Valais Blacknose Sheep

Valais Blacknose Sheep

Description

A traditional Swiss mountain breed instantly recognisable for its striking pattern: a snow-white, dense woolly coat contrasting with a jet-black nose, ears, knees and feet. Both rams and ewes carry spiralled horns and grow long, coarse wool. Rams reach roughly 80-100 kg and ewes 70-80 kg, giving the breed a sturdy, robust build.

Habitat

This is a domestic breed rather than a wild animal. It originated in the mountainous Valais canton of southern Switzerland, where it has been kept since at least the 15th century and was officially recognised as a breed in 1962. It is superbly adapted to cold, rugged Alpine terrain and grazes happily on steep, stony pastures.

Diet

A grazing herbivore, it feeds on grass, hay and the leaves of shrubs, and is sometimes given mineral supplements to keep it healthy on sparse mountain forage.

Reproduction

Ewes carry their lambs for about 150 days and usually give birth to one lamb, occasionally twins. The breed can lamb twice within roughly two years.

Lifespan

Typically around 10-12 years.

Did you know?

With its fluffy coat and cartoon-like black face, the Valais Blacknose is often nicknamed "the world's cutest sheep" and is a favourite subject for photographers.