Targhee Sheep

Targhee Sheep

The Targhee sheep breed was created by the U.S Sheep Experiment Station in Dubois, Idaho in 1926 – making the Targhee one of the youngest breeds in the United States. The Targhee breed is a combination of the Columbia, Corriedale and Rambouillet – all white-faced sheep breeds known for their production.  

The reason for the name “Targhee” stems from the area in which flocks of the experiment station sheep graze during the summertime, which is the Targhee National Forest.

Why Raise Targhees?

Targhee sheep are commonly used for meat production as well as wool production in the US. They have thick, high quality fleece, open faces and are a hardy, adaptable breed.  

Today the Targhee can primarily be found in South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. They are popular among the northern states since the ranchers in these areas prefer their ratio of fine-long wool and their hardiness in what can be harsh weather conditions.

Targhee Breed Information

MATURE BODY WEIGHTRam: 200-300 lbs.
Ewe: 140-200 lbs.
AVERAGE FIBER DIAMETERMicron: 21-25
USDA Wool Grade: 58’s-64’s
GREASE FLEECE WEIGHTEwe: 10-14 lbs.
YIELD45-55%
STAPLE LENGTH3-5″

For more information about the breed visit the US Targhee Sheep Association website.

Featured photo courtesy Yathin sk, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Resized and cropped.