Sheep Breeds: Best 207 For Sheep Farming

There are many different types of sheep breeds available throughout the world. All these breeds are not suitable for farming in all places around the world. Some of these breeds are good for cold areas, and some breeds are good for hot areas.

Some breeds are good for meat production, some are good for milk, and some are good for both milk and meat production. Some breeds are also good for fiber production.

Sheep is a very familiar domestic animal. Dry weather and cold area is very suitable for sheep farming. The main characteristics of sheep is that their body is fully covered with fur. Their skin and fur is very valuable. Sheep are not highly milk productive like goat. There are about 200 sheep breeds around the world.

Different Types of Sheep Breeds

Sheep breeds are of three types according to their production which are described below.

Meat Productive Sheep Breeds

Dorset, Suffolk, Cheviot etc. are highly meat productive sheep breeds.

Hair Productive Sheep Breeds

Merino, Rambouillet etc. are hair productive sheep breeds.

Hair & Meat Productive Sheep Breeds

Cordially, Montadale, Kooka etc are famous for both hair and meat production.

Some Popular Sheep Breeds

Here we are going to shortly discuss about some of the most popular sheep breeds and their defining traits.

Merino Sheep

Merino sheep are known for their fine wool, which is highly sought after for clothing and textiles. They are originally from Spain but are now raised in many countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Merinos have a long history of breeding for wool quality, and their fleece is prized for its softness, fineness, and elasticity. Merino wool is also naturally moisture-wicking and insulating, making it ideal for outdoor clothing.

Dorset Sheep

Dorset sheep are a breed of domestic sheep that are primarily used for meat production. They are medium to large-sized, with white wool and a docile temperament.

Dorsets are well-suited to a range of climates and are considered hardy and adaptable. They can produce high-quality lamb meat year-round, making them a popular choice for commercial farming.

Suffolk Sheep

Suffolk sheep are a large, black-faced breed that originated in England. They are primarily bred for their meat, which is tender and flavorful.

Suffolk sheep are also known for their excellent mothering abilities, making them a popular choice for breeding ewes. They are hardy and adaptable, thriving in a range of environments.

Jacob Sheep

Jacob sheep are an ancient British breed known for their distinctive multi-colored wool and distinctive horns. They are smaller in size but hardy and adaptable, able to thrive in a range of climates.

The fleece of Jacob sheep is highly valued by hand spinners and weavers due to its unique coloring and texture.

Cheviot Sheep

Cheviot sheep are a hardy breed that originated in the Scottish Borders. They are primarily bred for their wool, which is long and coarse, but also produce high-quality meat.

Cheviots are known for their lively temperament and are popular with hobby farmers and smallholders.

Border Leicester Sheep

Border Leicester sheep are a large, white-faced breed that originated in England. They are primarily bred for their long, lustrous wool, which is highly valued by hand spinners and weavers.

Border Leicesters are also known for their excellent mothering abilities, making them a popular choice for breeding ewes.

Hampshire Sheep

Hampshire sheep are a medium to large-sized breed that are primarily bred for their meat. They have a distinctive black face, ears, and legs and are considered an easily recognizable breed. Hampshire sheep are known for their fast growth rate and ability to produce lean, high-quality meat.

Texel Sheep

Texel sheep are a breed originating from the island of Texel in the Netherlands. They are primarily bred for meat production and are known for their muscular build and high-quality meat.

Texel sheep are also prized for their fine wool, which is used for clothing and textiles.

Romney Sheep

Romney sheep are a medium to large-sized breed that originated in England. They are primarily bred for their wool, which is long and lustrous, with a high yield.

Romneys are also excellent mothers and can produce multiple lambs each year, making them a popular choice for commercial farming.

Karakul Sheep

Karakul sheep are an ancient breed originating from Central Asia. They are primarily bred for their meat and their unique fur, which is highly prized for its softness and durability.

Karakul sheep are known for their ability to adapt to extreme climates, making them ideal for desert regions.

All Sheep Breeds

Breed name, production purpose and origin place of some popular sheep breeds are listed in the chart below.

Breed Name	Purpose	Origin
A
Acipayam	Meat, wool	Turkey
Adal	Meat	Ethiopia
Africana	Meat	Colombia
Afrikaner	Meat	South Africa
Alai	Meat, wool	Kyrgyzstan
Algarve Churro	Meat, wool	Portugal
Alpines Steinschaf	Meat, wool	Germany
Altay	Meat	China
Appenninica	Meat	Italy
Arabi	Meat	Iran, Iraq
Afghan Arabi	Meat	Afghanistan
Arapawa	Wool	New Zealand
Armenian Semicoarsewool	Meat, milk	Armenia
Askanian	Wool	Ukraine
Assaf	Meat, milk	Israel
Aussiedown	Meat	Australia
Awassi	Meat, milk, wool	Syro-Arabian desert
B
Badger Face Welsh Mountain	Meat	Wales
Balkhi	Meat, wool	Afghanistan, Pakistan
Baluchi	Wool	Pakistan
Balwen Welsh Mountain	Meat	Wales
Barbados Blackbelly	Meat	Caribbean
Bardoka	Meat, milk, wool	Serbia
Basco-béarnaise	Milk	France
Beltex	Meat	Belgium
Bentheimer Landschaf	Vegetation management	Germany
Bergamasca	Meat, milk, wool	Italy
Berrichon du Cher	Meat	France
Beulah Speckled Face	Meat	United Kingdom
Bibrik	Meat	Pakistan
Biellese	Meat	Italy
Blackhead Persian	Meat, wool	South Africa
Black Welsh Mountain	Meat	United Kingdom
Brecknock Hill Cheviot	Meat, wool	Wales
Bleu du Maine	Meat	France
Bluefaced Leicester	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Bond	Meat, wool	Australia
Booroola Merino	Meat, wool	Australia
Border Leicester	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Border Cheviot	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Boreray	Meat, wool	Scotland
Bovec	Meat, milk	Italy
Braunes Bergchaf	Meat, wool, vegetation management	Germany
British Milk	Meat, milk, wool	United Kingdom
C
California Red	Meat, wool	United States
Canadian Arcott	Meat	Canada
Castlemilk Moorit	Hobby	Scotland
Charmoise	Meat	France
Charollais	Meat, wool	France
Cheviot	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Chios	Milk	Island of Chios
Cholistani	Meat, wool	Pakistan
Clun Forest	Meat, milk, wool	United Kingdom
Coburger Fuchsschaf	Vegetation management	Germany
Columbia	Wool	United States
Comeback	Meat, wool	Australia
Comisana	Milk	Italy
Coopworth	Meat, wool	New Zealand
Cormo	Wool	Australia
Corriedale	Meat, wool	New Zealand
Cotswold	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Criollo	Meat	Central America
D
Dala Fur	Meat, wool	Sweden
Dalesbred	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Daglic	Meat, milk, wool	Turkey
Damani	Meat, wool	Pakistan
Damara	Meat	Namibia
Danish Landrace	Wool	Denmark
Debouillet	Wool	United States
Delaine Merino	Wool	United States
Derbyshire Gritstone	Meat	United Kingdom
Devon Closewool	Meat	United Kingdom
Devon Longwoolled	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Dohne Merino	Meat, wool	South Africa
Dorper	Meat	South Africa
Dorset Horn	Meat	United Kingdom
Dorset Down	Meat	United Kingdom
Drenthe Heath	Meat	Netherlands
Drysdale	Wool	New Zealand
E
Exmoor Horn	Meat	United Kingdom
Estonian Ruhnu	Meat, wool	Estonia
English Leicester	Meat	United Kingdom
Elliottdale	Meat	Tasmania
East Friesian	Milk	Germany
F
Fabrianese	Meat	Italy
Faroe	Meat	Faroe Islands
Finnsheep	Meat, milk, wool	Finland
G
Gaddi	Meat, wool	India
Galician	Meat, milk	Spain
Galway	Meat	Ireland
Gansu Alpine Fine Wool	Wool	China
Gentile di Puglia	Wool	Italy
Gotland	Meat, wool	Sweden
Greyface Dartmoor	Meat	United Kingdom
Grey Troender	Wool	Norway
Gromark	Meat, wool	Australia
Gulf Coast Native	Meat	United States
Guirra	Meat	Spain
Gute	Genetic conservation	Sweden
H
Hampshire	Meat	United Kingdom
Hebridean	Vegetation management	Scotland
Herdwick	Meat	United Kingdom
Hill Rannor	Meat	United Kingdom
Hog Island	Wool	United States
I
Icelandic	Meat, milk, wool	Iceland
Ile de France	Meat	France
J
Jacob	Meat, wool	Middle East
Jezersko Solcava	Meat, wool	Slovenia
K
Kerry Hill	Meat	Wales
Katahdin	Meat	United States
Karayaka	Meat, milk	Turkey
Karakul	Meat, milk, wool	Central Asia
L
Laticuda	Meat, milk	Italy
Lonk	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Lohi	Meat, wool	India
Llanwenog	Meat	Wales
Lincoln	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Latxa	Milk	Spain
Lacaune	Milk	France
M
Morada Nova	Meat	Brazil
Montadale	Meat, wool	United States
Meronolandschaf	Meat, wool	Germany
Merinizzata Italiana	Meat, wool	Italy
Meatmaster	Meat	South Africa
Massese	Meat, milk	Italy
Manx Loaghtan	Meat, wool	Isle of Man
Merino	Meat, wool	Spain
N
Najdi	Meat, milk, wool	Saudi Arabia
Navajo Churro	Meat, wool	United States
Newfoundland	General	Canada
Norfolk Horn	Meat	United Kingdom
North Ronaldsay	Meat, wool	Scotland
Northern European Short-Tailed	Meat, milk, wool	Germany, British Isles, Scandinavia, Russia
North Country Cheviot	Meat, wool	Scotland
O
Oxford Down	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Ouessant	Wool	France
P
Pelibuey	Meat	Mexico
Panama	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Perendale	Meat, wool	New Zealand
Pinzirita	Meat, milk, wool	Italy
Polwarth	Meat, wool	Australia
Polypay	Meat, wool	United States
Portland	Meat	United Kingdom
Poll Merino	Meat, wool	Australia
Polled Dorset	Meat	United States
Pomeranian Coarsewool	Meat	Germany
R
Racka	Meat, milk, wool	Hungary
Rambouillet	Meat, wool	France
Red Maasai	Meat	East Africa
Rideau Arcott	Meat, wool	Canada
Romanov	Meat	Russia
Romney	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Romeldale	Meat, milk, wool	United States
Roslag	Meat, wool	Sweden
Rouge de l’Ouest	Meat, milk	France
Rough Fell	Meat	United Kingdom
Royal White	Meat	United States
Ruda	Wool	Albania, Croatia
Rya	Wool	Sweden
Ryeland	Meat	United Kingdom
S
Santa Cruz	Wool	United States
Sarda	Milk	Italy
Scottish Blackface	Meat	Scotland
Serrai	Meat, milk, wool	Greece
Shetland	Meat, wool	Scotland
Shropshire	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Skudde	Meat	Germany
Soay	Meat	Scotland
Sopravissana	Meat, milk	Italy
Southdown	Meat	United Kingdom
Soth African Meat Merino	Meat, wool	South Africa
Spaelsau	Meat, milk, wool	Norway
St. Croix	Meat	United States
Suffolk	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Swaledale	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
T
Targhee	Meat, wool	United States
Teeswater	Meat, wool	United Kingdom
Texel	Meat	Netherlands
Tiroler Steinschaf	Meat, wool	Austria
Tunis	Meat, milk	Tunisia
U
Uda	Meat	Africa
V
Valais Blacknose	Meat	Switzerland
Van Rooy	Meat	South Africa
Vendeen	Meat	France
W
Welsh Mountain	Meat	Wales
Wensleydale	Meat	United Kingdom
West African Dwarf	Meat	Southwest to central Africa
White Suffolk	Meat	Australia
Whiteface Dartmoor	Meat	United Kingdom
Whitefaced Woodland	Meat	United Kingdom
White Horned heath	Meat, wool	Germany
White Polled Heath	Meat, wool	Germany
Wiltipoll	Meat	Australia
Wiltshire Horn	Meat	United Kingdom
Z
Zwartbles	Meat, milk	Netherlands
Zulu	Meat	South Africa

Frequently Asked Questions

Many people ask questions about different types of sheep breeds. Here we are trying to list the most common questions about different breeds of sheep, and trying to answer them. Hope you will find your answer. Don’t hesitate to ask us if you have more questions.

What is the most common breed of sheep?

The Rambouillet is the most common breed of domestic sheep in the United States. The breed is especially most common in the western states.

What are the top breeds of sheep in terms of popularity?

The most common and popular breeds of sheep are Merino, Leicester Long-wool, Lincoln, Dorset, Turcana, Dorper, Tsigai, Hampshire sheep etc.

How many varieties of sheep are there?

There are actually thousands of sheep varieties available throughout the world.

What is the best breed of sheep for the beginners?

The best breed of sheep for beginners are Suffolk, Polypay, Blackhead Persian, Dorper etc.

What sheep is best for meat production?

Best breed of sheep for meat production are Suffolk, Dorper, Southdown, Texel, Hampshire, Montadale, Dorset, Shropshire etc.

Which sheep breed is best for both meat and wool production?

Suffolk, Hampshire, Southdown are good for both meat and wool production.

What breed of sheep is best tasting lamb?

Hampshire, Katahdin and Dorper lambs are the most popular for good taste and flavor.

What is the rarest sheep breed?

Cameroon sheep from Kent is one of the rarest breed of sheep.

What is the hardiest breed of sheep?

Hardiness of a sheep depends on numerous factors. However, some best breed of sheep for extreme climates are Katadin, Texels, Barbados Blackbelly, West African Dwarf, Icelandic, St. Croix, Black Welsh Mountain and Shetland sheep.

What is a white sheep called?

There are many sheep breeds available which are white in color. Some most common white sheep are Merino, Rambouillet, Romney, Jacob, Cheviot, Leicester, Dorper, Dorset and many more.

What is female sheep called?

An adult female sheep is called an ewe.

What is a male sheep called?

An adult male sheep is called a ram.

What is a lamb?

A sheep that is less than 1 year of age is called a lamb.

Can sheep live on grass alone?

Yes, sheep are ruminants and they can live on grass alone.

What is sheep meat called?

Sheep meat is called by different names. Such as meat from sheep that is less than one year old is called lamb, and meat from mature sheep is called mutton.

Which sheep breed grows faster?

The Dorper sheep grows faster than any other breeds of sheep. It is a breed of meat sheep and grows very fast.

What is the best sheep for milk?

Sheep are not excellent milkers like goat. Although, there are some sheep available which produce good amount of milk. Such as the East Friesian is a dairy sheep breed.

Can different breeds of sheep live together?

Yes, but it is not recommended.

What is the best pet sheep?

Hair sheep are probably the best pet sheep. They are good choice because they do not require shearing or docking.

How long does a sheep live?

Average lifespan of a sheep is between 10 and 12 years.

How much housing space do sheep require?

Generally, a mature sheep will require about 15 square feet space. Although, it can vary depending on the breeds.