Rya (sheep)

Rya (sheep)

Rya, also known as Ryafår or Swedish Carpet Wool Sheep, is a breed of sheep that is native to Sweden. The breed originated from the Swedish and Norwegian landrace breedscite web | author=Eva-Marie Stålhammar, Zofia Kurowska | title=Sheep Breeding in Sweden |url=http://www.nordgen.org/ngh/download/nghnytt2_2005sverige_eng.doc |accessdate=2007-12-17 ] . The purpose of the sheep was to use the long, wavy, and shiny wool to produce rya-wool, which is often used to make carpets cite web | author=North SheD | title=Rya sheep |url=http://www.rala.is/beta/07%20Swedish%20Rya%20sheep.htm |accessdate=2007-12-17 ] . In the early twentieth century, few long wool sheep remained in the province of Dalarna, sparking the restoration of the rya sheep breed. As of the year 2000, there is a stable population of about 2000 rya sheep. They can be found in northern and central Sweden [cite web | author=Oklahoma State University Board of Regents | title=Rya |url=http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/rya/index.htm |accessdate=2007-12-17 ] . They are usually kept in small flocks cite web | author=Eva-Marie Stålhammar, Zofia Kurowska | title=Sheep Breeding in Sweden |url=http://www.nordgen.org/ngh/download/nghnytt2_2005sverige_eng.doc |accessdate=2007-12-17 ] .

The rya sheep is a medium-sized sheep with relatively short legs, and has strong and shiny long wool fibers. Wool fibers of at least 15 cm in length with a maximum crimp of 3 crimps per 5 cm is the breeding goal cite web | author=Eva-Marie Stålhammar, Zofia Kurowska | title=Sheep Breeding in Sweden |url=http://www.nordgen.org/ngh/download/nghnytt2_2005sverige_eng.doc |accessdate=2007-12-17 ] . The sheep are white, but there are some black and brown individuals cite web | author=North SheD | title=Rya sheep |url=http://www.rala.is/beta/07%20Swedish%20Rya%20sheep.htm |accessdate=2007-12-17 ] . The adult wither height is 75 cm for rams and 70 cm for ewes. The live weight is 70 kg for rams and 50 kg for ewes.

The rya sheep is also known to be highly fertile. The mean litter size is 2.1 lambs at birth cite web | author=North SheD | title=Rya sheep |url=http://www.rala.is/beta/07%20Swedish%20Rya%20sheep.htm |accessdate=2007-12-17 ] .

The sheep is also characterized by lambing ease and by their ability to forage in rough terrain cite web | author=Eva-Marie Stålhammar, Zofia Kurowska | title=Sheep Breeding in Sweden |url=http://www.nordgen.org/ngh/download/nghnytt2_2005sverige_eng.doc |accessdate=2007-12-17 ] .

ee also

*Domestic sheep
*List of sheep breeds
*Rya

References

External links

* [http://www.tiho-hannover.de/einricht/zucht/eaap/descript/612.htm Breed description: Rya Sheep]


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