Also occasionally called the breton dwarf, it is one of the smallest breeds of sheep in the world. The ouessant or ushant is a breed of domestic sheep from the island of ouessant off the coast of brittany, france. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Our mission is to establish this unique breed in the us through an upbreeding program. Any information about the breed would also be very valuable. The society makes no guarantees but strongly recommends that prospective buyers use the marketplace. Media in category ouessant sheep the following 51 files are in this category, out of 51 total. Mates from different herds tend to have good lambs. We provide help, support and advice for smallholders and aspiring smallholders. Purebred ouessant sheep currently exist only in europe.
I like the ouessant breed, and i would love to own some. History and facts of the ouessant breed new forest ouessant. On sunday, september 28 i had the great honor to shear some ouessant sheep, which are part of the capella grazing project. Ouessant sheep for sale the accidental smallholder.
There are over 200 breeds of sheep, each of which thrive under particular conditions. This page was last edited on 14 november 2016, at 18. A holding page for the ouessant sheep society of great britain. Ouessants are the smallest breed of sheep in the world and make excellent lawnmowers. The ouessant sheep is a rare breed originating from ushant. Ouessant sheep are the smallest naturally occurring sheep in the world. Ouessant lambs we have one of the smallest sheep breeds in the world as. If you plan to purchase sheep, you will need to purchase a breed appropriate for your geography and living conditions. Apart from their original black colour, ouessant sheep are available in brown caramel, white and the much rarer grey. Sheep are grazing mammals often kept as livestock on farms. Sheep code of recommendations for the welfare of livestock sheep corp aw 281004 07. Hello the ouessant are ear tagged and microchipped, after speaking with defra, the ouessant society, the microchip registration companies and several vets some time ago, it is permitted to microchip any pet animal not used in the food chain, for stock management use.
Shearing ouessant in the orchard by anysteph, october 1, 2014 the sheep go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah. Small but perfectly formed the hardy little sheep that make perfect. The fleece of a ouessant sheep is 10% of its bodyweight. The ouessant sheep is a breed of domestic sheep from france. However, most sanctuary animals come from abusive conditions and, consequently, they may have health problems and shorter life spans than this. The ouessant is a very rare breed and the smallest sheep in the world, and these particular sheep are 65%. Even godzilla the goat, the day he broke out of his field and into that of the sheep, ran up the white flag after a head to. Raising sheep is rewarding whether it be for ones livelihood, as a source of homegrown food or as a hobby. Ouessant are a small and compact sheep requiring half the space of other species of sheep. Sheep books specilizes books on lamb problems, managing your ewe and her new born lambs, sheep breeding and sheep diseases extensive information on sheep farming, raising, breeding and showing can be found in our sheep books. The small size is hereditary and is a result of living in such severe conditions on the island of ouessant, but. Print and fold this cute little sheep booklet for the kids to write stories in, collect facts, or use in their farm theme. Today we are thrilled to have a wovember words post from diane falck aka the spinning shepherd. Wethers become very friendly and are easy to keep as long as you have a.
They care well for their young and will even fight off predators when attacked by such. Ouessant are curious and friendly little sheep standing no higher than about 19 tall at the shoulder for rams and 18 for ewes about 3 smaller than britains other tiny sheep, the soay. Our unique pricing algorithm classifies vehicles according to a wide variety of factors, estimates the market price for this specification of vehicle and displays this pricing tag when sufficient data is available but cant take into account the sellers reason for sale, vehicle modifications or condition. In fact, the cheviot handbook 1961, also suggests an infusion of merino. Included are symptoms, causes, and treatments of hoof problems such as rot, scald, etc. In this article, representing france in our european tour of sheep and wool, she tells us a bit more about this wonderful, ancient breed. Were definitely keeping our new girl lambs ophelia and olivia but are considering. However, their diminutive size also means that the breed is not commercially viable in the modern world of agricultural production.
Hi we are now taking orders for our 2020 pedigree ouessant lamb crop. Sheep are pretty easycare critters for a farm animal. Booklet if you are raising sheep, sheep farming,or breeding sheep hoof care booklet covers the prevention and treatment of hoof disorders. As a primitive breed, they retain some of their small stature. The ouessant breed originated on the island of ouessant ile d ouessant about a dozen miles off the coast of france brittany. The ouessant sheep has a primitive fleece that exhibits a lack of uniformity on a number of different levels. On this website, you will find information about us, our farm, the ouessant breed, the status of our upbreeding program and. History and facts of the ouessant breed new forest. They are remarkably hardy little creatures, originating from an island. Ouessant sheep, a closely related breed who also got their start on an island, share many of the same characteristics but are even smaller. Mature female sheep ewes generally weigh between 110 and 150 pounds. The society exists to protect, promote and improve the ouessant breed, providing members with information and advice on the care and welfare of ouessants, and representing the interests of owners and their sheep in the uk and abroad.
It has a long staple which is the name for the length of fibre. Oct 01, 2014 shearing ouessant in the orchard by anysteph, october 1, 2014. Lambing experience on an organic farm jacob sheep trekking. Guide to raising healthy sheep extension sheboygan county. The origins of ouessant sheep le mouton breton click on the pdf link page 25. Sheep care physiology of sheep the average lifespan for sheep is 10 to 12 years. Mar 23, 2020 sheep are adaptable to many climates and can be found throughout the world. It is known by some other names such as ushant, breton island dwarf and mouton douessant. Member of the ouessant sheep society of great britain to see the slideshow below, click on photo below, then press play.
Faq about ouessant sheep questions frequemment posees frequently asked questions on caring for ouessant sheep this is by no means an exhaustive guide to caring for ouessant sheep and if you are in any doubt, advice should be sought from additional reputable sources. The ouessant is a very rare breed and the smallest sheep in the world, and these particular sheep are 65% ouessant and 35% shetland. Births and breeding 12 breed standard 2 colour inheritance in ouessant sheep 1 diary 86 faq questions frequemment posees 1 fleeces and spinning 24 heritage flock troupeau patrimoine 2 history of ouessant sheep 3 horn genetics 2 on my bobbin 6 owning and caring for ouessants 16 photos 23 shows and events 25. It is one of the northern european shorttailed sheep group of breeds, a type ubiquitous in northern europe up to roman times, but which now survives only in a few places. The nutrition and care of the pregnant ewe influences lamb size, litter size, lamb vigour, colostrum quality and quantit. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Yet, our little ouessant sheep have never been improved. The ouessant or ushant is a breed of domestic sheep from the island of ouessant off the coast of brittany. The wonderful ouessant sheep is a rare breed of heritage sheep originally from. Director nick reynolds commented we keep ouessant sheep in the fun farm here at paradise park. The ouessant existed exclusively on its home island until the beginning of the 20th century, and is still a rare breed today. Fine and regular, with horns for rams, chamfer and forehead forming a line.
Fine, small, short, mobile, tending to stand itself. Here at lowes farm we have our own little flock of ouessant sheep. Spaces are limited with only six places available to book on each day, this. Ouessant sheep are the most primitive of the native french breeds. A small sheep breed, measuring 49cm at the withers for the ram and 46 for the ewe, it nevertheless does not qualify as a dwarf sheep, its legs being in proportion and not atrophied. Weve found that sheep dont care very much for bluegrass or. It is true that the small size of ouessant sheep contributes to the breeds characteristic charm and appeal. They make fantastic pets because they are naturally very curious little sheep and can therefore be gotten extremely tame and because of their small size they can be kept on very small pieces of land. It is even more challenging when you have a lot of ouessant sheep farm equipment to take care of. Ouessants are lovely little sheep and ideal for novice sheep keepers.
These delightful rare breed sheep are the smallest in the world, on average growing to only 17 tall when they are fully grown. They are compact, efficient grazers and maximum weight for a ram is around 41 lbs. Their exceptionally small size is attributed to the limited pasture and consequent selection for small sheep. I am amazed to find some of my sheep can trace their linage to that importation. Members of the society may advertise sheep for sale and hire in the online flock book and in the marketplace section of this website. I have 2 ouessant wethers castrated males for sale. Faq about ouessant sheep questions frequemment posees.
However, i havent been able to locate any breeders in the us. It was actually developed from the island of ouessant off the coast of brittany. Long term wovemberists will remember diane from wovembers past, for which she has provided many fantastic articles and photos of her ouessant sheep. Ouessant sheep are usually black or dark brown and rams have very large horns. Ushant is a perfect breed for first time sheep keepers, hobby sheep keepers, those with a paddock or small holding and many more. In paris, the city government recently began using a small herd of ouessant sheep to graze public lands. Located 12 miles off the french coast in the sea of iroise, the island of ouessant or ushant in english is the original homeland of ouessant sheep. Additionally, ouessant sheep come in a number of different colors. Jan 29, 2014 i like the ouessant breed, and i would love to own some.
The ouessant sheep society of great britain was formed in february 2005 by a group of enthusiastic breeders and owners of the ouessant sheep. Named after the island it originated from, the ouessant sheep pronounced. You will learn about individual treatment of chronic cases, and the importance of using zinc. Apart from ushant, these are remote islands and mountains of britain and scandinavia and some places around the. Code of recommendations for the welfare of livestock sheep. And these animals were kept on the island until the mid 1900s. Member of the ouessant sheep society of great britain to see the. Instructions to build doublesided or singlesided feeders, perfect for goats. Ouessant sheep arca del gusto slow food foundation. They are basically a grazing animal, and pasture or hay should make up the bulk of their diet. So if you know of any, or breed them yourself, let me know. Sheep care guide the american sheep industry association acknowledges and expresses gratitude to the following persons for contributing to this document. That doesnt mean they can survive on burnedout brown lawn grass.
Ouessant sheep determining a breeds index of age fr. It is one of the northern european shorttailed sheep breeds, together with several other types from great britain, scandinavia and germany. The society maintains a register of all pedigree ouessant sheep in the uk. Ouessant sheep characteristics classification and images. Certainly the island of ouessant brittany, excessively windy, devoid of trees and offering few natural protections would have been able to favor the small animals. Ouessant are a small and compact sheep requiring half the space of other species of. The ouessant is the smallest sheep in the world with a shoulder height of about 48 50 centimeters 19 20 inches for the rams, and 45 46 centimeters 17 18 inches for the ewes. And thats most definitely what father and daughter team jonathan and beth. The assured truths miss to attribute credible previous history to the race of ouessant. Sheep are ruminants multistomached animals and consequently, they rely mainly on hay or pasture for their dietary needs. Welcome to breton meadow farm, home of ouessant sheep in the united states. Ewes rarely produce twins, and the breed is primarily used for wool production. Enter your email address to receive alerts when we have new listings available for ouessant sheep for sale.
Occasionally referred to as the breton dwarf, the ouessant breed is one of the smallest breeds of sheep in existence. In all of the so called modern or improved breeds of sheep, uniformity has been one of the most important criteria of selection. Home contact form more pictures stock for sale links videos frosty herefordshire ouessants. It is known by some other names such as ushant, breton island dwarf and mouton d ouessant. Ruth woiwode, food safety net services original guide written 1996. Its true that i have a bit of a preference for ouessant wool. Code of recommendations for the welfare of livestock. They are remarkably hardy little creatures, originating from an island off the coast of france, battered by gales and swept by rain. Ouessant sheep are excellent at keeping up with lawn care on their own. When it comes to raising sheep, there are a lot of challenges. The best things come in small packages so the saying goes. But, it must be said that i love wool in all its many forms. After we changed to vendeens, we kept the tup, sooty, because of our admiration for his attitude.