Barbado Sheep

Barbado Sheep

Certain breeds of sheep actually look a lot like goats that distinguishing them from one another can be difficult. Well, if you're a farmer or an animal expert, you probably would know how to tell them apart. But for the average Joe, identifying a Barbado sheep from a goat can be quite complicated.

The Caribbean developed its very own breed which they call the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep. This unique breed is further believed to have African ancestry. When the USDA imported a flock in 1904 to Maryland, there seemed to have emerged at least two breeds from the original flock that was transported.

The Barbado sheep is one of the breeds that resulted from the importation of the original hornless Barbados Blackbelly Sheep to the U.S. This is actually a cross-breed of the original with Rambouillet and Mouflon.

The Barbado sheep does not have wool but possesses a hair coat instead. It has mostly a brown color, although there are a few white and black species as well. The Barbado sheep is generally a meat sheep, although the males are usually used as trophy animals because of their large trophy horns. The females of the breed are polled.

A lot of people confuse the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep with the Barbado Sheep. Although the original breed displays its unique color pattern, tan accompanied by a black face and belly, this is very rarely seen on Barbado Sheep. The original Caribbean breed has both sexes polled, while all the Barbado males get to keep their horns.

When the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Association International (BBSAI) saw that Barbado did not really satisfy the characteristics sought by breeders, they adopted a standard in breed, and termed these "standard" animals as "American Blackbelly". From then on, this breed has become a common sight in zoos, as well as in some of the petting farms in the United States.

Unlike the domestic sheep, the Barbado Sheep will breed the whole year round. However, they are somewhat smaller and tend to grow slower than the wooled breed. Thus, commercial production is not one of their best uses. But even so, there remains to be a huge demand for their lean meat.

The Barbado Sheep is also known to have high tolerance for parasites and great resistance for disease. Moreover, they are perfect as homesteader's sheep since they do not necessitate rigorous management. One thing to remember though, even if they do look a lot like goats, sheep and goats can never cross breed.