Niya sheep [Xinjiang Minfeng specialty]

What is Niya sheep? Authentic Xinjiang Minfeng Specialty: Niya Sheep

Summary:Do you want to know what Niya Sheep is? This article is a detailed introduction to the Xinjiang Minfeng specialty - Niya sheep. It was compiled and edited by the editorial team of China Specialty Network, who reviewed and collected relevant information about Niya sheep. The full text takes about 8 minutes to read, mainly including the basic introduction of Niya sheep and the product characteristics of Niya sheep? Wait

Basic introduction of Niya sheep

The general principle of Niya sheep production is to follow the standards of pollution-free agricultural products, implement specialized production, specialized supervision, industrialization mode, socialized services, and produce 240000 sheep annually. The head is delicate, the nose bridge is raised, the neck is slender, and the ears are large and drooping. Most rams have spiral horns, while most ewes have no horns, narrow chest, and insufficient rib opening. Slender limbs, upright posture, and sturdy hooves. The fur is glossy and has a distinct braid structure. The braids are slender and have obvious wavy bends, overlapping and layered, and hanging in a skirt shape on the side of the body, reaching below the abdominal line. The head and limbs have short prickly hairs, and the abdominal hair is poor. Resistant to drought, heat, and low nutrient levels, it has strong adaptability to the ecological environment and low nutrient feeding conditions of desert and semi desert grasslands

The production area of Niya sheep is Minfeng County, which is composed of three types of landforms: mountainous areas, alluvial plains, and deserts. The terrain is high in the south and low in the north, with the Kunlun Mountains in the south reaching an altitude of over 1450 meters and the highest point reaching an altitude of 6368 meters; The central region has a flat terrain, consisting of deserts and alluvial plains, with elevations ranging from 1350 to 1450 meters; The northern region is a desert area with an altitude below 1350 meters, and the lowest point is 1125 meters above sea level. Five seasonal rivers, including Niya River, Qiqihan River, Yeyike River, Yatonggusi River, and Andir River, run through the territory. Minfeng County has a dry and hot climate, belonging to the warm temperate continental arid climate. It is dry and rainless all year round, with high evaporation and land desertification, forming a unique natural ecological environment that integrates deserts, oases, grasslands, and mountains. The soil has a high salt alkali content. There are currently 7347987 acres of available natural grassland, which can be divided into 10 categories according to grassland types: dry desert grassland, mountain desert grassland, alpine desert grassland, grassland desertification desert grassland, desert grassland grassland, mountain grassland grassland, alpine grassland grassland, lowland grassland grassland, alpine grassland grassland, alpine cushion vegetation grassland, etc. The vegetation mainly includes Achnatherus splendens, Ephedra sinica, Cerambycladus ostreatus, Zostera pigmentosa, Xinjiang Jinjier, Kunlun Artemisia annua, Tripterygium wilfordii, Scutellaria baicalensis, Stipa purpurea, Artemisia scoparia, Suaeda salsa, Iris artemisia, Artemisia scoparia, Artemisia scoparia, Phragmites australis, Glycyrrhiza inflata and other salt alkali tolerant plants. Niya sheep have long survived in this harsh environment and developed naturally through years of survival of the fittest. The trend has formed a unique and distinctive local variety, which affects the desert The ecological environment and low nutrient feeding conditions of semi desert grasslands have strong adaptability

1. Appearance features: Clear head, raised nose bridge, slender neck, large drooping ears, most rams have spiral horns, most ewes have no horns, narrow chest, and insufficient rib opening. Slender limbs, upright posture, and sturdy hooves. Short fat tail, with an "S" tail shape. The fur color is white all over the body or white all over the body, and the head (not exceeding the earlobes) and limbs (not exceeding the wrist joints and flyjoints) are variegated. The fur is glossy and has a distinct braid structure. The braids are slender and have obvious wavy bends, overlapping and layered, and hanging in a skirt shape on the side of the body, reaching below the abdominal line. The head and limbs have short prickly hairs, and the abdominal hair is poor<2. Living habits: tolerant to drought, heat, and low nutrient levels, with strong adaptability to the ecological environment and low nutrient feeding conditions of desert and semi desert grasslands

3. Meat production performance: In autumn in mountainous areas, the average pre slaughter weight is 39.25 kilograms, carcass weight is 16.49 kilograms, visceral fat weight is 1.03 kilograms, and the average slaughter rate is 42%; The average pre slaughter weight and carcass weight of Caohu District in autumn are 33.25 kilograms and 12.24 kilograms, respectively, with an average slaughter rate of 36.8%

4. Reproductive performance: mainly through natural mating. Male and female sheep are mixed together, with one male sheep paired with 35-38 female sheep. Ewes are in estrus all year round, but the peak season for estrus is from April to May and November. The estrus cycle is between 16-19 days, with an average of 17.45 days. The duration of estrus is generally 1-2 days, with an average of 1.86 days

5. External sensory characteristics: muscles appear red and shiny, while fat appears white or pale yellow; Muscle fibers are dense, resilient, and elastic; The appearance is slightly dry or has air dried film, and the cut surface is warm and non stick to the hands; After boiling, the meat broth becomes clear and transparent, with fat accumulating on the surface and possessing the inherent aroma of lamb

6. Internal quality indicators: The meat quality of Niya lamb is particularly outstanding. The content of sheep fat compounds in lamb is low, making it odorless and highly praised by the public. Niya lamb has the characteristics of low fat, high protein, and low cholesterol, with protein content ranging from 17% to 23%, free fat content ranging from 4% to 6.5%, total ash content ranging from 0.8% to 1.3%, and moisture content ranging from 68% to 76%