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Barbados Blackbelly Sheep

Barbados Sheep are reddish brown with black markings on chest, belly and around tail area. Rams sport beautiful manes. Both rams and ewes are polled (no horns) and are hair sheep.  Ancestors of these sheep are originally from Africa and were brought from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean area by Spanish, Portuguese, and British Merchants in the 1500's.  These sheep mixed with the European wool sheep which had been imported along with hair sheep from Africa in previous and concurrent importations.  By the late 1600's the wool sheep could not be found and what was left were the Barbados or Barbados Blackbelly sheep.

As explorers, adventurers, and merchants traveled, so did the sheep and these hair sheep eventually made their way into North America.  Officially, records show a small importation of Barbados sheep in 1904.  Several Universities also received the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep and experimented with crossing them with domestic breeds in an attempt to improve lambing numbers.  Samuel Goode at the North Carolina University experimented in the early 70's with the Barbados Sheep and domestic wool breeds.

Some of the experiments by accident and also design at various places, specifically  those crossing the Barbados Blackbelly with Mouflon Sheep and the Rambouillet Sheep, lead to the American Blackbelly hybrid which is now recognized as a breed.

Some people refer to all Barbados Blackbelly, American Blackbelly, and Corsicans as "Barbadoes", "Barbados", "Barbies", or "Blackbellies"; however, there really are unique differences between the breeds. 

The Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Association International recognizes the difference between the polled Barbados Blackbelly and the horned American Blackbelly.

For Additional Information See:
*http://www.blackbellysheep.org/

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Majestic Mouflon's
Maximum Max
Photo was provided by Sandoah Achers

Mouflon Ewe in Winter here at
Rafter SB
photo by Rafter SB

Mouflons are a wild sheep usually found in somewhat harsh regions and some consider them to be one of the two ancestors of all sheep. They are found on islands such as Corsica and Cyprus but may have originated in SouthWest Asia.  Mouflon Rams are mostly reddish brown with black markings on chest and back and bright white saddle patches with full colors on display during the winter months, while ewes are very similar to a deer in coloring and are overall reddish brown.  Both rams and ewes have light colored bellies and areas around the tail. These sheep grow a "wooly" undercoat in the Winter and shed it completely during the Spring/Summer.  Mouflon Rams are magnificent creatures with tremendous supracervical (heart shaped) horns.  Ewes are usually polled.  

Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between pure Mouflons and hybrids EXCEPT for the extremely short tail of pure Mouflons (3 - 4 inches or shorter) and single births.  Mouflon ewes are hardy but usually produce only single lambs each lambing. Several  Breeders in the United States have pure Mouflons out of Zoo Stock from original imports from Cyprus and Sardinia.  Zoos released some pure Mouflons to ranches in the 1930's - 1960's.  The Mouflon Sheep started being crossed with various domestic breeds (sometimes on purpose and sometimes by accident) on these ranches leading to the Corsican Sheep. (American Blackbelly, Black Hawaiian, Painted Desert & Texas Dall).

The hardy Mouflon Sheep are also being used in the development of the New Mexico Dahl Sheep.

For Additional Information See:
*Exotic Animal Field Guide by Elizabeth Mungall; College Station: Texas A & M University Press 2007

*http://www.geocities.com/mouflonsheep/  Rickey Hunt, Avery, TX

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Corsican Sheep

Any Mouflon Cross with rams having horns and manes

Corsican Ram Lamb
Note the Black Belly

Corsican Ewe
Note the Cream Belly

photos - Rafter SB

Corsicans are actually the result of initial crosses decades ago between the shedding Mouflon Sheep with a wide range of more well known "wool" breeds of sheep including: Rambouillet, Churro, Merino,  and Jacob, etc.  Sometimes other hair or shedding sheep were used too such as the Barbados Blackbelly.

Corsican Sheep have a variety of coloring patterns as a result of the various domestic sheep used in crosses with the Mouflon.  Based on the color patterns, Corsican Shep have evolved into several different breeds: Those still referred to as Corsicans, American Blackbelly Sheep, Painted Desert Sheep, Texas Dall Sheep and Black Hawaiian Sheep.

The sheep referred to as "Corsicans" do not fall in to the other breeds or divisions of the Corsican FAMILY of sheep.  These sheep are not all white (Texas Dall), or all black (Black Hawaiian), or display the color white with spotting patterns (Painted Desert), or have the Blackbelly markings (American Blackbelly) and probably have a mixture of the other divisions/breeds in their background.

All of these sheep are shedding sheep and will shed an undercoat of wool.  Rams are horned.  Usually Ewes are polled but a horned ewe is a plus!  Rams will have manes.

Click on links below for more detailed information about Corsican Sheep

For Additional Information See:
*Exotic Animal Field Guide by Elizabeth Mungall; College Station: Texas A & M University Press 2007

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A Corsican Sheep whose coloring resembles Barbados Blackbelly Sheep

The Rams have horns

a young American Blackbelly Ewe

a mother, ewe lamb and a one month old ram lamb
(Brass Captain Morgan)

Photos courtesy
Brass Farm of Minnesota

American Blackbelly, Texas Blackbelly, or simply Blackbellies, are Corsican Sheep. These were originally crosses between Mouflon Sheep and usually the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep with sometimes the Rambouillet (Merino) Sheep added to the mix.

There is a debate among some if the American Blackbelly should be considered a Corsican (Mouflon Cross) sheep, or if it should be looked at as a Blackbelly Cross based on crosses between the polled Barbados Blackbelly and Rambouillet Sheep.  It certainly seems that this debate is basically both sides of the same coin. Overall, the American Blackbelly is actually BOTH.  Some bloodlines may have more Rambouillet and some may have more Mouflon - but to make this wonderful breed in general, it is safe to say that it took both the Rambouillet and the Mouflon along with the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep. 

Keeping the reddish brown body with black markings on chest, belly, and around tail, the Barbados Blackbelly sheep were continually bred back to the Mouflon Sheep and horned domestic sheep until the rams displayed beautiful horns. However, the ewes are usually polled just like the Barbados Blackbelly, though as in all of the Corsican Sheep, some ewes may exhibit scurs or horns.

Sometimes the difference between the American Blackbelly and the Barbados Blackbelly is best described and shown by the rams.  If it is a horned Blackbelly, it is an American Blackbelly. And if the ram is polled (no horns), it is a Barbados Blackbelly.

In 2005 the American Blackbelly was given a division in the Barbado Blackbelly Sheep Association, International, registry.

See Also Corsican Sheep, Mouflon, &  Barbados Blackbelly on this Page.

For Additional Information See:
*http://www.blackbellysheep.org/

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An all black Corsican Sheep which has developed into a recognized and unique breed.

a young Black Hawaiian Ram

Photo - Rafter SB

Black Hawaiian Sheep are sometimes a little mysterious.  There is a great debate between folks that these sheep are a result of crossing Mouflon Sheep with a native Black Hair Sheep found in the Hawaiian Islands while some folks insist Black Hawaiians are simply Black Corsican Sheep. 

Most of the consensus is that the sheep named Black Hawaiian Sheep are all black Corsicans (Mouflon crossed with a domestic breed) created in the state of Texas. As per the Hawaii Department of Agriculture-Livestock Division: * "Sheep are not considered endemic to Hawaii.  The first documented importation of sheep was on the island of Kauai by Capt. James Colnett in April 1791 (1 ram, 1 ewe), and on the island of Hawaii by Capt. Vancouver on 02/14/1793 (2 rams, 4 ewes, 1 ewe lamb)."  Hawaii does have a feral population of "mouflon" sheep which can have dark coats; however, again, all the sheep on Hawaii are considered as having been imported to the Island chain and there exists no native breed of Black Hair or Black Wool Sheep to cross with the Hawaiian feral population of Mouflons in order to create the Black Hawaiian Sheep. While there may have been found beautiful all black sheep on Hawaii, the Veterinary Medical Officer stated that other than the feral Mouflon population, they have no knowledge of any sheep that would resemble the Black Hawaiian.  *(stated by the Veterinary Medical Officer, Hawaii Department of Agriculture-Livestock Division, Hilo, HI in correspondence dated 03/11/09 and also by Public Information Officer, Hawaii Department of Agriculture in correspondence dated 03/09/09)

Black Hawaiians are beautiful sheep with the velvety black hair.  On mature, older, Black Hawaiians, sometimes a gray muzzle is noted. These sheep will shed their undercoat of wool and the rams will display horns.  Ewes are usually polled, but if horned that is a plus.

At times, when the spotted Corsicans (which have developed in to their own unique breed called the Painted Desert) are paired, solid black sheep can be produced.  Some breeders and other folks, more interested in what the sheep looks like instead of genetics or what progeny may look like down the line, call these solid black offspring Black Hawaiians.  These sheep may be more apt to develop the gray muzzle before aging. 

We recognize the efforts of those who are developing these solid black Corsicans into a recognized and unique breed, hence at Rafter SB, as breeders who want consistency in progeny, we consider solid black Mouflon crosses with known recent potential to produce spotted sheep as unregistered Painted Desert Sheep and only sheep with no known recent potential to produce spotted coloring as Black Hawaiian Sheep. 

The solid all black Mouflon hybrid is sought after by breeders who are interested in offering Black Hawaiian or Hawaiian Blacks or Black Corsicans which will produce the same - solid black.

Click on links below for more detailed information about Black Hawaiian Sheep

For Additional Information See:
Exotic Animal Field Guide by Elizabeth Mungall; College Station: Texas A & M University Press 2007

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A spotted Corsican sheep which has developed into a recognized and unique breed

4 color Painted Desert Ewe

8 days old, photo Rafter SB

Painted Desert Ram

photo Rafter SB

Painted Desert Sheep are spotted sheep, sometimes minimally like Rafter SB Miss Dot (all white with one black spot) and some very brightly colored like our quad-colored  Rafter SB Carmen's Pixie.  These are Corsican Sheep (Mouflon crosses) that have been bred to produce bi-, tri- and even quad-colored sheep.  However, even the best breeding programs can occasionally produce solid white or solid black sheep. 

While some consider the all white sheep produced by Painted Desert Sheep as Texas Dalls and the all black sheep produced by Painted Desert Sheep as Black Hawaiians, we recognize the efforts of those who are developing the solid black Corsicans into a recognized and unique breed and the solid white Corsicans into a separate breed.

Therefore, at Rafter SB, as breeders of these wonderful creatures, we consider solid colored sheep with known recent potential to produce spotted sheep as unregistered Painted Desert Sheep and only solid sheep with no known recent potential to produce spotted coloring as Texas Dall sheep or Black Hawaiian Sheep. If both parents of the solid lamb are registered Painted Desert Sheep, then the solid lamb may be granted a Hardship Registration as a Painted Desert Sheep.

Painted Desert rams have horns and manes.  Some ewes have horns but most are polled.  Some ewes may even have a small mane.

Click on links below for more detailed information from Rafter SB about Painted Desert Sheep

For Additional Information See Also:
*Painted Desert Sheep Colors                   *Painted Desert Sheep Color Patterns               *PDS Ear Types   *PDS Lambing        *PDS Temperment         *PDS Unique Markings
courtesy Lazy JV Ranch

For More Information on The Painted Desert Sheep Society:

Anita Garza Owner/Registrar - PHONE: 979-793-4207

Painted Desert Sheep Yahoo Group:

Call or Email the Painted Desert Sheep Society Owner/Registrar to join: 979-793-4207
cascabel@consolidated.net
 

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An all white Corsican Sheep which has developed into a recognized and unique breed. 

2 Year Old Gold Class Horned Texas Dall
Showing wide spread
Photo Courtesy of
Pavlock Farms - Texas

Young Texas Dall Ram shown shedding and displaying more heart shaped horns
photo - Rafter SB

Texas Dall Sheep are all white Corsican (Mouflon cross) Sheep.  These Mouflon  tend to have more Rambouillet in their history.  In fact, it was at the YO Ranch in Texas when some Merino or Rambouillet rams got out of their pen and crossed with the YO Ranch Mouflon ewes.  Solid White sheep were produced and these were eventually named Texas Dall Sheep.

The color of Texas Dall Sheep should be a snowy white color; however, some flocks and individual Texas Dalls may throw the occasional fawn colored spot or coloring which may or may not disappear as the sheep matures.  For serious Texas Dall Sheep Breeders, the goal is always to produce all white sheep and so culling of the sheep which produces such limited spotting should be undertaken.

These sheep also appear to have retained the Supracervical (heart shaped) horns of the Mouflon more than the all black crosses (Black Hawaiian) and the spotted crosses (Painted Desert).  Rams are horned and have manes.  Ewes may have horns or be polled but both rams and ewes are true hair sheep and shed their winter "coats". 

These sheep are NOT related to the Alaskan Dall Sheep.  The only similarity is their coloring and magnificent horns on the rams.

At Rafter SB we consider solid white Mouflon crosses with known recent potential to produce spotted sheep as unregistered Painted Desert Sheep and only sheep with no known recent potential to produce spotted coloring as Texas Dall Sheep because the solid, all white, non-spot producing Mouflon hybrid is sought after by breeders.

Click on links below for more detailed information about Texas Dall Sheep

For Additional Information See:
*Exotic Animal Field Guide by Elizabeth Mungall; College Station: Texas A & M University Press 2007

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Sometimes called a Red Dall or a Champagne Dall

 A Champagne Corsican Sheep which is starting to catch on in popularity and develop into a separate breed among a few breeders.

a young ram lamb exhibiting the champagne coloring.
 

Pictured above is Royal Star Red Ramsey of KC Ranch in Illinois with winter coat on

Champagne or "red" Dall Sheep: There is disagreement about champagne or red Dall Sheep.  General consensus among several long time breeders is that this is an indication that the sheep have something else other than all white sheep in the pedigrees.  While other people believe that this is just a "color phase" of the White Colored Texas Dall Sheep perhaps due to a recessive gene.  The reddish colored sheep are starting to be called Desert Sand Sheep.

In the picture of the young ram to the left,  note the face is white.  This leads some taxidermists to continue to call these "Texas Dall Sheep" based on what a trophy would show.

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A Polled, Meaty, Shedding Sheep

Katahdin sheep are colored and sometimes resemble the color patterns found on the Painted Desert Sheep.  However, these are not Mouflon crosses (Corsican Sheep).  The two most notable physical differences between Corsican & Katahdin sheep is that with the Katahdin Sheep, both the rams and ewes are polled (no horns) and the Katahdin Sheep are a larger framed breed than the Corsican Family.

Katahdin Sheep are not Painted Desert Sheep and sheep with Katahdin bloodlines should not be registered as Painted Desert Sheep. These sheep were developed by Michael Piel in Maine during the 1950 - 1970's.  Katahdins were produced during this time by crossing St Croix (Hair Sheep found in the Virgin Islands), and some British breeds including the Suffolk. Finally the Wiltshire Horned Sheep was imported from England and added to the mix to make improvements.  The sheep were further bred to reduce the horn influence from the Wiltshire Horn.  Today most Katahdins are polled, though some may exhibit small "horns".

Katahdin Sheep were named after Mount Katahdin in Maine and are a hair/shedding sheep with good meat characteristics, mothering abilities and are usually polled (no horns).

For More Information See:  *http://www.katahdins.org/

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A hybrid in the later stages of development at Terra Patre Farm and here at Rafter SB. Also seen as an attempt to save and recreate a Heritage Breed which resembles sheep referred to in historic journals

A Horned, Meaty, Shedding Sheep

NM Dahl Ram shown shedding

photo - Rafter SB

NM Dahl Sheep can trace their ancestry in some of the bloodlines to the hair sheep brought to the Kingdom of New Mexico (all of the US Southwest except California) in 1598 by the Onate Spanish Colonists.  Some of these sheep have been crossed with Mouflon Sheep and/or Wiltshire Horn Sheep (with roots traced to the Roman Empire) as well as other breeds. This unique hybrid is not being limited to breeding within the Corsican Sheep family (Texas Dall, Black Hawaiian, American Blackbelly and Painted Desert - Mouflon crosses), breeding is based solely on a focus on improving horn and meat qualities as well as maintaining the shedding ability. 

Rams have nice horns and it is not uncommon for the ewes to have horns also.  Manes are not a requirement.

While some bloodlines have incorporated Texas Dall Sheep, the NM Dahl Sheep are becoming a unique breed and are otherwise unrelated to the Alaskan Dall and the Texas Dall.  To further assist in distinguishing between NM Dahl, Texas Dall & Alaskan Dall Sheep, NM Dahl is spelled with one "l" and one "h" instead of the two "ll"s.  "Dahl" and "Dall" are pronounced the same.

For Additional Information See:
*Terra Patre Farms or email them  rehtaf1@lycos.com or nmdahl@yahoo.com

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A White, Horned, Shedding Sheep found in the Mountain Ranges of Alaska

Young Alaskan Dall Ram

Young Alaskan Dall Ram

photo from Microsoft Clip Art

Alaksan Dall Sheep (scientific name of Ovis Dalli Dalli) are a subspecies of the Thinhorn Sheep, also called Dall's Sheep, and are found in the mountain ranges of Alaska, Yukon Territories, Kenai Penninsula of Alaska, and extreme NW British Columbia.  They are mostly an all white sheep which sheds a wooly undercoat during Spring and Summer.

Weighing under 150 lbs for the Ewes and 200- 250 lbs for the rams, the meat, though difficult to remove from the remote habitats of the Dall Sheep, helps provides subsistence to some native communities in the Brooks Range, though Caribou and fish are more frequently relied on for food.

Both Rams and Ewes display horns with the ram's horns being much more massive.  The Alaskan Dall Sheep's horns are smaller and wider than the Bighorn's horns.  Alaskan Dall Ewes' horns are thin and less than 15 inches long and rams' horns can be upwards to 36 inches long with a record of more than 48 inches (probably measured on outside of curl).  Horns continue to grow throughout the life of the sheep, with the rams' horns taking 7 - 8 years to make a complete curl as viewed from the side.  Rams' horns exhibit slow growth for the first 4 - 5 years and then growth increases greatly.  Horn growth stops in the winter time and produces a pattern of rings called annuli on the horns which can help determine a ram's age.

In the wild, adult rams will stay in ram "flocks" or groups for most of the year.  Rams will at times fight to establish a dominant hierarchy within the group of rams; however, the awesome displays of head to head butting or ramming is usually reserved for times when different ram groups meet (sometimes at mineral licks).  Fighting for dominance in the social order is also exhibited by ewes.

Ewes are mature at 30 months and have their first lamb by age 3 or 4.  While able to sire lambs at 18 months, usually a ram will not sire lambs until they have reached a high level of dominance within the ram flock at 5 - 7 years of age.  Usually a single lamb is produced; however, twins may occur.

Dall's Sheep (Dall Sheep) were named after William H. Dall who was a renowned American Naturalist

The white Alaskan Dall and the other subspecies Ovis Dalli Stonei (Stone Sheep - grey to black with possibly some white coloring) are NOT related to the Texas Dall Sheep nor to the New Mexico Dahl Sheep.

For Additional Information See:
*http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/biggame/dallshee.php

*http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Ovis_dalli.html

*http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Dall's-Sheep

*http://press.princeton.edu/birds/mammals/goats/goats.html

*http://www.wildlifenorthamerica.com/Mammal/Dalls-Sheep/Ovis/dalli.html

*http://library.thinkquest.org/3500/dall_sheep.html

*http://www.enature.com/flashcard/show_flash_card.asp?recordNumber=MA0459

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dall_Sheep

*http://www.wildsheep.org/sheep/north_american/dall_sheep.htm

*http://canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca/english/species/mammals/mammalpages/ovi_dal.htm

A Polled, Shedding, Meat Sheep developed in Great Britain and very popular within Britain and elsewhere

In 1965, Richard "Iolo" Owen started working on producing a sheep that would be a medium sized, shedding, meaty sheep which would indeed be easy to care for and would achieve as close to 200% lambing as possible.

Wiltshire Horn Sheep from his father's well known Gedwydd flock were crossed with Welsh Mountain sheep.  Selective breeding of animals through the years, eventually led to a quality foundation flock of truly "Easy Care" Sheep and sales began in 1985.

Location: Originated in Great Britain

In 2003 the Easy Care Sheep Society was formed and interest in the breed continues to grow.

For Additional Information See:  *The Easy Care Sheep Society

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A Polled, Shedding, Meat Sheep in Germany

The Nolana Sheep is a combination of accessible native Wool Breeds with hair or shedding sheep.  The best of both worlds without the necessary chore of shearing, these sheep are being developed and improved in Germany and Europe.

Two types of Nolana Sheep are being developed:  a Meaty Sheep and a smaller framed sheep used for intensive grazing operations and landscape conservation.  The goal is produce a polled, shedding sheep and to continually work on improvements.

For More Information on Nolan Sheep and other International Breeding Efforts See:
*Nolana Network for All Hair Sheep - Germany             

*Nolana Network for All Hair Sheep - Europe

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A Horned, Meaty, Shedding Sheep from Britain

Wiltshire Horn Ram

Yearling Wiltshire Horn Ewe

photos - Rafter SB

The Wiltshire Horn Sheep's exact beginnings are unknown.  Some believe they are descendents of sheep taken to Britain by the Romans with origins beginning with some of the wild European Sheep.  Whatever the exact beginnings are, the Wiltshire Horn Sheep has become very popular for a variety of reasons.  One of the main uses of the Wiltshire Horn Sheep is using it to crossbreed with other sheep to create a hybrid, and ultimately at times a new breed of sheep, with an increase in hardiness and meat characteristics.  Documentation exists that show the popularity of these sheep since the 1700's in Britain.  In 1923 the Wiltshire or Western Sheep Breeders Association was formed and standards of the sheep, including the natural shedding of a winter wool coat in the summer were set. In 1931 the association became the Wiltshire Horn Sheep Society. 

While some may debate whether or not the Wiltshire Horn Sheep is a hair sheep which sheds like the Corsican Sheep (Painted Desert, American Blackbelly, Texas Dall, Black Hawaiian) do in the Summer, according to Richard Ling, Chair of the Council of the Wiltshire Horn Sheep Society in correspondence dated 02-02-07, the Wiltshire Horn Sheep  "is a hair sheep or shedding sheep".

The Wiltshire Horn Sheep have been used to create several popular breeds in Great Britain, the United States and Europe: the Katahdin Sheep Breed, the Easy Care Sheep Breed and the Nolana Sheep Breed and is now being used in creation of the New Mexico Dahl Breed.  In Australia, these sheep are crossed with Merino to produce prime lamb with less external parasite problems.

Where Located: Mainly in Great Britain & Australia.  Some may be found globally with relatively low numbers in the United States.

For Additional Information see:
*History of the Wiltshire Horn Sheep      *The Wiltshire Horn Sheep Society

*About the Wiltshire Horn Breed           *Wiltshire Horn Breed Standards

*The Wiltshire Horn Breeders Association of Australia

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General Information about Hair Sheep

 *Sheep Predators courtesy Cheyenne Farms

*Bottle Feeding Baby Animals courtesy Pegasus Valley