Cameroon Sheep

Cameroon Sheep

Description

The Cameroon sheep is a small, slender domestic hair sheep with a short, close-fitting coat, typically reddish-brown to black, often with a darker back stripe and a paler belly. Rams carry prominent sickle-shaped horns and a mane over the neck and chest, while ewes are usually hornless. Ewes weigh roughly 35-50 kg and rams around 45-60 kg, standing about 60-70 cm at the shoulder.

Habitat

This is a domestic breed derived from the West African Dwarf (Djallonké) sheep of the savannas and open, dry regions of West Africa. Hardy and undemanding, it has become popular across Europe as a landrace kept on farms, in parks and in petting zoos.

Diet

A herbivore that grazes mainly on grasses and herbs, and also browses leaves. In human care it is fed hay along with fresh greens.

Reproduction

Gestation lasts around 150 days, after which the ewe usually gives birth to one or two lambs. The breed matures early and can breed year-round, so up to three lamb crops within two years are possible.

Lifespan

Cameroon sheep typically live about 12-15 years, and individuals in good care can reach an even greater age.

Did you know?

Unlike woolly sheep, the Cameroon sheep is a hair sheep: it grows a fine undercoat in winter and sheds it naturally in spring, so it never needs shearing.