Animal Breed Sheep Breed

Deccani Sheep: Characteristics, Distribution, and Conservation Status

ByRakesh Kumar 06/06/202505/03/2025Updated On 05/03/202506/06/2025

Deccani Sheep: Characteristics

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Deccani Sheep Information

Conservation Status	Not specified (Large population)
Scientific Classification	Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Genus: Ovis Species: Ovis aries
Breed Type	Meat and Wool (Dual-purpose)
Alternate Names	Deshi
Origin	Deccan Plateau (Southern India)
Breeding Tract	Primary States: Maharashtra (Nashik, Ahmadnagar, Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Beed) Other Regions: Karnataka (Belgaum), Andhra Pradesh
Geographical Range	Longitude: 72° to 78° E Latitude: 16° to 20° N Soil Type: Light to deep black cotton soils
Main Uses	Meat, Wool (Coarse/Carpet fiber)
Physical Traits	Color: Predominantly black or black with white markings; white and brown/fawn variants exist Horns: Polled (no horns) Head: Narrow face with Roman nose, convex profile Ears: Medium-sized (16–17 cm), flat, pendulous Wool: Extremely coarse, hairy, and open; head/face bare, legs covered up to shoulder/fetlock
Morphology (Avg.)	Height: 67.44 cm (Male), 63.79 cm (Female) Body Length: 67.61 cm (Male), 65.59 cm (Female) Heart Girth: 73.39 cm (Male), 73.08 cm (Female) Weight: 38.48 kg (Male), 31.26 kg (Female) Birth Weight: 2.75 kg (Overall)
Performance	Age at First Parturition: 15.67 months Parturition Interval: 9.48 months Litter Size: 1.04 (usually 1–2 lambs) Milk Fat: 4.2–7.4% (minimal milk yield) Fleece Weight: 0.74 kg/year Staple Length: 4.16–4.36 cm Fiber Diameter: 52.47–56.37 µ Dressing Percentage: 51.5% (meat yield)
Management	System: Extensive (grazing-based) Mobility: Stationary & transhumant (seasonal migration) Feeding: Grazing on grasslands (monsoon) & fallow land (dry season); occasional fodder supplementation Housing: Night-only shelter
Population	2001: 149,958 (BAIF Network Project) 2013: 3,723,406 (Govt. of India Survey)
The Rajasthan Express: Deccani Sheep Breed Details

Deccani sheep breed Deccani sheep characteristics Deccani sheep wool Deccani sheep distribution Deccani sheep conservation Deccani sheep meat production Gongadi wool blankets Deccani sheep population decline Deccani sheep habitat Deccani sheep breeding tract

Discover the Deccani sheep breed—native to the Deccan Plateau in India. Learn about its physical traits, habitat, wool quality, and current conservation challenges.
THE RAJASTHAN EXPRESS

Rakesh Kumar

I am Rakesh Kumar, hailing from Rajasthan, and I proudly serve as a Private Veterinary Livestock Inspecter . With years of experience in the field, I am passionate about promoting the health and welfare of animals. As the administrator of The Rajasthan Express website, I am committed to delivering accurate and valuable insights into veterinary science and animal care.