Gannan Sheep

Gannan Sheep

Gannan Sheep is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Xiahe Gannan Sheep is a specialty of Gannan Township, Xiahe County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. Gannan Sheep are an important component of grassland animal husbandry in high-altitude pastoral areas and a valuable resource for producing high-quality carpet wool under specific natural conditions. Adult rams and ewes have an average wool lock length of 26.73–27.97 cm, with a clean wool rate of 69.25–69.81%. Their wool has normal yolk and good luster, making it an important raw material for the carpet industry. The meat is tender, flavorful, and highly nutritious, and was listed as a designated green product for the 2008 Olympic Games.

　　Gannan Sheep are an excellent local type within the Tibetan sheep breed in our province. They originate from Xiahe County, centered around Gannan Township. Gannan Sheep are known for producing high-quality carpet wool and were developed through long-term selective breeding under conditions of year-round grazing at altitudes of 2,800–4,000 meters in high mountain grasslands without supplemental feeding.

　　Gannan Sheep are robust in constitution, with a well-proportioned structure, a relatively small and compact build, and predominantly white fleece. Adult rams and ewes have average wool lengths of 27.97 cm and 26.73 cm, respectively, with wool locks featuring large wavy curls and a light pink skin tone. Their heads are medium-sized, slightly short, and triangular, with a slightly wide and flat forehead; the head is dry, covered with yellowish-brown bristly hair. The face is refined, with a raised nasal bridge and eyes that are slightly protruding outward. The ears are large and hang downward to the sides. Approximately 98.6% of rams have horns, which are long, thick, spiral-shaped, flat in body, and twist outward to both sides; about 97% of ewes have horns, which are relatively thin, short, spiral-shaped, and slant upward and outward in a conical spiral form. The neck is wide, deep, relatively slender and long, with most being covered in yellowish-brown bristly hair; the neck has few wrinkles and little dewlap. The chest is broad and deep, the body is rectangular in shape, the ribs are arched, the back is straight and flat, the cross-section is high, the rump is sloped and short, and the hip is slightly full. The limbs are straight, relatively thick and long, with bristly hair mostly in yellowish-brown. The hooves are hard and mostly black. The short, lean tail is flat and conical, covered mainly in white bristly hair and lying close to the rump. The average tail width and length for rams are 4.63 cm and 14.9 cm, respectively, while for ewes they are 4.59 cm and 12.56 cm. The skeleton is well-proportioned and sturdy, with moderately developed muscles.

　　Gannan Sheep are primarily raised for their wool. The fleece is open-textured, with wool locks averaging 27.1 cm in length, featuring wavy curls, good luster, normal yolk, and a high clean wool rate. Due to the high craft value of their wool, it is excellent for carpet production. Wool is sheared once a year in July. Some of the wool is used by herders for felt-making, mattress padding, and quilt filling.

　　Xiahe Gannan Sheep are an important component of grassland animal husbandry in high-altitude pastoral areas and a valuable resource for producing high-quality carpet wool under specific natural conditions. Adult rams and ewes have an average wool lock length of 26.73–27.97 cm, with a clean wool rate of 69.25–69.81%. Their wool has normal yolk and good luster, making it an important raw material for the carpet industry. The meat is tender, flavorful, and highly nutritious, and was listed as a designated green product for the 2008 Olympic Games.

　　To better develop and utilize this superior breed, efforts must focus on strengthening grassland development, resolving the imbalance between forage and livestock, introducing integrated supporting technologies, and rapidly improving feeding and management conditions to enhance the genetic production level of Gannan Sheep. While maintaining their strong adaptability, selection breeding should be carried out based on the existing 225,400 sheep in the central production area of Gannan Township, Xiahe County. The aim is to increase wool yield and the proportion of medullated and non-medullated fibers in the fleece, reduce or eliminate dead wool, and while increasing the production of high-quality carpet wool, also improve meat production performance, continuously enhancing all economic indicators.

　　Gannan Sheep is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　The geographical scope includes Labrang Town, Wanggeertang Town, Amuquhu Town, Sangke Township, Gannan Township, Damai Township, Madang Township, Qu’ao Township, Tangga’ang Township, Zhayou Township, Boluo Township, Jicang Township, Yaliji Office, and Ke’ai Township in Xiahe County.