It’s thought that Mouflon Sheep (Ovis orientalis orientalis) are one of two sheep breeds which are an ancestor for all domestic sheep. The dramatic, wild appearance of the Mouflon makes it easy to compare them to wild bighorn sheep. The Mouflon sheep breed has a reddish brown short hair coat with a light-colored saddle and dark brown stripes. […]
The history of the Jacob sheep breed is a mystery but they have been found in England for more than 300 years. The Jacob is small sized and has multiple horns, giving this breed a truly unique appearance which endears them to their owners.
The Tunis sheep breed originated in the country of Tunisia in Northern Africa. This unique-looking breed was first introduced to the United States in 1799 and barely survived the American Civil War. The Tunis is one of the oldest breeds of sheep in the world and it is believed that they have been around since
The Dorper is a breed of sheep that originated in the south of Africa in the 1940’s. It is the product of cross-breeding between the Dorset Horn and Blackhead Persian breeds. Dorper sheep have a distinctive appearance: black heads and white bodies. The breed has a thick, well muscled carcass and extended period of fertility.
Finnsheep, also known as Finnish Landrace, are a breed which traces its roots to Finland. The breed is one of the oldest varieties of sheep in existence and it is assumed that Finnsheep are the direct descendants of the Mouflon that roam freely on Corsica and Sardinia.
The Clun Forest sheep breed is originally from Shropshire’s southwestern district in England, which is next to the border of Wales. They are predominant in the Wales Marshes as well.
The Blue Texel sheep breed was first recognized and recorded as a distinct breed during the early 1970s in the Netherlands. Natural colored “blue” Texel sheep were accidentally born to a purebred Texel dam and sire. The unique coloration was of immediate interest to breeders who made deliberate matings to encourage expression of the recessive
What we recognize as the Icelandic sheep breed is a heritage breed descended from sheep which were brought over to Iceland during the ninth century by Viking immigrants. Icelandic sheep are classified as a type of North European Short Tailed sheep and are directly related to other sheep breeds such as the Shetland, Romanov and
The East Friesian sheep breed is native to Germany’s Northern area and to Friesland province in the Netherlands. In 1994, Canada introduced the East Friesian to the United States as purebreds and the breed quickly caught on in local dairy operations.
East Friesian Sheep Read More »
The Southdown sheep breed is one of the most popular and oldest breeds of sheep. The breed was originally developed in England and were brought to the United States in 1803.