United Horned Hair Sheep Association, Inc. |
A HISTORY - SHEEP MADE IN AMERICA!!!
The Painted Desert, Texas Dall, Black Hawaiian, American Blackbelly, Desert Sand, and Corsican Sheep are actually the result of initial crosses
decades ago between the shedding, European Mouflon Sheep (native to Corsica and Sardinia) with a wide range of more well known "wool"
breeds of sheep including: Horned Rambouillet, Churro, Merino, and Jacob.
European Mouflons eventually made their way into several zoos in the United States. After several years, the zoos released some of the
Mouflons to large ranches with a concentrated release in Texas. Here in the United States,after 1946, the European Mouflon Sheep crossed
with the more well known wool sheep breeds and the wonderful breeds called Painted Desert, Texas Dall, Black Hawaiian, Desert Sand, and
Corsican were born.
At times, some of these crosses also included a hair or shedding sheep called the Barbados Blackbelly which were imported from the
Caribbean island of Barbados, West Indies with bloodlines originally coming from Africa. The American Blackbelly Sheep derive from such
bloodlines.
One of the very first crosses happened in the mid 1900’s at the YO Ranch in Texas between European Mouflon Ewes and Rambouillet rams
resulting in beautiful snowy white, shedding sheep now known as the Texas Dall. The two lambs which were produced by the Rambouillet X
Mouflon cross were found by Bob Snow of the Y.O. Ranch and were the first Texas Dalls (Mungall, 2007).
While some research notes the possibility that feral European Mouflon sheep in Hawaii were crossed with sheep on the Islands and all black
offspring were imported to the continental U.S. as Black Hawaiians or Hawaiian Black Sheep, importation data currently known does not support
this account of the origins of the all black, horned, shedding sheep.
Originally, the European Mouflon and the new sheep breeds were primarily used for "Trophies" due to the rams' beautiful horns. As the
popularity of the sheep increased, the focus has become on achieving recognition for these sheep for other markets such as meat, show,
pasture/fenceline clearing, etc., and for simply being unique sheep deserving of recognition as individual breeds.
These are truly American Breeds - originating in Texas, North Carolina and other states and now located throughout the USA and also in
Canada! The unique breeds truly represent the American Spirit of ingenuity and creativity.
CLICK HERE for more information on European Mouflon
BREED RECOGNITION
As with other breeds of sheep and even other animals, Texas Dalls, Black Hawaiians, Desert Sands, Corsicans, American Blackbelly and
Painted Desert Sheep started out as hybrids or composites of 2 or more different breeds - with one parent being the Mouflon Sheep. Once the
special characteristics of these wonderful sheep became more popular, efforts to get these sheep recognized as a unique and individual breed
were underway by dedicated breeders.
In 1997, a Painted Desert registry was started in Texas in order to promote recognition for the Painted Desert Sheep as being a unique sheep
deserving of more than it‘s humble origins.
In 2005, the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Association, International, created a class for the American or Texas Blackbelly which has led to an
increase in education and recognition about the breed who was initially generally a Mouflon X Barbados Blackbelly X Ramboulliet sheep.
In 2009 the United Horned Hair Sheep Association, Inc. was formed and incorporated as a member owned and operated, non-profit
organization dedicated to promoting and providing education about the breeds of sheep it represents: Painted Desert, Texas Dall, Black
Hawaiian, Desert Sand, Corsican, and Mouflon. Click HERE to learn more about UHHSA, Inc.
To learn more about the sheep, including mothering and lambing, CLICK on the links BELOW.
References (also consider references on the page about the history of European Mouflon Sheep.
Mungall, E. C. (2007). Exotic Animal Field Guide. Texas A& M University Press, College Station: 2007.
The Painted Desert, Texas Dall, Black Hawaiian, American Blackbelly, Desert Sand, and Corsican Sheep are actually the result of initial crosses
decades ago between the shedding, European Mouflon Sheep (native to Corsica and Sardinia) with a wide range of more well known "wool"
breeds of sheep including: Horned Rambouillet, Churro, Merino, and Jacob.
European Mouflons eventually made their way into several zoos in the United States. After several years, the zoos released some of the
Mouflons to large ranches with a concentrated release in Texas. Here in the United States,after 1946, the European Mouflon Sheep crossed
with the more well known wool sheep breeds and the wonderful breeds called Painted Desert, Texas Dall, Black Hawaiian, Desert Sand, and
Corsican were born.
At times, some of these crosses also included a hair or shedding sheep called the Barbados Blackbelly which were imported from the
Caribbean island of Barbados, West Indies with bloodlines originally coming from Africa. The American Blackbelly Sheep derive from such
bloodlines.
One of the very first crosses happened in the mid 1900’s at the YO Ranch in Texas between European Mouflon Ewes and Rambouillet rams
resulting in beautiful snowy white, shedding sheep now known as the Texas Dall. The two lambs which were produced by the Rambouillet X
Mouflon cross were found by Bob Snow of the Y.O. Ranch and were the first Texas Dalls (Mungall, 2007).
While some research notes the possibility that feral European Mouflon sheep in Hawaii were crossed with sheep on the Islands and all black
offspring were imported to the continental U.S. as Black Hawaiians or Hawaiian Black Sheep, importation data currently known does not support
this account of the origins of the all black, horned, shedding sheep.
Originally, the European Mouflon and the new sheep breeds were primarily used for "Trophies" due to the rams' beautiful horns. As the
popularity of the sheep increased, the focus has become on achieving recognition for these sheep for other markets such as meat, show,
pasture/fenceline clearing, etc., and for simply being unique sheep deserving of recognition as individual breeds.
These are truly American Breeds - originating in Texas, North Carolina and other states and now located throughout the USA and also in
Canada! The unique breeds truly represent the American Spirit of ingenuity and creativity.
CLICK HERE for more information on European Mouflon
BREED RECOGNITION
As with other breeds of sheep and even other animals, Texas Dalls, Black Hawaiians, Desert Sands, Corsicans, American Blackbelly and
Painted Desert Sheep started out as hybrids or composites of 2 or more different breeds - with one parent being the Mouflon Sheep. Once the
special characteristics of these wonderful sheep became more popular, efforts to get these sheep recognized as a unique and individual breed
were underway by dedicated breeders.
In 1997, a Painted Desert registry was started in Texas in order to promote recognition for the Painted Desert Sheep as being a unique sheep
deserving of more than it‘s humble origins.
In 2005, the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Association, International, created a class for the American or Texas Blackbelly which has led to an
increase in education and recognition about the breed who was initially generally a Mouflon X Barbados Blackbelly X Ramboulliet sheep.
In 2009 the United Horned Hair Sheep Association, Inc. was formed and incorporated as a member owned and operated, non-profit
organization dedicated to promoting and providing education about the breeds of sheep it represents: Painted Desert, Texas Dall, Black
Hawaiian, Desert Sand, Corsican, and Mouflon. Click HERE to learn more about UHHSA, Inc.
To learn more about the sheep, including mothering and lambing, CLICK on the links BELOW.
References (also consider references on the page about the history of European Mouflon Sheep.
Mungall, E. C. (2007). Exotic Animal Field Guide. Texas A& M University Press, College Station: 2007.
| Active Members of UHHSA are permitted to use information on their website to help in ethical and honest promotion and education about the breeds represented. However, a link to this website should be provided. Pictures are copyrighted by owners of the sheep pictured and permission will need to be sought to use the pictures. Diagram is COPYRIGHT, Sara Qualls 2009 Information written by Sara Qualls |
| HISTORY of the Painted Desert, Texas Dall, Black Hawaiian, American Blackbelly, Desert Sand, and Corsican Sheep |
| European Mouflon A Horned Hair Sheep |
| Horned Wool Breeds Churro, Jacob, Rambouilet, Merino |
| Barbados Blackbelly a Polled Hair Sheep from Barbados |
| CORSICAN SHEEP Term used at first to refer to the emerging new breeds |
| Painted Desert A Spotted Sheep +Horned Rams +Polled, Horned or Ewes with Scurs +Short Tails |
| Texas Dall An All White Sheep +Horned Rams +Polled, Horned or Ewes with Scurs +Short Tails |
| Desert Sand A Champagne Sheep +Horned Rams +Polled, Horned or Ewes with Scurs +Short Tails |
| Black Hawaiian A Black Sheep +Horned Rams +Polled, Horned or Ewes with Scurs +Short Tails |
| Corsican A Solid Color or Brown Variances with a Black belly or Brown Variances and a Light Colored belly Sheep +Horned Rams +Polled, Horned or Ewes with Scurs +Short Tails |
| American Blackbelly A Brown to Red with a Black belly Sheep +Horned Rams +Polled, Horned, or Ewes with Scurs +Long Tails Visit BBSAI NOT represented by UHHSA |
| Bloodlines with European Mouflon & Wool Breeds |
| Decades have passed since the initial crossings occurred, leaving us with these wonderful, unique, and individual BREEDS!! |
Please CLICK HERE for NEW Website (eff 3/31/2021)