Valais Blacknose Sheep Cost

The Valais Blacknose sheep originate in the Valais region of Switzerland. They are a dual-purpose breed, raised for meat and wool. They are unique to the Upper Valais and are well adapted to the harsh mountain conditions, being extremely hardy, prolific and frugal. The black on its nose, eyes, ears, knees, hocks and feet and otherwise light woolly coats make them quite unmistakeable. They have large helical or spiral shaped horns .They are good at grazing steep, rocky slopes. Both sexes are horned. The earliest mention of the breed dates back to 1400 A.D., but they were first recognized as a separate breed in 1962.

Today, the Swiss herdbooks include almost 13,700 animals.  The breed was exclusively raised in Switzerland until imported to the British Isles in 2013 and 2014 by several interested breeders. Importation to the US is being pursued through an upgrading program using semen collected from purebred Valais Blacknose Sheep beginning in fall of 2016.  The VBSS respectfully acknowledges the generations of work that have gone in to developing the Valais Blacknose Sheep in Switzerland and has adopted the Standard of Type from the Swiss time tested standards of selection.

Description

The Valais Blacknose is a coarsewooled breed of sheep kept for both meat and wool. The breed originates from the Valais region of Switzerland.They were first mentioned around the year 1400, but they were not recognized as a breed until 1962. Valais Blacknose sheep should have black noses, ears, eye rims, knees, and ankles. Both male and female should have spiral horns. For hundreds of years, the Valais Blacknose was only found in the areas surrounding the Valais region of Switzerland.However, in 2014 the breed was imported to the United Kingdom. Additionally, in 2016 the United States began importing semen as part of an “upgrading program.”

Features

Extraordinary beauty and unique appearance of Blacknose Sheep consists of their specific colouring: white wool contrasts with their black faces and ears, black patches are also located on particular places of their bodies, such as knees, feet, or hocks. Their cute look is also connected with another characteristics of the wool. Valais Blacknose Sheep have a very fluffy and long wool, what makes these adorable animals look even more sweet. Both males and females have horns, what sometimes makes it hard to recognise rams from ewes. Males are larger and heavier than females. A ram can weigh from 80 to 130 kg, while the weight of a mature ewe varies from 70 to 90 kg. Average female’s height is 72-78 cm, males are slightly larger (75-83 cm).

Uses/benefits


The Valais Blacknose, German: Walliser Schwarznasenschaf, is a breed of domestic sheep originating in the Valais region of Switzerland.

It is a dual-purpose breed, raised both for meat and for wool, but mainly wool production which is good for felting and carpets.

Placid nature, easily trained make them perfect pets. 

They’re known as the World’s cutest sheep.
 

Valais Blacknose Sheep Cost

$1,000 to $10,000

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