The Pomeranian Coarsewool or simply Pomeranian ( German: Pommersches Rauhwollschaf; Pommernschaf; Rauhwolliges Pommersches Landschaf) is an old domestic sheep breed from the Pomerania region. [1] The first records of similar sheep in Pomerania can be traced to more than 3000 years ago. [2] [3] This breed is raised primarily for meat and vegetation management. [4]
This breed is polled (hornless), and has a black head with slate-blue or grey wool on the body – lambs are born wholly black. The legs are also covered with wool, and the tongue is blue. The fleece has shorter hairs amongst the longer wool. [2]
The breed is very hardy and is able to live outside all year, even raising lambs in the snow. The sheep thrive on poor forage. [3] [5]
Ewes average around 55 kg (121 lb) in weight, and rams about 65 kg (143 lb). The fleece ranges from 3.5 to 7 kg (7.7 to 15.4 lb). [2]
Initially, this breed was called Grauwollschafe ("greywool sheep"), which in time changed to Rauhwollschafe ("coarsewool sheep") by dropping the first letter. [5] The breed almost vanished in the second half of the 20th century, when the population dropped below 100 and it was placed on the Red List of endangered livestock breeds. [2] [3] [5] The population has since recovered somewhat.
The Pomeranian Coarsewool or simply Pomeranian ( German: Pommersches Rauhwollschaf; Pommernschaf; Rauhwolliges Pommersches Landschaf) is an old domestic sheep breed from the Pomerania region. [1] The first records of similar sheep in Pomerania can be traced to more than 3000 years ago. [2] [3] This breed is raised primarily for meat and vegetation management. [4]
This breed is polled (hornless), and has a black head with slate-blue or grey wool on the body – lambs are born wholly black. The legs are also covered with wool, and the tongue is blue. The fleece has shorter hairs amongst the longer wool. [2]
The breed is very hardy and is able to live outside all year, even raising lambs in the snow. The sheep thrive on poor forage. [3] [5]
Ewes average around 55 kg (121 lb) in weight, and rams about 65 kg (143 lb). The fleece ranges from 3.5 to 7 kg (7.7 to 15.4 lb). [2]
Initially, this breed was called Grauwollschafe ("greywool sheep"), which in time changed to Rauhwollschafe ("coarsewool sheep") by dropping the first letter. [5] The breed almost vanished in the second half of the 20th century, when the population dropped below 100 and it was placed on the Red List of endangered livestock breeds. [2] [3] [5] The population has since recovered somewhat.