Sudanese Sheep/Breeds & types

Sudanese Sheep/Breeds & types

Sheep of the Sudan can be classified into eight ecotypes: Sudan Desert ,Sudan Nilotic, Arid upland , Arid equatorial ,West African Fulani , Sudan Desert x Sudan Nilotic, Sudan Nilotic x Arid equatorial and Sudan Desert x Arid upland. The combined assemblage of ecotype Sudan desert sheep and its fusions comprises 80% of all sheep in the Sudan. Desert sheep are generally deep bodied , hairy , big, heavy boned , coarse , long legged with very convex face , long pendulous ears and long tapering tail .Within ecotype Sudan Desert sheep several tribal types exist : Al Hamari ,Kababish , Meidob, Beja , Butana , North Riverine wooled sheep , Geziera and Watish.

The northern Riverine wooled sheep are comparatively smaller than other tribal breeds .Butana sheep are more refined and most prominent colors are fawn (Ashgar) and spotted black and white (Abrag).Geziera tribal breed is not basically distinguished from Butana but spotted black and white (Abrag) color predominates.

The habitats of Sudan desert sheep tribal types (TT) are as follows:

Meidob TT is localized in the hills of that name which are located in northern eastern Darfur.

Beja TT is found along Red Sea hills.

Kababish TT does not only belong to the Kababish tribe but is found throughout the area between the Nile and uplands of Darfur and roughly north of Kosti Nyala Railway.

North Riverine wooled sheep are common on banks of the Nile from Abu Hammad to Wadi Halfa via Dongla.

Butana or Shukriya TT is found in Butana plain and displays variable colors that match colors seen in neighboring Geziera sheep.

Geziera sheep are found in the Geziera area and are very similar to Butana sheep. Geziera sheep refer to all kinds of sheep that roam the Geziera area .Several local names are given to these sheep that have bearing to coat color (Abrag ) or the tribe that breed them (Dubassi & Masalami). Al-Garj is the name given to a mediocre type of sheep in the Geziera and other parts of the country.

Al Zawari , Al Dalol and Al Hamari are variants of Sudan desert sheep. Baladi (local ) sheep type are predominant along the banks of the River Nile north of Khartoum but are also found in some parts of northern Kordofan state.

Watish type inhibits fairly moist climate on clay soil in the sector south of Khartoum between the White and the Blue Niles as well as along the lower reaches of the Dinder River. Most flocks tend to be either fawn , red and white with right side spotting.

Nilotic sheep are small animals with short tail , short coat and coarse erect ears. Almost any coat color except jet black can be observed but generally white or white with splashes prevails.

Nilotic sheep belong to Shilluk, Nuer, Dinka and related tribes of Nile-Hamitic origin who inhibit the flood plains of the Nile rivers systems in Southern Sudan. Ecotype Arid Equitoria sheep (fat-rump) are owned by Taposa tribe in the semi-arid region in southeastern Equitoria. The sheep of the fusion Sudan Desert X Nilotic are widely distributed over the transition zone between northern and southern Sudan .Fusions of Sudan Desert x Arid Upland and Sudan Nilotic x Arid equatorial are found in northern Darfur and southwestern Equitoria , respectively.

The ecotype Arid Upland sheep are owned by Zaghawa tribe of Darfur.