Nellore is a tall, long-legged hair sheep from Andhra Pradesh, kept for meat. ICAR-NBAGR registers it as a breed of Andhra Pradesh (ICAR-NBAGR), and it comes in three colour types: Palla, Jodipi and Brown (SVVU).
How to recognise it
- Tall and leggy, with little hair except on the chest, the withers and the hindquarters (ICAR-NBAGR, TNAU), so there is no wool to shear.
- Ears: long (about 15 cm) and drooping (ICAR-NBAGR).
- Wattles: about 86% of the sheep carry wattles on the neck (ICAR-NBAGR).
- Horns: only the rams have horns (ICAR-NBAGR, TNAU).
- Weight: rams weigh about 36–37 kg and ewes about 28–30 kg (ICAR-NBAGR, TNAU); lambs are about 2.7 kg at birth (ICAR-NBAGR).
The three colour types:
| Type | Colour | Mostly found today in |
|---|---|---|
| Palla | All white, or white with light brown spots on the head, neck, back and legs | The Atmakur area of Nellore district |
| Jodipi | White, with black around the lips, eyes and lower jaw, and often on the ears, belly and legs | The undivided Chittoor and Nellore districts |
| Brown (Dora) | All brown | YSR Kadapa, Kurnool and parts of Anantapur |
Colours: ICAR-NBAGR, SVVU study, FAO. Places: SVVU study.
What it is good for
- Meat. NBAGR lists meat as its use (ICAR-NBAGR), and SVVU scientists call it one of the popular mutton breeds (SVVU).
- One lamb at a time: NBAGR records 1 lamb per lambing (ICAR-NBAGR).
- A late first lamb in village flocks: about 28 months to the first lamb and about 14 months between lambings in NBAGR's record (ICAR-NBAGR). At SVVU's Palamaner station, ewes are first mated after 15 months of age, once they weigh 25 kg (SVVU).
- A very common breed: the 2013 breed survey estimated about 69 lakh Nellore sheep (ICAR-NBAGR).
Where it is mainly found
NBAGR's breed record places the home tract in the Nellore and Ongole (Prakasam) districts of Andhra Pradesh (ICAR-NBAGR); TNAU also names Nellore, Prakasam and Ongole (TNAU). After recent district changes, that area lies in today's Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore, Prakasam and Markapuram districts. Some flocks stay in one place, while others move with the grazing (ICAR-NBAGR). The colour types have spread wider, as the table above shows (SVVU study).
Looking for Nellore sheep?
Search “Nellore” in the Kattutharai app to find Nellore sheep for sale near you (on Kattutharai, sheep are in the goat section). The seller names the breed and Kattutharai does not check it, so look at the animal yourself before you pay.
Rearing tips
- Grazing. Nellore flocks live on grazing, and many move from place to place for it (ICAR-NBAGR). Plan your grazing and dry-season fodder: see Goat feeding: fodder, concentrate mix and water.
- Breed by weight. Mate ewes by weight as well as age: SVVU's Palamaner station, which feeds its flock semi-intensively, first mates ewes after 15 months and 25 kg (SVVU). For the same rule in goats, see age and weight at first breeding.
- Night shelter: see Goat shed and housing: space, floor and roof.
- Rams: exchange rams only within the same breed and type. SVVU researchers advise this to stop unplanned mixing of breeds (SVVU study); see also avoid inbreeding.
- Health: sheep need the same daily checks, vaccinations and deworming as goats. Follow Goat health: vaccination schedule and deworming, and ask your vet which vaccines sheep need in your area.
Buying tips
- Check the breed signs: a tall sheep with long drooping ears and short hair, often with wattles, ewes without horns, and a coat that matches one of the three colour types (ICAR-NBAGR).
- Mixed flocks are common. An SVVU genetic study found mixed ancestry in every sheep population it studied in the region (SVVU study). Ask to see the flock: sheep of one type and a similar build are a good sign.
- The breed name in an ad is the seller's word. Kattutharai does not check it, so see the sheep yourself before you pay.
- Age and health: count the large front teeth as you would for goats (the teeth table), treating the ages as a rough guide, and follow How to buy goats safely: health, age and fraud checks.
Frequently asked questions
What are Jodipi, Palla and Brown Nellore?
They are colour types of the same breed: Palla is white, Jodipi is white with black marks, and Brown (also called Dora) is all brown (SVVU study, FAO).
How heavy does a Nellore sheep get?
Rams weigh about 36–37 kg and ewes about 28–30 kg.
Do Nellore sheep give wool?
No. They carry little hair and are kept for meat.
Is Nellore good for a beginner?
Yes, if you have grazing. It is widely kept, so stock is easy to find, but a ewe has one lamb at a time, and in village flocks the first lamb often comes only at about 28 months.
Next
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