Awassi Sheep Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Awassi sheep breed is a breed that is known to for its very good milk production throughout the Middle East.

It is one of the most widespread sheep breeds in south-west Asia and is dominant in Iraq, is a very important breed in the Syrian Arab Republic. It is also one of the only indigenous breeds of sheep in Israel.

They are raised in the arid desert conditions and can actually thrive in this type of climate as they are a very hardy sheep breed.

AWASSI SHEEP QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
The Awassi sheep breed was developed through centuries of selective and natural breeding to become one of the top milk producing sheep breeds in the Middle East.
Country of Origin:	Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Israel and Saudi Arabia
Other Names:	Deiri, Syrian Ausi, Nuami, Egyptian Baladi and Gezirieh
Breed Size:	Large
Main Purpose:	Meat, milk and wool
You may Also Like:	10 Best Sheep Breeds for Milk
Can be used for	Breed, Milk, Meat, Skin, Wool **LSC (Landscape Management)
Temperament:	Very calm breed
Ideal Climate:	They are climate hardy and productive under extreme conditions
Conservation Status:	Not Listed by the *ALC Status/ Rarity: Common
Health Issues?	No known health issues
Good Starter Sheep?	They are extremely hardy and able to forage food under extreme conditions. They would make a good starter sheep breed.
Sheep Associations:	No known sheep associations
Sheep Clubs:	No known sheep clubs
Note: ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy * LSC stands for Landscape Management – the animal is used for controlling various vegetation growth

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The Awassi sheep breed has a very striking appearance with their curly wooly fleece. They are a fat tailed variety sheep with a long convex profiled face and large body.

Color(s):

White body with brown head and legs. Or white bodies with black head and legs.

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Breed Weight:	30 to 50 kgs	60 to 90 kgs
Breed Height:	Up to 70 cm at withers	Up to 80 cm at withers
Hair:	Long curly thick fleece	Long curly thick fleece
Ears:	Long drooping ears	Long drooping ears
Horns:	No horns	Have thick curled horns
Matures at age:	10 weeks/15 months or 15 years	10 weeks to 15 months
Puberty Age:	5 to 12 months	5 to 7 months
Breeding Age:	18 months	1 year
Breeding Traits:	See Ewe Breeding & Milking Info.	Cover 5 to 10 Ewes in 1 season

EWE BREEDING & MILKING INFORMATION

The ewe is a seasonal breeder that
Breeding Period/cycle:	Usually lasts 16 to 59 hours
Estrous cycle:	Ave. 17 days/15 to 20 days
Gestation Period:	Usually, around 149 to 155 days but most gestation is 152 days
No. Lambs/Litter:	1 and on the rare occasion 2 (twins)
Lactation Period:	Usually, around 150 to 240 day but most are milked for 180 days
Milking From:	4 to 6 weeks after lambing
Milk Quality:	Good, Quantity: 58 to 77 liters, Per: 150-day lactation
Milk Ideal for:	Most Productions
You may Also Like:	10 Best Sheep Breeds for Milk

SHEEP MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION

They are produces of a good quality sought after meat in the areas where the breed is prevalent.

Meat Production:

Yes, Quality: Good

SHEEP ⇒	LAMB	HOGGET/MUTTON
Approx. Maturity Weight:	58 kgs	79 kgs
Approx. Maturity Age:

SHEEP WOOL PRODUCTION INFORMATION

They are quite valuable in the Middle East for the wool production

Wool Production?

Yes, Quality: Classed as a carpet wool/low density wool

Wool is used to Produce:

Carpets, blankets, etc.

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Age they Produce from:	6 to 8 months	6 to 8 months
Approx. Length:	16.5 cm	16.5 cm
Microns:	33	33
Approx. Quantity:	From 1 kg up to 14 kgs a year	From 1 kg up to 14 kgs a year

SHEEP SKIN PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Yes, their skin is used in the production of leather products from lambs to older sheep.

Skin Production?

Yes, Quality: Good

Skin is used to Produce:

Kid skin leather products such as shoes, car seats, fine leather coats, gloves, etc.
Chamois cloths, leather goods such as seats, shoes and other garments and leather materials such as furniture, etc.

SHEEP ⇒	EWE	RAM
Age they Produce from:	3 to 10 months for Kid skin 1 to 2 years old for Normal leather	3 to 10 months for Kid skin 1 to 2 years old for Normal leather

GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT THE AWASSI SHEEP

The Awassi is a beautiful two-toned sheep with a fine boned delicate face and a large body. They produce a lot of milk, meat and wool for the communities in which they are prevalently found.
Child-Friendly?	They are a livestock breed and not usually kept as pets or to be around children. Although they are a calm breed always ensure children are supervised if around them.
Landscape Management?	They are mainly found in more arid desert type conditions
Where to buy them?	They are not found in the USA. In order to find out where or how to buy them, it is best to check with the various sheep associations as listed at the end of this documents under “Useful Links”

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Awassi sheep is the most popular breed of sheep found in most Arab Countries.

The Awassi sheep was breed most through natural selection with some selective breeding along the path of the Awassi sheep breeds development.

They are a very hardy breed that is adaptive to the most extreme conditions. They have a very unique physiology which enables them to walk long distances in the heat, they are resistant to parasites and most diseases.

HISTORY

The Awassi breed o sheep is thought to have originated in the Syro-Arabian desert where it readily adapted to the desert type conditions. Making the breed able to withstand very high heat temperatures and adapt to the various grazing available in such regions.

They are the most prevalent sheep breed found in most Arab Countries due to their unique physiological characteristics that enable it to withstand these climates and harsh environments.

They play an important part in the improvements of other breeds genetics structures in order to improve local breeds milk, meat, wool and adaptability qualities. As such the rams are used in a lot of various breeding programs with other local breeds.

The Awassi Sheep breed can produce high milk yields under very harsh conditions which make the breed very valuable to the countries in which it is found. They are able to thrive in many different management production type conditions including nomadic and intensive dairy production systems.