The Horror That is The Karakul Sheep Industry
by When most people think of sheep, they think of wool, and its use for making sweaters and rugs. Some might even think of sheep skin rugs. Few people have heard of the use of newborn lamb skins or skins from aborted fetuses. This is the Karakul sheep industry’s hidden horror.
*Authors Note: I have been in the sheep industry for a few years. I took a College course on sheep production, and while I do not own this breed of sheep, I have seen them at auction and have heard this information from reliable sources. What is learned cannot be unlearned.*
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:File-Sur_karakul_broadtail_coat_2.JPG A Broadtail coat, dyed.
Karakul sheep are an all purpose breed, often used for milk, meat, as well as wool. However it is the new lambs, and unborn ones, that are most prized. Karakul lambs are born solid black.
These lambs are promptly killed and skinned. Ewe lambs may be kept for future breeding, but 60% to 80% of ram lambs are slaughtered. In fact to be of any value these lambs must be slaughtered before they are three days old. After that their hair changes, it fades and loses its tight curls, and is of low value. Most are slaughtered the day of their birth. These pelts are also known as Astrakhan, or Persian Lamb.
Many people think of the sadness of the lamb killed so soon after birth. Indeed the ewe (mother sheep) suffers immensely as well. Full of milk she now many have only one lamb to drink it, or none at all. This will cause health problems, pain, and discomfort, for her. Additionally the ewe will spend the next few days confused and calling for the missing lamb, or lambs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:102_0198_Karakul3.jpg
But it gets worse.
Broadtail, Breitschwanz, and Karakulcha, are all terms given for “Fetal” lamb skins and pelts. In other words these are aborted lambs. Sheep, unless sick, generally do not abort lambs in the third trimester. As such these “abortions” are induced or the ewes slaughtered before giving birth. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) investigated and filmed the slaughter of these ewes and the harvesting of the lambs and published their findings as “Mary Wore a Little Lamb“.
Younger ewes may be kicked to force them to abort their lambs early. Older ewes are slaughtered while pregnant so that their lambs can be harvested sooner, and while more valuable. In many parts of the world this is frowned on but is still very common in Uzbekistan.
It takes about 30 pelts to make a coat. According to the Taipei Times article on Fashion, Lisa Marie Presley and Ivana Trump have flaunted their Karakul coats, while Madonna had one until she was scolded by designer Stella McCartney.
The heart of the Karakul industry is in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan, but these sheep are kept world wide.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Broadtail_fur_skin.jpg Broadtail skins.
Other Sheep Links
The Weirdest and Most Unusual Sheep you have Ever Seen
How to Care for Bottle Baby Lambs
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Post Commentmartie
On March 21, 2010 at 2:14 pm
How horrible. I can understand why someone who uses the meat of animal for food might also use the hide for whatever purpose they desire, but I can’t understand why anyone would kill an animal just for “glamour.” And you are so right, when we use to have our mini farm we had a sheep that had a lamb that was still born she mourned her baby for three or four days constantly calling for it. It made me cry.
Sourav
On March 21, 2010 at 2:18 pm
This is very bad and inhuman. Killing animal for fun and style is just unpardonable.
Jenny Heart
On March 21, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Shocking indeed! Some people just have no conscious. This indeed is sad.
deep blue
On March 21, 2010 at 8:07 pm
A very dreadful eye opener, Brenda. Thanks for sharing.
standingproud
On March 21, 2010 at 9:30 pm
This is So so awful Brenda.
I have spent time with sheep, they love their babies, both crying for each other when parted.
She sheep ewe will more that likely fret for her lose when abortion is undertaken.
So sickening this act of cruelty all for the sake of fashion…spew yucky
Alive11
On March 21, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Very Impressive write
Inna Tysoe
On March 22, 2010 at 2:36 am
Thank you for bringing yet another terrible story to light.
Inna
Belinda Dobie
On March 22, 2010 at 11:35 am
That’s just horrid.
Great article though.
PR Mace
On March 22, 2010 at 1:15 pm
How horrible, it’s tears at my heart to think about how these babies and their mothers suffer. It causes me to wonder how someone could do this. My only answer is greed and greed is powerful.
Ruby Hawk
On March 22, 2010 at 6:58 pm
it’s a bad practice, but it is what farm animals are bred for, to make the farmer a living. For myself , I’m vegetarian and I don’t wear animal fur or skins. If it were up to me animals wouldn’t be bred to be slaughtered.
Karen Gross
On March 22, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Very heartless farming practices. In these days when there are so many synthetic fabrics, I see no reason to keep using animals for their skins.
Daisy Peasblossom
On March 22, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Yuck! And likewise ew! That ranks right up there with pate de fois gra.
ronthoughts
On March 22, 2010 at 11:02 pm
This is the highest miserable condition for both the ewe and her siblings i can imagine and i never knew there was “abortion” in animals like this.
Now this becomes a well justification about ‘abortion’ in animals because humans trying to legalized excusable-abortion.
A great eye opener!
Thumbs Up!
drelayaraja
On March 26, 2010 at 12:20 pm
So sad… Great thoughtful post …
thestickman
On March 29, 2010 at 4:57 pm
yeah okay, -eww!
CA Johnson
On March 30, 2010 at 7:06 pm
That is horrible how badly these animals are treated. Thank you for making us more aware of how badly they are be getting treated.