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The Valais Blacknose sheep originates from the areas around the Canton of Valais in Switzerland and for hundreds of years this was the only place they could be found. They are known to be a hardy breed that has adapted to the steep, rocky topography in the alps and the extreme weather conditions even in the summer. In their home country, this large breed has been providers of both meat and wool since the 1400’s but were only recognised as a breed as recently as 1962. 

The long white wool of the body, the black face and ears, and black markings on the knees, hocks and ankles combined with the spiral horns make this an attractive and rather distinctive breed. The breed is well known as a good producer of meat and is well known for the long coarse wool which has been widely used for felting and carpets.

The breed is rare worldwide, with most still found in Switzerland though smaller satellite populations exist in Germany, The United Kingdom, New Zealand and The United States of America, hopefully now safeguarding the breed from further decline. The first embryos and semen arrived into Australia from the UK in October 2020.

This is a large and relatively slow maturing breed. In Switzerland, ewes are usually not bred until they are at least 18 months of age. They are non seasonal breeders but it is recommended to breed naturally once per year. Reproduction rate averages 1.6 lambs.a

A young adult Valais Blacknose Sheep in front of hedge and red flowers