The Valais Blacknose, German: Walliser Schwarznasenschaf, is a breed of domestic sheep originating in the Valais region of Switzerland.[2] It is a dual-purpose breed, raised both for meat and for wool.[3]: 281
History
The breed originates in the mountains of the canton of Valais – from which its name derives – and of the Bernese Oberland. It is documented as far back as the fifteenth century, but the present German name was not used before 1884; the breed standard dates from 1962. In the past there was some cross-breeding with imported sheep: in the nineteenth century with Bergamasca and Cotswold stock,[4]: 940 and in the twentieth century with the Southdown.[3]: 280
The Valais Blacknose is also present in Austria, Germany and Holland.[5] The total population reported in Switzerland for 2023 was 10286–19732, with 9380 ewes registered in the herd-book; the conservation status of the breed is listed as 'not at risk'.[2]
Characteristics
The Schwarznasenschaf is a mountain breed, well adapted to grazing on the stony pastures of its area of origin.[4]: 940 Both rams and ewes are horned,[4]: 940 with helical or spiral-shaped horns. Ewes may have black spots on the tail, but rams may not.[6]: 50
Use
The Valais Blacknose is a dual-purpose breed, reared for both meat and wool. The wool is coarse: fibre diameter averages approximately 38 microns, and staple length is 100 mm (4 in) or more.[4]: 940 The annual yield of wool is about 4 kg (10 lb) per head.[3]: 281
Near Zermatt, with the Matterhorn in the background
^Transboundary breed: Valais Blacknose. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed April 2024.
