forward but on alert are raised and point
forward. The facial expression is bright, active, and intelligent with a
tendency to communicate through ear movement.
ADOPTED BY THE NATIONAL TUNIS SHEEP REGISTRY, INC. AUGUST, 1929 REVISED
AUGUST, 1961 REVISED
SEPTEMBER, 1994
Tunis
Sheep Standard of Excellence Scorecard:
General
Conformation - 20 points The
Tunis is deep chested, straight and wide backed, with a rump that slopes
slightly toward the tail head. A Tunis will be structurally correct
throughout and proportionately balanced. Lactating brood ewes have spacious,
full udders with strong attachments and well placed teats. Body
- 20 points The
meat-type body wider at the rear than front with the hind saddle more than 50%
of the body. It is well muscled especially in the loin and leg areas. The Tunis
has a slight "fat tail" and should not be docked too short. Head
and Neck - 20 points The
Tunis face is slender, wider at the muzzle and from the front resembles an
hourglass in shape. Ewes and rams are hornless; rams may have scurs less than ¾
inch, but they will be faulted. The head may be free of wool or have scant wool
on the poll. A white start on the poll is not objectionable. The face has fine
lustrous hair that varies from tan to cinnamon red. The ears are long, broad,
pendulous at rest and forward but not up when alert. The eyes are bright and
expressive. The neck is medium length, slim and feminine in ewes and muscular
but not coarse in rams and well placed on smooth shoulders. Feet
and Legs - 15 points The
legs are set properly under the animal for support and are of a length
proportionate to the body. The legs are the same color and fine hair as the
face. The legs are generally free of wool. If wool is present below the knees
and hocks, it is scant and not solid around the leg; leg wool, if present,
decreases with age. The pasterns are strong and resilient but not stiff. The
hooves are brown or striped with brown and beige. Wool
- 10 points Tunis
wool is light ivory to cream with a spinning count of 54's to 58's. The fleece
should be uniform with an annual growth of over 3 ½ inches. A ewe should shear
an eight to ten pound fleece and a ram more. Red fiber in mature animals is
faulted as are black or brown spots. An all black fleece is a disqualification. Size
- 10 points Tunis
are medium sized sheep. Rams in breeding condition weigh between 175 and 225
pounds while ewes weigh between 125 and 175 pounds. Coarseness and undersize are
both avoided. General
Appearance - 5 points The Tunis is graceful, symmetrical and active. Eyes and ears indicate intelligence and grace. They appear as they are: calm and of docile disposition.
The Breed Standard in BriefThe Tunis is a medium sized sheep with a very distinctive look. Tunis have a creamy colored wool that is set off by a solid tan to cinnamon red colored head and legs. Tunis sheep have a slender head, very expressive eyes and long pendulous ears. Their expression conveys a calm and docile nature, which is a hallmark of the breed. A List of the Ideal Characteristics & FaultsIdeal Characteristics
Faults:
Disqualifies from Registration:
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