Sheep Breeds

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Breeds of Sheep

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Acipayam

Acipayam sheep are a multi-purpose breed (wool. Milk, andrnmeat) that originated in Turkey that was developed by crossing Awassi andrnDaglic sheep. Acipayam rams averagern65 kg (140 lb) and ewes 60 kg (130 lb) at maturity. Bothrnhave white, coarse wool.

Adal

Adal are raised for meat and are from Ethopia. They are mainlyrnfound in the region surrounding Dancalia in northeastern Ethiopia. They are a hairrnsheep breed.  Adal sheep are smaller sized and unicolored from white torndark brown. Occasionally they are also pied or dark brown. They generally havernshort ears, and often earless. Both rams and ewes are generally polled (withoutrnhorns).  Their average birth weight is around 2.54 kg, and aroundrn2.26 kg for the ewes. The average live body weight of the mature ewes is aroundrn24 kg. And average live body weight of the mature rams is around 35 kg.   They are hardy and strong sheep. They arernespecially well adapted to arid and dry climate ...

Afghan Arabi

Afghan Arabi sheep are fat-rumpled sheep found in northe Afghanistan used for meat and milk production. They generally are polled andrnhave long pendulous ears. Typically, they are grey or black with white on their face and thernaverage height of mature ewes is 48 cm (19 in).

Africana

Africana sheep (also known asrnPelona, Camura, Red African, Rojo Africana, Colombian Wooless, or West Africanrnsheep) are found in Colombia and Venezuela. They are very similar to Pelibueyrnsheep in size and confirmation. They are usually brown, ranging in shade fromrntan to brown and cherry-red to dark red. They are is raised for meat and classifiedrnas a hair breed.

Afrino

Afrino are a fine wool dual-purpose sheep. During the late 1960''s, a requestrnwas made to the Department of Agriculture by the wool industry, via the South frican Agricultural Union, to develop a white-wooled breed for extensive sheeprngrazing areas. In 1976, it was evident that the crossing of 25 percent Merino 25 percent Ronderib Afrikaner, and 50 percent South African Mutton Merino best fulfilledrnthe requirements set for the new breed. It was decided to retain onlyrnthis cross for further upgrading and development of the breed known today asrnthe Afrino. Eighty percent of the income from Afrino sheep is generated throughrnmeat production and 20 percent through wool production. The Afrino prod ...

Alai

Alai sheeprnare a dual-purpose breed raised for its meat and wool from Kyrgyzstan. They are white with occasional spots on their legs andrnheads. Their wool is semi-coarse and often used in carpet. Rams may be either horned or polled;rnhowever, they ewes are all polled. Alai sheep are a fat-rump breed and arernspecifically adapted to living conditions of the Alay Valley region (above 3 km 1.9 mi) above sea level).

Alcarrena

Alcarrena sheep are medium-wooledrnmeat found in the La Alcarria, Guadalajara, and the Cuenca regions of NewrnCastille, Spain. They are of the Entrefino type. Sometimesrnthey have light-brown markings on the head and legs, and occasionally they are allrnblack. Both sexes are polled.

Algarve Churro

Algarve Churro sheep are fromrnPortugal and used for meat. They are white with black spotsrnon the feet and head. However, about 10% of them are completely black. Mature rams grow on average to 95rncm (37 in) at the withers and weigh 75 kg (170 lb). However, ewes grow to 85 cm 33 in) at the withers and weigh 55 kg (120 lb) at maturity.

Algerian Arab

Algerian Arab sheep (alsornknown as Ouled Jellal or Western Thin-tailed sheep) are found throughout lgeria. They are adapted to arid climates and it is believed that they evolved from the Tadmitrnsheep in Algeria. They produce carpet-grade wool but they are primarily raisedrnfor meat. They are white and have longrnlegs. The males are horned and the females are polled.

Alpagota

Alpagota, orrnPagota, sheep are from Italy (Lamon, Vicentina and Istriana; Belluno andrnVenezia Provinces). They are well suited to the local hills and mountains. Content andrnPhoto source: Agraria.org.

Alpines Steinschaf

Alpines Steinschaf are mountain sheeprnfrom the Eastern Alps of Austria and southern Germany. They are used for woolrnand meat and for keeping the grass down. Alpines Steinschaf sheep are fine-bonedrnand small to medium sized. Rams weigh 55 to 80 kg (121 to 176 lb), and ewes 40rnto 60 kg (88 to 132 lb). They are found in all coat colorsrnand sometimes their face and ears are marked with black. Their face and lowerrnlegs are without wool and their legs are thin but strong, and their hooves arernhard. Rams are often horned, but ewes usually are polled. Their ears arerncarried horizontally or slightly drooping. They are one of four breeds in thernSteinschaf group (the other three are Krainer Steinschaf, Mo ...

Altamurana

Altamurana sheeprnare a medium-sized Milk sheep from the Bari and Foggia Provinces, in the ApuliarnRegion of southern Italy. Altamurana sheeprnare white with occasionally dark spots on their faces. They are well adapted tornlive on arid soils. Altamurana sheep come down from the ovines of Asian race orrnSyrian of the Sanson and just from the stock of Zackei. Content and photornsource: Agraria.org.

Altay

Altay sheep are from the dry, cold mountain basins of China.rn They are fat-rumped and are sometimes raised for carpet wool they average 2.5 to 3.5 pounds, 1.3 - 1.5 kg, of wool per shearing), but more oftenrnthey are raised for meat. Over time Altay sheep gradually developedrna fat tail (or rump) as a consistent characteristic. The tail (or rump) weighsrnabout 15 pounds (7 kg). The rams average 180 pounds (82 kg) and the ewes 150rnpounds (69 kg) at maturity.

American Blackbelly

American Blackbelly (also known as Corsican) sheep are arncomposite breed resulting from the crossing of Barbados Blackbelly with Mouflonrnand Rambouillet breeds. As the name implies, the underbelly of the American lackbelly is black, as is the inside of the legs, the back part of the thighs and the hair inside the ears. Two black facial barbs extend down the muzzlernmedial to the eye, giving the breed an exotic appearance. Through selective breeding, the merican Blackbelly has retained the coloration of its Barbados Blackbellyrnparent stock, but can be easily distinguished by the presence of horns on thernrams. It is harder to identify which breed a ewe represents because American lackbelly females may be polled, scurred, or horned, ...

Ancon

Ancon sheep have long bodies with shortrnlegs. Their fore-legs are crooked. This type of sheep was bred from a singlernMassachusetts, USA, lamb. The Ancon sheep are quite desirable because theyrncannot jump over fences. The Ancon name has been applied to other strains ofrnsheep. Scientists used the Ancon for genetic research and after it was nornlonger needed for study it was allowed to become extinct. Excavations of the ncon have been done in the United Kingdom. They have found that the Ancon hasrna history that dates back to AD 1500. The Ancon sheep have quite a few uniquernfeatures that were caused by dwarf mutation. They were well-known in the staternof Massachusetts in the 1700s. Sheep owners preferred this species as it madernthin ...

Apennine

Apennine sheep also known as Appenninica, Bariscianese, Chietina Varzese, or Perugina delrnpiano) are white sheep that were found in the 1970''s in central Italy, mainlyrnin Toscana, Emilia, Umbria, arche, Abruzzi regions of Italy. They wererndeveloped by crossbreeding the local breed with other Italian or exotic breedsrnsuch as: Bergamasca and Ile-de-France. There are an estimated 250,000 heads spread out over central and southern Italy. They are whiternwith medium-wool that are raised mainly for meat. They are polled and have semi-lopped ears. Contentrnand photo source: Agraria.org.

Arabi

Arabi, also known as Afghan Arabi, Sheep are fat-rumpedrnsheep from Northern Afghanistan. They typically have long pendulous ears; theyrnalso generally have black or white faces. The Arabi rams have horns and thernewes are polled (hornless). They are raised for meat and wool production. Most likely Arabi sheep are descended from very ancientrnimportations from Arabia across the narrow Bal-el-Mandeb Straits at the mouthrnof the Red Sea. They have adapted to extreme temperatures and conditions.rnWithin the foothills of Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, summer temperatures risernto 41 °C (110 °F) and winter temperatures down to -26 °C (-15 °F) with lessrnthan 400 mm (16 in) rain.

Aragonesa

Aragonesa are a dual-purpose medium wool sheep raised mainly for its meat. They are the secondrnmost important Spanish breed after the Merino. Spanish sheep breeds of mediumrnquality wool are considered to have originated from the crossbreeding ofrnfine-wool strains (Merino) and those with coarse wool (Churra and Lacha) though this viewpoint is overly simplistic. Aragonesa sheep are known for ruggedness, gregariousrninstinct, pasturing ability, and adaptability to the harsh environment in whichrnit is raised.

Arapawa Island

Historical records suggest that sheep havernbeen known on Arapawa Island, NZ, in the Marlborough Sounds for at least 130rnyears. Most likely the Arapawa feral sheep arernescapees of a flock of Merino Sheep. To those unused to their distinctivernappearance, Arapawa sheep may at first acquaintance seem ungainly or even ugly with their somewhat hunched appearance and often ragged fleece. Certainly theyrnbear little resemblance to their more immediate Merino ancestors and even lessrnto the Merinos familiar to us all today. Arapawas are not large sheep, being ratherrnlean and light-boned. The clear narrow face and head, with alert bright eyes is set on a long neck and topped with slender ears. Rams may have ...

Argentine Merino

Argentine Merino are dual-purpose (fine wool and meat) sheeprnfrom Argentina. They were developed from Criollo sheep crossed with Spanish andrnSaxony Merinos and later Rambouillets.

Arkhar-Merino

Arkhar-Merino sheep wererndeveloped at the Kurmektinski research station between 1934 to 1949 inrnKazakhstan. They were produced by crossbreeding wild Arkhar rams and Precocernmerino ewes. In 1994 Arkhar-Merino sheep wererntransferred to Arasbaran research station which is attached to the ResearchrnCenter for Natural Resources and Domestic Animals of East Azerbaijan. Arkhar-Merino sheep have a firmrnand expanded skeleton. They are bulky with long legs and a broad chest. Theirrnaverage staple length is 6.24 to 8.08 cm. The average fiber diameter is 22.99rnin ewes and 23.51 in ram. Their greasy fleece weight is about 4.19 kg.

Arles Merino

Arles Merino is one of world''srn20 merino sheep breeds. They were developed in the South of France, by using localrnmerino, Spanish merino (Est a Laine Merinos) and Australian Booroola sheep. Thernsheep were first selected by the greatest amount of wool and fine wool. However currently the primary breeding goal is milk production of ewes and the rapidrngrowth of lambs. In addition, those specimens are preferred for breeding whornmake the breed less dependent on the season, which means that the goal is tornensure good fertility all year round. They have a muscular rump andrnfine wool. Their wool is white with a fiber diameter of approximately 20 microns (minrn17 microns, max 26 microns) and a length of 60 to 70mm. Wool from the ewe ...

Armenian Semicoarsewool

Armenian Semicoarsewool are dual-purpose sheeprnmainly found in Armenia. They are a medium-wool fat tail breed. They are raisedrnas a dual-purpose animal, and are currently raised for milk and meatrnproduction. They were developed by crossing Rambouillet and Lincoln with Balbasrnsheep. They are medium to large sized and are mainlyrnwhite with a white face. Both rams and ewes are generally polled. The maturernewe’s average body height is around 26 inches at the withers, and around 29rninches for the rams. Their average live body weight is around 85 kg. Andrnaverage live body weight of the mature ewes is around 55 kg. They are wellrnadapted to their native environments.

Askanian

Askanian, also known as Askaniysky or Askanian Fine Fleece sheep are from Ukraine. They were developed in the early 1900s at Askania Novarnby crossing American Rambouillet with Merino sheep. There were over 1.6 million skanian sheep in 1980. Today the breed is raised mainly for it''s fine qualityrnwool. They are medium to large sized sheep. They are mainly whiternand are unicolored with a white face. Their face is generally free of wool. Thernewes are either polled or horned, but the rams are generally horned. Averagernbody height of the mature ewes is around 69 cm at the withers, and the rams arernmuch larger than the ewes. The Average live body weight of the mature Askanian rams isrnaround 115 kg. And the ewes are smaller ...

Assaf

Assaf sheep are thernresult of crossbreeding between Awassi and East Friesian Milk sheep. In 1955 researchers of the Israeli Agricultural Research Organization (A.R.O) startedrnthis project aiming to improve the fecundity of the Awassi sheep. A combinationrnof 3/8 East Friesian and 5/8 Awassi blood emerged as the best cross. Most dairy sheeprnbreeders in Israel have adopted the Assaf, which is considered not only a toprnquality dairy sheep and excellent mutton producer, but is also well-adapted tornsemi-extensive to extensive production systems. Under Israeli conditions, inrnwhich ewes have approximately 3 lambings in 2 years, the annual milk yield isrn450 liters. The demand for Assaf sheep is increasing every year. They have beenrn ...

Aussiedown

Aussiedowns are large sheep wererndeveloped in the early 1990s in Australia. Today they are mainly distributed inrnNew South Wales, Victoria, Australia. They were developed through crossbreedingrnSouthdown and Texel sheep. The resulting progeny have a maximum of 75 percentrnSouthdown and Texel ancestry. They are mainly raised as primernlamb sires, by crossing them over purebred or crossbred ewes. They are veryrngood for meat production. They are generally completelyrnwhite. Both rams and ewes are generally polled.

Australian Merino

Although Australian Merino sheep derive their name and basicrnappearance from the Spanish merino breed, they are a distinct breed in theirrnown right. They have been developed and adapted in Australia to the specificrnconditions of this country. More than 80 percent of all Australian sheep are purernMerino, with most of the remainder at least part Merino blood. Merino is grownrnprimarily for its heavy fleeces of fine wool. Merino sheep were brought to ustralia from the Cape Colony, England, Saxony (South East Germany), France and America. The Australian Merino is not a single homogenous breed but arnnumber of strains of sheep all of which, regardless of their origins, arernuniquely Australian. The major factor determining the Merinoâ ...

Australian White

Australian Whites are Australian meat sheep which wasrndeveloped for Australian conditions. Australian White sheep are a stabilizedrncomposite haired meat breed comprising White Dorper, Van Rooy, Poll Dorset andrnTexel genetics. The development aim was to produce a unique Australian white shedding sheep breed to quickly produce large framed, heavy lamb carcases. Additionally walking or mobility ability, good fertility and mothering instincts in the ewesrnand hardy lambs with good growth weights were required traits to bernincorporated into the breed.   In 2011 the Australian White sheep breed was shown at thernSydney Royal Easter Show for the first time.

Avranchin

Avranchin are a grassland breed of sheep. They are hardy andrnwell-adapted to a ocean climate, usually living outdoors in small flocks. They arernone of the most prolific French breeds. They have a large or medium-sizedrnframe. They produce lambs of good butchering quality, with very fine texturedrnmeat. The selection of the Avranchin sheep breed tends towards thernmaintenance of high prolificacy (the optimum sought is the ewe which regularlyrnproduces twins at each lambing), and the improvement of the milk value of therndams. Rams for breeding are chosen according to their conformation and thernprolificacy and milk value indexes of their dam.

Awassi

Awassi evolved as a nomadic sheep breed through centuries ofrnnatural and selective breeding to become the highest milk producing breed inrnthe Middle East. They are similar to the Near Eastern fat-tailed type. They arernused for milk production and carpet wool.   The average Awassi ewe has single lactations over 300 liters 650 pounds) per 210-day lactation, and it is not uncommon for outstandingrnfemales to have 210 day lactations above 750 liters (1,625 lbs).   As a comparison, the lactation of the average U.S. sheeprnbreed is about 100 to 200 pounds per lactation. The breed also has thernadvantage of natural hardiness and grazing ability. The males are horned andrnthe females are usually polled. The flee ...

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Babydoll Southdown

The Babydoll Southdown is a sheep of the early Southdownrntype imported into the U.S. and seen in England in the 1800''s through the earlyrn1900''s. They are 18" to 24" at the shoulder and display the originalrnSouthdown type and characteristics. The Southdown breed of sheep originated inrnthe South "Downs" of Sussex County, England, and is one of the oldestrnof the Down breeds. English farms kept these sheep for their flavorful meat andrnfine fleece.

Badger Face Welsh Mountain

Torddu, the Welsh namernmeaning ''black belly'' have distinct black stripes above the eyes and a blackrnstripe running from under the chin to the belly and continuing underneath tornthe end of the tail. The legs are black with a tan stripe. The fleece can bernwhite, grey or light brown, but preference is given to the lighter shades. Thernwool should be firm and medium length (7-10 cm). The Torwen, the Welsh namernmeaning ''white belly'' show the reverse coloring, but with a smaller eye stripe.rnTheir bodies should be compact and strong and of medium size. Both Torddu andrnTorwen rams are horned and weigh up to 90kg. Ewes are polled and weigh up torn60kg.   Content and Photo Source: National Sheep ssociation

Bagnolese

Bagnolese Sheeprnare an autochthonous breed from Campania, Italy that got its name from the villagernof Bagnoli Irpino in the province of Avellino. They probably derives from therncrossbreeding of the Barbaresca breed and the local breeds of the Apennines.rnOver time they spread from Irpinia to the entire region up to the provinces ofrnCaserta and Salerno. They arernmedium-large white sheep with black spots. There are excellent dairy productsrnderived from its milk: pecorino as well as ricotta cheese (fresh or salted andrnaged). They are also raised for meat. In Irpinia province of Avellino) they are still largely kept in wild or semi wild state fed on herbal pastureland with integration only in the winter months. C ...

Balkhi

Balkhi are medium to large sized sheep originatedrnfrom Afghanistan and North-weste akistan. They are a fat-tailed mutton typernsheep. They are  raised mainly for meatrnproduction, but they are also good for producing wool.    Balkhi sheep are hardy and are well adaptedrnto their native climates. They have a low fiber density, and they approximatelyrnyield 2 kg of coarse wool with an average 43.5 micrometer diameter. The ewesrnare pretty good milkers and they produce enough milk for their lambs. The ewesrngenerally lactate for about 105 days and produce around 60 kg of milk.    They are black, grey, or tan. They havernsomewhat long ears, and their body is muscular and compact. Their tail is fat ...

Baluchi

Baluchi are small sheep that originated in southe Afghanistan, eastern Iran, and southwest Pakistan. They are a fat-tailed sheeprnbreed and are raised mainly for wool production. They are also known Araghi, aluchi Dumda, Farahani, Khorasani, Khurasani, Mengali, Neini, Naeini, Shinwari, Taraki and Yazdi sheep.   They are raised mainly for wool production. Their wool isrncoarse with modulation. The average annual fleece weight is between 1.3 and 1.8rnkg. The ewes are pretty good milkers, and they produce enough milk for theirrnlambs. On average an ewe generally produce around 40 to 50 kg of milk in arnlactation period of about 125 days.  They are black and white with black marks on the legs andrnhead. Their f ...

Balwen Welsh Mountain

The Balwen Welsh Mountain sheep is a sheep for all seasons. One ofrnthe original Welsh breeds of sheep the Balwen remains as one of the mostrnstriking and versatile of all the rare breed sheep. The sheep has a base colorrnof black, dark brown or dark grey. It has a white stripe running from the polernof the head to the top of the nose, four white feet and half white tail. verage mature ewe weighs 40-50kgs, rams 45-60kgs. Content and Photo Source: National Sheep Association

Barbados Blackbelly

Barbados lackbelly sheep are indigenous to the Caribbean island of Barbados. They descendrnfrom sheep brought to the islands from West Africa during the slave era. lackbellies are antelope-like in appearance, brown tan or yellow in color with black points and under-parts. Both ewes and rams are polled or have onlyrnsmall scurs or diminutive horns. They may havernsome visible fuzzy wool undercoat within their hair coat, but it should shed alongrnwith the hair each year. Barbados Blackbelies are noted for their extremernhardiness and reproductive efficiency. They are one of the most prolific sheeprnbreeds in the world.

Barbaresca Siciliana

Found in Sicilyrnin southern Italy, the Barbaresca Siciliana (Sicilian Barbary) was developedrnfrom the Tunisian Barbary and the Pinzirita. They have coarsernto medium wool and are kept for both milk and meat production. The Sicilian arbary is polled and usually has dark spots on the face and legs. They havernlop ears and stores fat at the base of their tail. Content and photornsource: Agraria.org.

Bardoka

Bardoka are a multi-purpose sheep foundrnmainly in the Metohia region of Kosovo. It''s name is derived from the Albanianrnword ''Bardoka'' which means white. They are mainly found in Kosovo and partially in Albania, Montenegro and Serbia. They are medium-sized sheep. They arernmainly white with a white face. Their face is generally free of wool, and theirrnskin color is pink. Both rams and ewes are generally horned. Their horns arerngenerally long and spiraled. Rams weight around 3.5 kg at birth and the ewesrnaround 3.2 kg. The mature Bardoka ram''s average body height is around 70 cm atrnthe withers, and around 60 cm for the ewes. Bardoka rams is around 65 kg. Andrnaverage live body weight of the mature ewes is around 50 kg

Basco-Bearnais

Basco-bearnaise sheep originated from the Basque country and also known as Vasca Carranzana, France. They were developed during thern1960s from Basque and Bearnaise sheep.   They mainly are raised as a milk breed, and an ewe onrnaverage produces around 120 liters of milk per lactation. And their lactationrnperiod is around of 130 days. Their milk is of good quality containing aroundrn5.39 percent protein.   Basco-bearnaise sheep are medium to large sized. They arernmainly white and have long, white and hanging wool. Their head and hooves arernreddish-yellow colored. The rams have spiral horn around the ear. And the ewesrncan be either horned or polled.   The average body height of the mature Basco-bea ...

Bavarian Forest Sheep

Bavarian Forest sheep are an old and once wide-spread breed from avaria. Unfortunately they are decreasing in popularity. They are a small tornmedium sized sheep. They are mostly white, though brown and black animals dornoccur.  Their fleece contains a mixture of fibers: kemp, heterorntype, and wool fibers. Forest sheep are aseasonal: they usually lamb 3 times inrn2 years. Their fertility amounts to about 180 percent. They are a hardy weather and disease-resistant breed. They have good mothering ability.

Belgium Milk

Belgium Milk Sheep are strongly influenced by Friesian MilkrnSheep. In all probability, the Belgium Milk Sheep descends from Flemish sheep.rnSince the 19th century, Flemish sheep were selected for milk character. Afterrnthe Second World War, the other milk sheep breeds were added. The Belgium Milk Sheep is a finely-built sheep which standsrnon high legs. The body is wedge-shaped. The head is covered with fine whiternhair. The abdomen is wooly, but slightly hairy. A typical characteristic of elgium Milk Sheep is the so-called "rat-tail." The fertility of thernbreed is high. The udder is well-developed and the animals give much milk withrna creamy taste.

Bellary

Bellary are medium-sized sheep native to the districts of ellary and Davanagere and the adjoining areas of Haveri and Chitradurgarndistricts of Karnataka, India. They are medium-sized with body colors ranging from whiternthrough various combinations of white and black to black. Most rams have horns though ewes are generally polled. Their ears are medium long, flat andrndrooping, their tail is short and thin, their fleece is extremely coarse, hairy and open and their belly and legs are devoid of wool. In farmers'' flocks lambing percentage is 80–85% and thernlitter size is generally single. Breeding is mostly pure. Rams are selected onrnthe basis of size. They are primarily maintained for meat. The ewes are milkedrnfor home ...

Beltex

The Beltex is a medium sized sheep, long in the body. It isrnwedge-shaped from a narrow shoulder to a distinctive large, double-muscledrnhindquarter. The head is generally white in color but may have black, blue orrnbrown shadings or patches. The fore face is short and thick. The fleece isrntight, dense of medium staple length. Average male body weight 95kg.

Bentheimer Landschaf

Bentheimer Landschaf (A.K.A The Landrace of Bentheim) arernmedium-sized German sheep. They were developed by a cross between German andrnDutch heath sheep and marsh sheep. They have been bred in the northern GermanrnEmsland area since 1934, especially in the county of Bentheim. They are mainly white and have black around their ears eyes, and legs. They have a slender body, long head and Roman nose. Their earsrnare small and the tail is long and woolly. Both rams and ewes are generallyrnpolled. The average body height of the mature ewes is around 67 cm at thernwithers, and the rams are slightly larger than the ewes. The average live bodyrnweight of the mature Bentheimer Landschaf rams is around 75 to 80 kg. Andrnaverage live body weig ...

Bergamasca

Bergamasca, alsornknown by: Bergamasker, Gigante di Bergamo, Bergamacia (Brazil), sheep havernwhite coarse wool and are raised for meat. Bergamasca sheeprnare found in the Lombardy, region of northern Italy. They are a basic breed ofrnthe Lop-eared Alpine group and are polled. The Bergamasca is the foundation ofrnthe other Lop-eared Alpine breeds and of Fabrianese. Content and Photo source: graria.org.

Berrichon du Cher

Berrichon du Cher sheep have been bred for meat productionrnsince the 18th century. This long-lasting breeding process has resulted in arnwell-conformed breed, characterized by early growth. Berrichon ewes have a natural ability to lamb out-of-season:rn60% of lambs are naturally born from September to November, a schedule whichrnprovides high flexibility in terms of production. Berrichon du Cher Sheep are hardy and are able to cover widerndistances, which render the breed suitable for various livestock managementrnsystems.

Beulah Speckled Face

Speckled-face sheep have been bred on the hills of Eppynt Llanafan, Abergwesyn, and Llanwrtyd Wells for over 100 years, withoutrnintroduction of female stock. On the hill, the ewes are normally purebred providing flock replacements, finished lambs for the meat trade, or store lambsrnfor finishing on lowland farms. Beulah ewes are also idea for crossing with most continentalrnrams, as well as Suffolk and Down rams to produce high-quality carcasses. Ramsrnhave found great demand in many mountain flocks to improve size and woolrnquality. They have very clean soft handling wool. Ewes are hornless, as are thernmajority of rams. Their face is free from wool and distinctly speckled.

Bibrik

Bibrik are medium-sized sheep that originated from Pakistan.rnThey are a fat-tailed breed and are raised mainly for meat production. They arernfound mainly in the parts of Sibi and Loralai districts in Baluchistan Provincernof Pakistan. They are mainly white with a black or brown head. Both ramsrnand ewes are generally horned, and the rams have pretty large and curved horns.rnThe rams generally weight around 2.8 kg at births, and the ewes around 2.4 kg. Average body height of the mature ewes is around 19 inchesrnat the withers, and around 25 inches for the rams. The average live body weightrnof the mature Bibrik rams is around 37 kg. And the average live body weight ofrnthe mature ewes is around 31 kg. They are well ...

Biellese

Biellese sheeprnare from the Piedmont region of northern Italy. They are a polled carpet woolrnbreed used for meat production. They are one of the Lop-eared Alpine group ofrnsheep breeds. Content and photornsource: Agraria.org.

Bizet

Bizet [bi.ze] sheep originating in France. They wererndeveloped between 1830 and 1900 by first crossing Caussenards sheep with Southdownrnand Dishley English sheep. In 1905, steps were taken to start standardizing thernbreed. In 1952, Bizet were introduced on the Kerguelen archipelago, where theyrnare raised for food for the scientific station there. They grow wool but they are primarily raised for meat. The ramsrnhave horns and ewes are polled (hornless). At maturity, rams grow to 80 cm (31rnin) and ewes 75 cm (30 in) at the withers. On average, rams weigh 90 kg (200rnlb) and ewes 55 kg (121 lb). Ewes can lamb up to three times in two years.

Black Hawaiian

Black Hawaiian Sheep are thernsource of some controversy. Some say they are a cross of Mouflon and black hairrnsheep from the Hawaiian islands. Others say they are Barbados sheep with arndilution of the red color gene making them black. They have a thick black coatrnand are usually black all over, although some sport a white muzzle. Like the other species of sheep ofrnthis type, their horns grow up, back, down, forward, up again, and then tiprnout. The horns of the Black Hawaiian are jet black. Males can weigh up to 140rnto 150 pounds while females usually weigh about half that much. They are raisernprimarily for trophy hunting.

Black Welsh Mountain

Hardiness and self-reliance are the outstanding features ofrnthis ancient breed. Hill flocks of this breed, in normal conditions, require nornsupplementary feeding, they thrive on the short rough grasses and herbage ofrnthe unploughable uplands. They are an ideal breed for the smallholder as wellrnas being used in their natural environment on the hill. They are a good breed forrnchildren to work with as they are shown on halters and the lambs are easy tornhandle. They cross well with terminal breeds to produce good quality tasty meatrnboth as a crossbred and as a purebred. Average mature ewe weighs 45kg, ramsrn60-65kg. Content and Photo Source: National Sheep Association

Blackhead Persian

Blackheaded Persian sheep originated in the arid regions ofrneast Africa in what is now Somalia. They are  a fat-rumped breed and both sexes are polled. lackheaded Persians have a white body and black head and neck with the tworncolors sharply distinguished. They found their way to the tropics of the Caribbean regionrnvia South Africa many years ago. The Caribbean population has adapted well tornthe humid tropics. Blackheaded Persian sheep are one of the breeds that werernused to develop Dorper sheep. Harlequin orrnSpeckled Persians Some lackheaded Persians have solid colored heads, legs and tails, while their bodyrnis covered with spots and patches on a white background. The pattern on eachrnindividual sh ...

Bleu du Maine

Bleu du Maine are a large grassland sheep with slate blue/greyrncoloring heads. They originated in Western France in the regionrnof Mayenne. They were developed from crossing Leicester Longwool andrnWensleydale sheep. The breed has no wool on its head or legs. They are similar to Texel sheep but they have a higherrnlitter size and age of sexual maturity. Their average daily gain, carcassrnleanness, milk yield, and lambing interval are similar to the Texel, but the lue du Maine are lighter muscled.  They have a very alert eye, large nostrils and ears, and no horns. lue du Maine sheep are large; the average mature ewe weighs 80-120kg rams 110-180kg. Both sexes are polled.

Blue Texel

Blue Texel sheep are a color variant of the normally whiternTexel sheep. Blue Texel sheep come from white Texels who carry the color factorrn"blue" with them. This factor is a recessive factor. From a mating ofrntwo white Texels who both carry the factor for the blue color, there is a 25rnpercent chance blue lambs will be born while a mating between a Blue Texel andrnanother Blue Texel always gives blue lambs. Texel sheep evolved as a result ofrncrossbreeding the Dutch polder sheep with several English breeds, such asrnLeicester, Wensleydale, and Lincoln at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, as a result of efficient selection, the Texel breedrnhas developed into a meat-type sheep of outstanding lean meat quality that hasrnbeco ...

Bluefaced Leicester

The Bluefaced Leicester is the single most significant sheeprnbreed in the UK today, with nearly 50% of the UK''s commercial breeding flockrnbeing sired by the Bluefaced Leicester. Of the remaining  50%  aroundrnhalf are being mated with  Bluefaced Leicester rams to produce Mule ewes.rnThe great strength of the Blueface, is that no matter what breed of sheep it’srncrossed with, its progeny the Mule proves a better commercial ewe than itsrnmother. The Bluefaced Leicester’s improve prolificacy, mothering ability, easernof management and most importantly financial return. The breed started inrnNorthumberland around 100 years ago. Over the last half century the breed hasrnspread all over the UK, especially into Scotland and W ...

Bond

Bond sheep evolved in Australia in 1909 as a dual-purposernbreed, using Peppin Merinos and imported Lincoln rams. Bonds are tall long-bodied sheep, heavy in the bone and with open faces and a robustrnconstitution. They produce bulky, long-stapled, bright 22-28 micron wool. Lambsrnare long, lean, and fast growing. Bond rams weigh up to 150 kg (330 lbs.). Bond sheep are mainly found in the south east portion of ustralia. They have the ability to produce economic results in a wide range ofrnclimatic conditions of rainfall from 350-1140 mm (14 to 45 inches).

Booroola Merino

Booroola Merino sheep were developed on the Southe Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. They differ from normal Merino in twornways. First, they are more fertile; their fertility is as high as any breed inrnthe world. The number of lambs born per ewe lambing is 2.4, with a range of 1rnto 6. Half-Booroola ewes on average wean 20 percent more lambs than comparablernMerinos under the same conditions. Secondly, Booroolas have the ability tornbreed at most times of the year, thus extending the breeding season.   The high profligacy of the Booroola Merino is due to thernaction of a single gene. Booroola ac ...

Border Cheviot

Border Cheviot sheep originated as a mountain breed, nativernto the Cheviot Hills between Scotland and England, where the climate is harshrnand the conditions are rugged. Cheviots are extremely hardy and can withstandrnharsh winters and graze well over hilly pastures. They were bred to look afterrnthemselves. Recognized as early as 1372, the breed is reported to haverndeveloped from sheep that swam ashore from shipwrecked Spanish ships that fledrnnorthward after the defeat of the Armada. Cheviot sheep are a distinctive white-faced sheep, with arnwool-free face and legs, pricked ears, black muzzle and black feet. They are arnvery alert, active sheep, with a stylish, lively carriage. Cheviot wool has arndistinctive helical crimp, which ...

Border Leicester

Border Leicester sheep are one of three distinctrnbreeds of Leicester sheep.   Border Leicester sheep were developed in 1767 by George andrnMatthew Culley of Fenton, Northumberland, England. They were friends of Robert akewell and had access to his improved Leicesters. Some believe that thernCulley brothers developed the Border Leicester by crossing Bakewell''s improvedrnLeicester rams with Teeswater ewes. Others argue that Cheviot blood wasrnintroduced. In any case, the breed was firmly established in England byrn1850 and Border Leicesters have now surpassed the old English Leicester inrnpopularity in the British Isles and in other countries.   Border Leicesters are a distinctively large white sheep long in body, ...

Borderdale

Borderdale sheep wererndeveloped in New Zealand. They are the result of breeding the Border Leicesterrnand Corriedale breeds and interbreeding each generation until the F5 stage. orderdales are a medium-large, hardy, long-woolled breed, with a comparativelyrnlow susceptibility to foot rot. They have a good growth rate. Ewes are often usedrnfor crossbreeding with terminal sires from the meat breeds. Borderdales arernfound mainly on the plains, dowlands, and foothills of Canterbury (NewrnZealand).

Boreray

Boreray sheep originated on the island of Boreray in the StrnKilda archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. And the breed was named fromrnthis island. It is also known by some other names such as Hebridean Blackfacernand Boreray Blackface sheep. They were developed during the late 19th century fromrnScottish Blackface and a Hebridean type of Old Scottish Shortwool sheep. Theyrnhave been largely feral since 1930.   Their fleece is white to light tan, but occasionally darker. oth sexes are horned. The ram''s horns are large and spiraled. Adult ewes weighrnabout 28 kg (62 lbs) and stand 55 cm (22 inches) at the withers.   Today, it is the rarest sheep breed in the United Kingdomrnand there are fewer than 3 ...

Bovska

Bovska Sheep got their name from the small town Bovec thatrnlies in upper Soflorina valley which is in the Northwest part of Slovenia nearrnthe Italian border. In Trenta valley this breed is also called trentarka or purerntrentarka if it has the short ears sometimes seen with this breed. The Bovska sheep breed originated in the white sheep whichrnwere once distributed throughout the Alps. Bleiweis (1871) mentioned thernTrbiska sheep breed and reported that sheep with shorter ears produced morernmilk. Pirc reported that Tolminska and Bovska sheep breeds originated from thernpeat sheep while in the German literature it is stated that in some Alpinernvalleys and swampy areas Stonesheep (Steinschafe) or Zaupelschafe were foundrnwhich co ...

Braunes Bergschaf

Braunes Bergschaf, or BrownrnMountain, sheep are from the alpine regions of Bavaria (Germany), Tyrol Austria), Southern Tyrol (Italy), and the Swiss Canton of Engadine. In recentrnyears, Braunes Bergschaf Sheep have gained popularity beyond their originalrnborders. Brown Mountain Sheep are descended from the Tyrolean Steinschaf (StonernSheep), which can be of all colors, one color per sheep, and is rarely white.  Braunes Bergschaf arernmedium-sized with a slender, hornless head, and a Roman nose profile. Theirrnears are long, broad, and hanging. They have strong legs with hard hoofs. Theyrnare extremely hardy and show no fear of heights. Non- seasonal breeding isrnpossible three times in two years, and twins are the norm.

Brecknock Hill Cheviot

Brecknock Hill Cheviotrnsheep were developed from Scottish Cheviot sheep that were introduced to Walesrnin the 1850''s. They are known for their longevity. They have a white facernand legs. Their ears are erect with no ruff of wool behind them. They have nornwool on their face or on their legs below their knees or hock. They have broad strong backs. The rams are occasionally horned, and ewes are polled. Thernaverage mature ewe weighs 60kg and rams weigh 90kg. Ewes and usually rams arernpolled.

Brentegana Scelta

BrentaganarnScelta are large white sheep raised for wool and meat. They are an Italian breedrnand belong to the Alpine group. They arernknown for their adaptation to the local marginal conditions. Content andrnphoto source: agraia.org.

Brianzola

Brianzola arernlarge white sheep related to the giant Alpine meat sheep coming from Ovis aries sudanica of Sanson. Theyrncome from Brianza, Italy, a territory including the provinces of Como, Leccornand Monza (Lombardia). They are raised for meat. Brianzola arernlarge white sheep related to the giant Alpine meat sheep coming from Ovis aries sudanica of Sanson. Theyrncome from Brianza, Italy, a territory including the provinces of Como, Leccornand Monza (Lombardia). They are raised for meat. Content andrnphoto source: Agraria.org.

Brigasca

Brigasca sheeprnare a local breed whose name is linked to the border territory between Liguria Piedmont and Provence. They are descended from the Frabosana breed and likelyrncrossbred with Langhe sheep. The Brigasca is a rustic animal, perfectly adaptedrnto the traditional rearing system of a minimum of six months in alpinernpastures. Brigasca sheeprnare used for milk and meat. Their milk is used to produce three different kindsrnof cheese: Sora, Toma, and Brus. All are made with techniques and tools boundrnto the ancient tradition of transhumance. Content andrnphoto source: Agraria.org.

Brillenschaf

Brillenschaf sheeprnare from Carinthia, Austria. They are a member of the Alpine Mountain Sheep reeds. They are named for their eyeglass marks around their eyes, under therneyes, and on their ears. They are a cross between the Landschaf, Bergamasca and Paduaner Schaf sheep. They are hardyrnand frugal; they can cope with high precipitation and are experts in climbing therefore they are used for grazing high alpine areas which are inaccessible torncows. They arernendangered and since 1938, they have almost completely died out.

British Milk

British Milk sheep are medium to large polled sheep with arnpredominantly white face and legs. Their head is usually free from wool, thernmuzzle broad and the ears long. The ewe is naturally prolific and is noted forrnits quiet temperament which is important in the management of high performancernsheep. The conformation of the ewe, particularly the roomy pelvic area, ensuresrnthat lambing is easy. The rams have a long body and good hindquarters. They arernrobust and active being keen and vigorous workers all through the year. Averagernmature ewe weighs 80kg, rams 110kg. Content and Photo Source: National Sheep Association

Brogna

Bragna sheeprnhave white coats and rosy skin. They are used mainly for meat, but also forrnmilk. They are an autochthonous breed of uncertain origin. They are mainlyrnreared in the province of Verona (Veneto), particularly in Lessinia, Italy. Content andrnphoto source: Agraria.org.

Brown Headed Meat

Brown Headed Meat, or Braunkopfiges Fleischschaf, are one ofrnthe four predominant sheep breeds in Switzerland. They are the heaviest breed. Theyrnwere developed by crossing Oxfords from England and German Blackheaded Muttonrnsheep onto landrace sheep. The breed is seasonal, lambing once per year, usually in thernwinter, averaging 1.7 lambs.

Bundner Oberland

Bundner Oberland (also known as under Oberlanderschaf, Grisons, or Graubunden) sheep are from Switzerland. They are found in white, brown or silver-grey. Their head is slender and bare. Rams have substantial hornsrnwhile ewes have small horns or are polled (hornless). Both sexes display ratherrnprimitive behavior. Multiple births are common. When mature, rams weigh onrnaverage 72 kg (159 lb) and ewes 50 kg (110 lb). After reaching maturity, ramsrngrow to 72 cm (28 in) and ewes 68 cm (27 in) at the withers. In 2007, there were less thanrn1,100 but their population is increasing and are used primarily for vegetationrnmanagement.

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Calabrese

Calabrese, alsornknown as Sciara or Moscia Calabrese, sheep are an autochthonous breed from the provinces of Cosenza and Catanzaro Calabria), reared in the high hills on poor steep grazing land. They belong tornthe group with soft hanging woolly coat but it is smaller than Altamurana andrnLeccese breeds. They have whiterncoats and are raised for milk. Content and photo source: agraria.org.

California Red

California Red are medium-wool meat and wool sheep developedrnin 1970. They are a cross between Barbados and Tunis sheep. Mature rams weigh 225 to 250 pounds and ewes range from 130rnto 150 pounds. Both sexes are naturally hornless. Lambs are born a solid rustrnor cinnamon red color, a color that is retained as they mature. At maturity, their fleeces turn a beige or oatmeal color.rnTheir legs and faces are free of wool with long pendulous ears. Their wool isrnsilky in texture and has found a specialty market with hand-spinners andrnweavers. They breed all year-round.

California Variegated Mutant

California Variegated Mutant Sheep, or simply C.V.M. Sheep are the result of many crossbreeding started in 1915.  In 1915 A.T. Spencer developed the Romeldale breed. Hernpurchased several New Zealand Romney Rams in 1915 that were brought to thernPan-American exposition in San Francisco. He felt the Romney breed wouldrnincrease the staple, length, and carcass quality of his Rambouillets. Throughrnmany years of selection, the Romeldale breed was developed, with fleecernproperties of 60-64''s, extremely high yield, and uniformity, including carcassrncutability superior to other white-face breeds.  During the 1960''s, Glen Eidman, a partner of J.K.rnSexton, found in his purebred Romeldale flock a multi-colored ...

Cambridge

Cambridge Sheep are a very prolific breed that has particularrnvalue in crossbreeding. The Cambridge is a dark faced medium size sheep. Thernmature weight of rams and ewes is 100 kg and 67 kg respectively. They are longrnlived with excellent teeth and are hardy and resilient to environmentalrnextremes. Ewes lambs easily, are good mothers and the incidence of mastitis isrnlow. The breed’s high prolificacy means that it can be mated with a variety ofrnother breeds and crossbreeds to produce, high performance commercial ewes. Content and Photo Source: National Sheep Association

Cameroon

Cameroon are hair sheep from West Africa. Instead of wool they carry a hair coat that in the autumn forms an additional undercoat, whichrnis shed after winter. Cameroon sheep do not require shearing. Cameroon sheep are very prolific and reach puberty veryrnearly. They are aseasonal and can produce two lamb crops per year. They are arnresistant, problem-free sheep. Their most common color is brown with a blackrnbelly, head, and legs.

Campbell Island

The first sheep were landed on sub Antarctic Campbell Island over 600 kilometers south of the New Zealand mainland) in 1895 after a grazingrnlease had been taken up. Two thousand more were introduced in 1901, and arnfurther thousand in 1902. Both of the first introductions are known to havernbeen Merinos, but the last was of an unknown breed - at least some must havernbeen longwools such as Lincolns or Leicesters. As a result, the Campbell Island sheep are one of the fewrnferal breeds known to have anything other than Merino blood; they range fromrnquarter- to half-bred Merino-longwool crosses. Campbell Island sheep do notrnhave the high proportion of colored animals that occur in some feral flocks. When farming was abandone ...

Canadian ARCOTT

Canadian Arcott sheep arernraised primarily for meat. As the name suggests, they were developed in Canada. nd the later half of their name, ARCOTT, is an acronym for the Animal ResearchrnCenter in Ottawa. They were developed from crossbreeding Romnelet (6%), NorthrnCountry Cheviot (7%), Leicester (14%), Ile de France (28%) and Suffolk (37%)rnsheep. The remaining 8 percent was contributed from Shropshire, Lincoln Corriedale, East Friesian, Finnsheep, and Southdown Dorset. They are medium to largernsized hardy sheep, and are well adapted to their native climates. They are ablernto adapt to pasture or confinement systems easily. The lambs grow relativelyrnfast and produce excellent carcass meat and reach a market weight of 37 kg atrnth ...

Castlemilk Moorit

Castlemilk Morrit Sheep were developed during the the earlyrnyears of the 20th century. The late Sir Jock Buchanan-Jardine began a breedingrnprogram on his Castlemilk Estate in Dumfriesshire. Using Manx Loghtan, mooritrnShetland, and wild Mouflon, he developed a breed to beautify his parkland andrnprovide fine, kemp-free moorit colored wool. On the death of Sir John uchanan-Jardine the flock was dispersed in 1970, and six ewes and a ram werernbought by Joe Henson at the Cotswold Farm Park. All of today''s Castlemilk Moorits are descended from thesernfew sheep. The Castlemilk Moorit is one of the larger primitive-type breeds with mature ewes weighing in the region of 40 kgs. (85 lbs.) and rams 55 kgs. 120 lbs.) The ewes exhibit two un ...

Charmoise

Charmoise sheep are polled white faced and white leggedrnsheep with a deep body coated in a tight fleece of good quality. It has thernmost excellent conformation with short neck well-muscled loins and strongrngigots. It is light of bone and very alert and lively from birth. Averagernmature ewe weighs 65-70kg, rams 80-90kg. Content and Photo Source: National Sheep Association

Charollais

Charollais Sheep are a medium to large sized sheep. They arernlong and well-muscled with thick, deep gigots. The body is long with a well-muscledrnbroad loin and wide deep chest. The head is free from wool, pinkish/grey in colorrnsometimes with spots. The line of the shoulders should retain a wedge shapernwhich is so important for ease of lambing. The legs are clean, quite short, coloredrnbut never very dark. The front legs should not be set too wide apart and animalrnmust be well balanced. The gigots are well developed, thick and deep. The breedrnis primarily a terminal sire and the fleshing quality is of the highestrnimportance. Excessive bone is undesirable in the breed; the fineness of bonerncontributes to the high killing out percentag ...

Chatham Island

Near the southwest corner ofrnthe main island of the Chatham group, NZ, is a small flock of feral sheep whichrnappear to have certain Merino characteristics, and thus may predate thernIsland''s change to longwool breeds. It is believed that ChathamrnIsland ferals have been living wild for almost a hundred years, and it isrnpossible that they originated from some Saxon Merinos that were taken to SouthrnEast Island (another of the Chatham group) in 1841. The most noticeable differencernbetween these and the feral sheep of Pitt Island is that the Chatham ferals arernmostly white-woolled, whereas those on Pitt are mostly colored. Content andrnPhoto Source: New Zealand Rare Breeds (

Ciuta Sheep are white Italianrnmountain sheep bred for meat. Unfortunately they are most likely extinct.

Content and photo source: Agraria.org

The Cormo Sheep wasrndeveloped in Tasmania by I.K. Downie.Mr. Downie crossed Corriedale Rams with 1200 carefully selectedrnsuperfine Saxon Merino Ewes.

The original selectionrncriteria included: high, clean fleecernweight; fiber diameter of 17-23; fast body growth rate and a high rate ofrnfertility.  The result- 1/4 Lincoln, 1/4 ustralian Merino, and 1/2 superfine Saxon Merino.

Cormo wool is fastrnbecoming one of the best wool producing breeds in the sheep industry today.

Cormo selling points dornnot end with their wool quality.

Cormo are considered easyrnkeepers; they are somewhat smaller than many breeds and therefore require 40%rnless feed then larger breeds.

They are rugged ...

Derbyshire Sheep have a clean cut black and white marked face andrnlegs clear of wool. They are polled in both sexes. The Derbyshire Gritstone isrna handsome sheep of aristocratic lineage, big, flat bones, strong and alert.

Content and Photo Source: National Sheep Association

Dorset Down Sheep are active medium sized short-woolled sheep. They have strong legs that support a deeprnchested, long sheep with well fleshed hindquarters and fine wool.rn

rnContent and Photo Source:rnNational Sheep Association rn

Epynt Hardy Speckled Sheep are a commercial; easy-care breed withrnthe primary purpose is to perform well in a mountainous environment year roundrnwith limited supplementary feeding. They are a long living, good mouthing sheeprnproducing lambs which are easy to finish. They are a heavy boned hill sheeprnwhich is stocky and sturdy in stature with a speckled face and legs, of greyrnbrown or black clean of wool. The ewes are polled and the rams usually horned.rnTheir attributes include a strong hefting ability, excellent mothering abilityrnand being a good breed for crossing. Average mature ewe weighs 40-50kgs, ramsrn60-70kgs.

Content and PhotornSource: National Sheep Association

Finarda Sheeprnare large white Italian sheep bred for meat found in the Piedmont and LombardyrnRegions. They are a composite of Bergamasca and Biellese sheep.

Content andrnphoto source: Agraria.org.

Garessina, also known as Muma or Garessio, sheep are anrnItalian transhumant (migrating) meat breed found in southeastern Cuneo Province Piedmont), mainly in Val Tanaro and Val d''Inferno. They are classified as an pennine breed, and show traces of Merino and French Alpine ancestry. About 90%rnof them are slaughter as lambs and about 10% are raised for wool. Very rarelyrnthey are raised to make cheese from their milk. On the average, ewes lamb twicernin three years.

Unfortunately they are considered endangered.

Content and photo source: graria.org.

Hill Radnor Sheep are a native hill or mountain breed mostrncommonly found in the Border counties running from the North of Powys down tornSouth West Herefordshire and Monmouthshire. It is a heavy breed which has goodrnbody length and width in its hind quarters, standing on well set legs with anrnabundance of bone. At birth the lambs are full of vitality, exceptionally wellrncoated and gain excellent body weight. Lambing percentages vary under differentrnconditions but the breed can easily average around 155%. The Hill Radnor is arnhealthy breed free from many of the contagious and hereditary diseases whichrnoften affect other breeds.

Content Source: National Sheep Association

About 200 years ago, a flock of sheep was established on HogrnIsland, one of Virginia''s barrier islands located off its Eastern Shore. Thernsheep were already native to the area and are believed to have had arnsubstantial amount of Merino blood in them. There were occasional subsequentrnintroductions to the population, the last being in 1953, when a Hampshire ramrnwas taken to the island. In 1974, the island was sold to The NaturernConservancy, which decided to remove all the sheep and cattle.rn

rnGunston Hall Plantation in Fairfax County, Virginia eventually became the owner of the greater number of these sheep and exhibitedrnthem as part of their replication of 18th century plantation life. Hog Islandrnsheep evolved and survive ...

Imrov (also known as Gokceada) Sheep are among the smallest sheep breeds in Turkey.rnThey are raised for meat, milk, and wool. They are predominantly white, withrnblack marks around the mouth, nose and eyes, on the ears and rarely on the tiprnof the legs.  

Their tail is thin and long, usually reaching below thernhocks. Rams have strong spiral horns extending sideways; ewes are usuallyrnpolled, but up to 30% of the ewes may have small scurs. Their head are narrowrnand its profile is straight. Their wool is very coarse and long, and it coversrnthe top of the head.

The creation of the INRA 401 sheep bloodline began in Francernin 1970, after a series of experiments crossing the Berrichon du Cher andrnRomanov which began in 1963 with the Romanov breed.  

Matings were carried out for several successive generations between breeding stock of the same generation chosen in priority to maintainrnthe origins represented in the foundation generation. The INRA 401 is a highlyrnproductive ewe, with a 200 percent prolificacy, excellent out-of-seasonrnfertility, good milk production, and outstanding mothering ability.

Karakul Sheep are a fat-tailed (andrnfat-rumped) sheep characteristic of the Middle East as well as southern Asiarnand North Africa (although they were found as far south as the African Cape byrnthe seventeenth century). As the general name implies, they are distinguishedrnby an accumulation of fat in the tail and around the rump which evolved as arnstore of food necessary for survival in a harsh, drought-prone environment.

Descriptions of such sheep can be found inrnthe earliest records of British exploration, but they have been known and bredrnfor thousands of years as is witnessed by Biblical reference to the type. The ook of Leviticus records that a ram was bought for a burnt offering. After itrnwas slain, Moses "took the fa ...

Kelso sheep are one of several composite breeds developed inrnNew Zealand. Unlike traditional breeds, which are bred for appearance as wellrnas productivity, composites are bred for productive traits alone. Kelso sheeprnare continually being upgraded and modified to meet changing market needs.

Kelso is a sheep genetics company which has developed twornlarge scale breeding programs over the last 50 years. The Kelso (Maternal Sire)rnand Ranger (Terminal Sire) breeding flocks are run on five farms from Gisbornernto Southland all genetically linked.

Kivircik sheep are found in northwestern Turkey, where it isrnkept for milk and meat production. Their fleece is of carpet-wool type, but theirrnwool is of better quality than the wool of all other indigenous breeds inrnTurkey.  rn

rnThey are white with white or spotted faces, similar to thernKarnobat and the Tsigai. Black and brown varieties are also found. Rams havernhorizontal spiral horns extending sideways; ewes are usually polled. Tails arernlong and thin, usually reaching the hocks.

Lacaune sheep are the mostrnnumerous sheep breed in France. They have been selected in France for increasedrnmilk production under a sophisticated selection program incorporatingrnartificial insemination, milk recording, and progeny testing of sires forrnlonger than any other dairy sheep breed in the world.rn

nnual genetic improvement forrnmilk yield in the French Lacaune is estimated at 2.4% or 5.7 kg (12.5 lbs).rnLacaune ewes produce milk with higher total solids than the East Friesians, butrnin slightly less volume. The sheep of the Lacaune breed produce the milk whichrnis responsible for the famous Roquefort cheese.

Leccese, or Moscia Leccese, sheeprnare most likely are related fromrnZackel sheep from Asia. The have a not-so-curled woolly hanging coat.

They have rosyrnskin and a white coat, with black spots on their breastbone. A blackrnshort-haired muzzle, and a plain black or spotted limbs.

In the past theyrnwere raised for wool, meat, and milk but today they are mainly bred for milkrnproduction.

Content and photornsource: Agraria.org.

Livo sheep arearnan indigenous breed from the Valle di Livo in the Lombardy Region of northe Italy. They are medium-sized, have yellow wool, and are raised for meat.

Content and photornsource: Agraria.org.

Lonk Sheep are one of the largest native hill breeds, their facernand legs are pure black and white. The fleece is trim and even from head tornskirting, white and free from kemp. Both sexes are horned. Average mature ewernweighs 45-54kg, rams 75-91kg.

Lonk ew ...

Manchega sheep are developed from Entrefino sheep and have arndouble production use: milk and sheep meat. Among this breed, there are twornaccepted varieties: black and white. The latter one makes up more than 90% ofrnthe animals. The average milk production is 100 liters (26.4 gallons) perrnanimal a year, being markedly seasonal during the months of April, May andrnJune.

Manchego cheese is the most important and well-known sheep’s milk cheesernin Spain. True Manchega cheese is made only from whole milk of the Manchegarnsheep raised in the ‘La Mancha’ region. This region is a vast high plateau more than 600 meters (1,969 ft) above sea level.

ManxrnLoaghtan sheep are found on the Isle of Man off the coast of Great Britain. Theyrnare member of the Northern Short-tailed group, similar to the Hebridean, butrnslightly larger. Their wool is chocolate brown with paler tips. Manx Loaghtan sheeprnare descended from the primitive sheep once found throughout Scotland and therncoastal islands of Britain.

Marrana sheep arernraised for meat and have yellow, or sometimes light brown, wool. They are arncomposite of different breeds of the Appennin; in recent decades there havernbeen many crosses with Bergamasca and Biella sheep. They are from the Ligurian lps, Italy.

Content and photo source: Agraria.org.

Masham sheep have been bred for over a century on the hillrnfarms in the Northern Counties of England. They are produced by crossing arnTeeswater ram onto either a Dalesbred or Swaledale ewe, both hardy hill breeds.rnIt is from these parent breeds that the Masham gains its hardiness, longevity heavy milking qualities, strong mothering instincts and high prolificacy.

Masham ewes are medium-sized and hornless. They have a goodrnreputation for the ability to perform well in a wide variety of circumstances.rnProducing quality lambs is what she is bred for with an added bonus of a longrnstapled fleece. Average mature adult weighs 75kg.
rn

Matesina sheeprnare an indigenous breed, descended from Gentile di Puglia and Appenninicarnsheep. They arefrom province ofrnCaserta, Campania, in southern Italy.rn

rn
They arernmedium-sized (males 65 cm, females 60 cm, at the withers) with white-brownrnwool. They are raised for meat, wool, and milk.

Content and photornsource: Agraria.org.

Meatlinc Sheep are a British breed, in the terminal sire category developed from a breeding program originated by Henry Fell in 1963. Originally a mixture of chosen individualsrnfrom five breeds, two British and three French, the Meatlinc evolved as arnresult of many years of rigorous and disciplined selection based on performancernrecording carried out under strictly commercial conditions. The breed was closedrnto any further use of outside genetic material in 1975. It is thus a genuinernpure breed with recognizable uniformity.  

They are amongstrnthe biggest of the British breeds, a mature ram weighing 140 kg (over 300 lbs).rnTheir face is white, have tight wool, with great length and heavy hindquarters. rn

Merino Sheep are one of the most popular breeds ofrnsheep worldwide. Merino Sheep are raised predominately for woolrnproduction. Their wool is prized for being very soft and comfortable againstrnthe skin. MerinornSheep originated in Spain, but the modern Merino was domesticated in Australia.rn

Merino Sheep are excellent foragers and very adaptable. MerinornSheep need to be shorn at least once a year because their wool does not stoprngrowing. If their coat is allowed to grow, it can cause heat stress, mobilityrnissues, and blindness.

There are multiple sub-species of Merin
Poll Merino – this is a comparatively new addition to thernbreed of merino sheep. It is bred for the ease of handling and lack of horns onrnthe r ...

Morada Nova sheep are found in northeast Brazil but probablyrnof African origin. They may also be related to a Portugal breed called ordaleiro. They originated from selection of individuals of the BrazilianrnWoolless. Both sexes are polled.  

The rams do not have a throat ruff. It has been reportedrnthat they have a litter size of 1.32 to 1.76. The predominant color is red torncream, but white animals are also found. The breed is small with mature lambrnand ewe weights of about 40 (88 lbs) and 30 kg (66 lbs), respectively.

The breeding aim of the Nolana sheep is to combine thernadvantages of hair sheep with the advantages of native wool sheep. Nolana sheeprnare hair sheep. They don''t produce wool, but carry a smooth coat during summerrnand a 4-5 cm (1.6-1.8 in) thick pelt during winter which they shed naturally inrnspring. Therefore, they don''t need to be shorn.  

Two types of sheep have evolved during the development ofrnthe Nolana sheep: a meat-type (fleischscafe) and a landrace-type (landscafe)rnfor more extensive settings and landscape management. The meat-type is mostlyrnwhite, while the landrace-type is more variable in color and type.

Norfolk Horn sheep originated in Norfolk, Suffolk, andrnCambridge, England. They are one of the ancient Heath breeds now beingrnrevived in small numbers. Norfolk Horn sheep were used along with Southdown inrnthe development of Suffolk sheep.

They area a medium-sized breed with a long body and legs. Their face andrnlegs are black or dark brown and free of wool. Their fleece is white with newrnborn lambs being mottled. Both sexes are horned and the horn pattern is an openrnspiral.

North Ronaldsay are a small rare breed of sheep of thernNorthern short-tailed group of breeds. They have remained virtually unchanged.rnTheir most unique feature is their diet, which consists mostly of seaweed.rnMature ewes rarely exceed 25 kg (55 lbs); rams about 30 to 35 kg (66-77 lbs.).rnThey are primitive and fine-boned and have evolved in a specialized seashorernenvironment on their native island.rn

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They adapt well to mainland management includingrnconservation grazing. Rams are horned, but ewes can be horned, polled, orrnscurred. Virtually any color of wool is possible. Wool is fairy fine, with somernkemp. Rams develop a mane and beard of coarse hair. There are about 3,700 ofrnthese sheep still on the island of ...

Nostrana sheeprnare an indigenous Italian breed, descended from Garfagnina (Apennine Group)rnsheep. They are from the provinces of Massa-Carrara (Tuscany) and Parma Emilia-Romagna). They are medium sized (males: 65 cm, females: 60 cm, atrnwithers) with white wool. They are raised for meat and wool.

Content and photornsource: Agraia.org.

Old NorwegianrnSheep are a small primitive type of sheep which inhabited Norway and the restrnof Scandinavia as well, including Iceland and Faeroes. They are small framed with good legs and a fleece varying in color from almost white to greyish, darkrnbrown, badger-faced, muflon pattern and black.  

Adult males weighrnon average 43 kg (95 lbs) and females 32 kg (70 lbs). The fleece is remarkablyrnfine and in contrast to the mouflon, the inner fleece is highly developed. Thernouter coat has long fibers, up to 30 cm (11.8 in) around the neck on the males.rnNormally, they shed their fleece naturally in early July. All the males of thisrnbreed are horned with approximately 10 % of the ewes also being horned. Thisrnbreed of s ...

Painted Desert sheep shed their short winter woolrnnaturally each spring, leaving a glossy, slick coat. Their colors can be veryrnwild with mixes of up to four or five colors. They breed out of season and lambrntwice a y ...

Panama sheep are one of only twornrecognized breeds of sheep which were developed in the United States by privaternsheep breeders. Originating in Idaho in the early 1900''s, the Panama began as arncross between Rambouillet rams and Lincoln ewes. Following approximately fivernyears of crossbreeding, rams and ewes were mated among themselves to establishrnthe breed.  

Panama sheep are a hardy breedrnthat are highly adapted to range areas with ample feed conditions. They arernpolled, resemble the Columbia breed, but are more intermediate in size, andrnproduce a heavy, dense medium-grade fleece with a long staple length.

Pelibuey are hair sheep, probably closely related to thernWest African, Red African, African or Africana breed of Columbia and Venezuela.rnThey are descended from the West African Dwarf and are found in Cuba, coastalrnareas of Mexico, and other locales in the Caribbean. 75 percent of sheeprnpopulation in Cuba are Pelibuey.  

Their hair color ranges from beige, brown, dark brown, red white, black, and roan, with both solid and a combination of colors found.rnMales do carry a throat ruff, but usually do not have horns.