Breeds of Sheep An excellent resource is exhibiting 271 breeds (use google, search for: breeds of livestock)

Breeds of Sheep

An excellent resource is

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds

exhibiting 271 breeds(use google, search for: breeds of livestock)/

Cheviot

• The Cheviot is a distinctive white-faced sheep, with a wool-free face and legs, pricked ears, black muzzle and black feet. It is a very alert, active sheep, with a stylish, lively carriage.

• The Cheviot is a long-wool type, hornless and of reasonable frame.

Border of England and Scotland

• Bred to look after themselves, Cheviots need less husbandry. Their ease of lambing and strong mothering instinct means fewer lambing problems. Hard black feet make them less prone to footrot. Their tendency for worm resistance means less drenching, less crutching and less fly strike. With wool-free faces, Cheviots never suffer from wool blindness.

Corriedale

• Developed in New Zealand and Australia. The breed is now distributed worldwide, making up the greatest population of all sheep in South America and thrives throughout Asia, North America and South Africa. Now the second most significant breed in the world after Merinos.

Corriedale

Columbia

• Largest white faced breed

• Foundation of much of the “Western” ewes.

Merino (of various types)

• No other wool can compare with the wool of the Merino in its color, uniformity, strength, density, and fineness.

Medium-wool Merino

DelaineMerino

Dorset - horned & polled

• All white sheep of medium size

• One of few breeds that will breed “out of season”

Hampshire

• Very popular midwestern breed, known for good muscling and eating characteristics. More open faced than Shropshire.

Shropshire

• Popular midwestern breed before 1950. Less popular now.

Oxford

• Large (2nd largest to Lincoln)

• Does well where feed supplies are liberal

• Lack uniformity

Rambouillet

• Derived from Spanish Merino

One of the fine-wool breeds.

Montadale

• Established 1945• Cross between

Columbia and Cheviot to make an “ideal” breed.

• Headquartered in Plainfield, IN

Suffolk

Suffolk

• Suffolk are very popular in the midwest. They are meat-type sheep, very large and devoid of wool on the head and legs.

Southdown

Southdown are small, and popular for 4-H projects. Theyare less popular commercially.