Valais Blacknose sheep

Valais Blacknose sheep on the Nufenen Pass in the Valais Alps (Adobe Stock)

Origin and development

The Valais Blacknose breed was first documented in the 15th century. Its distinctive characteristics, acquired over the centuries, include adaptation to a harsh mountain climate, good feed conversion, fertility, frugality and sedentariness. Since 2010, breeding values have been estimated annually for fertility and weight gain traits.

Description

Large-framed, even-tempered mountain sheep, with good maternal traits, good milk and meat performance, hardy, with strong limbs. Distinctive features of the Valais Blacknose are its horns and its face and leg colouring. Short face with a wide mouth, broad forehead and convex nose; medium length ears; horned. Distinctive head shape in males. Entire body, including face and legs, covered in wool; fleece uniformly white; black from the nose to halfway up the face. The Valais Blacknose is sensitive to high temperatures and adjusts its feeding accordingly. With natural pasturing, feeding takes place, in the morning, from dawn to sunrise and, in the evening, after sunset and into the night.

Valais Blacknose sheep at pasture (Esther Zimmermann / Schweizerischer Schafzuchtverband)

Breeding objectives

h Maintenance and improvement of hardiness; no genetic defects h Well adapted to alpine conditions h Longevity, with an average production period of 5 years h Optimal grassland-based feed conversion h Adapted to mountainous terrain, sedentary h Medium-fleshed h Correct colours in females and males h Wool fineness 4–5, kemp-free, length over 10 cm in 180 days