Valais Blacknose

The Valais Blacknose (German: Walliser Schwarznasenschaf) is a breed of domestic sheep originating in the Valais region of Switzerland.[2] It is a dual-purpose breed, raised both for meat and for wool.[1]: 281 

Valais Blacknose
Other namesWalliser Schwarznasenschaf
Country of originSwitzerland
Usedual-purpose, meat and wool
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    80–130 kg (180–290 lb)
  • Female:
    70–90 kg (150–200 lb)
Height
  • Male:
    75–83 cm (30–33 in)
  • Female:
    72–78 cm (28–31 in)[1]: 281 
Wool colourwhite
Face colourblack

History

The breed originates in the mountains of the canton of Valais – from which its name derives – and of the Bernese Oberland. It is documented as far back as the fifteenth century, but the present German name was not used before 1884; the breed standard dates from 1962. In the past there was some cross-breeding with imported sheep, in the nineteenth century of Bergamasca and Cotswold stock,[3]: 940  and in the twentieth century of the Southdown breed.[1]: 280 

Characteristics

The Schwarznasenschaf is a mountain breed, well adapted to grazing on the stony pastures of its area of origin.[3]: 940  Both rams and ewes are horned.[3]: 940 

Use

The Valais Blacknose is a dual-purpose breed, reared for both meat and wool. The wool is coarse: fibre diameter averages approximately 38 microns, and staple length is 100 mm (3.9 in) or more.[3]: 940  The annual yield of wool is about 4 kg (8.8 lb) per head.[1]: 281 

See also

References
  1. Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. ISBN 9788850652594. p. 280–281.
  2. Breed data sheet: Walliser Schwarznasenschaf/Switzerland. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed September 2013.
  3. Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.

Media related to Walliser Schwarznasenschaf at Wikimedia Commons


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.