Navajo-Churro Sheep
| Shaggy Bear Farms Navajo-Churro Sheep |
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All about Navajo-Churro Sheep
Navajo-Churro sheep are descended from the Churra, an ancient Iberian breed. Although secondary to the Merino, the Churra (later corrupted to "Churro" by American frontiersmen) was prized by the Spanish for its remarkable hardiness, adaptability and fecundity. The Churra was the very first breed of domesticated sheep in the New World. Its importation to New Spain by the Spanish dates back to the 16th century where it was used to feed and clothe the armies of the conquistadors and Spanish settlers. By the 17th century the Churro had become the mainstay of Spanish ranches and villages along the upper Rio Grande Valley. Native Indians acquired flocks of Churro for food and fiber through raids and trading. Within a century, herding and weaving had become a major economic asset for the Navajo. It was from Churro wool that the early Rio Grande, Pueblo, and Navajo textiles were woven -- a fleece admired by collectors for its luster, silky hand, variety of natural colors and durability As early as 1789, the Spanish controlled the export of ewes from the provinces of New Mexico to maintain breeding stock. But in the 1850's thousands of Churro were trailed west to supply the California Gold Rush. Most of the remaining Churro of the Hispanic ranches were crossed with fine wool rams to supply the demand of garment wool caused by the increased population and the Civil War. Concurrently, in 1863, the U.S. Army decimated the Navajo flocks in retribution for continued Indian depredations. In the 1900's further "improvements" and stock reductions were imposed by U.S. agencies upon the Navajo flocks. True survivors were to be found only in isolated villages in Northern New Mexico and in remote canyons of the Navajo Indian Reservation. In the 1970's several individuals began acquiring Churro phenotypes with the purpose of preserving the breed and revitalizing Navajo and Hispanic flocks. Criteria for the breed had been established from data collected for three decades by the Southwestern Range and Sheep Breeding Laboratory at Fort Wingate, New Mexico. Several flocks have developed, and the Navajo Sheep Project has introduced cooperative breeding programs in some Navajo and Hispanic flocks. These sheep with their long staple of protective top coat and soft undercoat are well suited to extremes of climate. Some rams have four fully developed horns, a trait shared by few other breeds of the world. Navajo-Churro sheep may be horned or polled in either sex. Multiple horns are not uncommon. Mature ewes weigh approximately 85 - 120 pounds and mature rams weigh approximately 120 - 175 pounds. The Navajo-Churro is highly resistant to disease, and although it responds to individual attention, it needs no pampering to survive and prosper. The ewes lamb easily and are fiercely protective. Twins and triplets are not uncommon. White sheep, often with spotted faces and legs, are most common. Colors are described as light tan, brown, black and grey. Patterns such as badgerface, black and tan, piebald and spotted are encountered. These multicolored individuals can come in two, three or four distinct colors. White on the poll and white tipped tails on solid colored animals are common. The wool is classified as coarse and is composed of 3 distinct types of fiber. The fleece is open and has no defined crimp. The inner coat measures 3-5" and the outer coat 6-12". Wool fibers range from 10-35 microns, comprising 80% of the fleece. The outer coat has hair fibers measuring 35+ microns, comprising 10-20% of the fleece, with the kemp’s short opaque fibers of 65+ microns not to exceed 5% of the fleece. Excerpted from the Navajo-Churro Association-- http://www.navajo-churrosheep.com | |
| Interested in adding Shaggy Bear Farms sheep to your flock? We have lambs and ewes (bred or open) available for sale. Please contact us (shaggybearfarms@yahoo.com) for pictures and/or more information. Delivery may also be available. |
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Shaggy Bear Farms 40585 Stayton-Scio Road, P.O. Box 448 Scio, OR 97374 (503) 769-5781 shaggybearfarms@yahoo.com |
