Rambouillet Sheep Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Rambouillet sheep is quite a magnificent sheep to look at with their powerful full body, well-muscled build and their beautiful shaped horns. The ewes horns curve back gracefully from her head giving her a clean neat appearance, but the rams horns are spiraled and magnificent.

RAMBOUILLET SHEEP QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
They are beautiful sheep with strong Roman nosed profile, beautiful horns and strong well-defined bodies.
Country of Origin:	France
Other Names:	Rambouillet Merion or French Merino
Breed Size:	Large
Main Purpose:	Meat and wool
Can be used for	Breed, **LSC, Meat, Wool
Temperament:	Quiet and calm
Ideal Climate:	Heat, Cold, Most climates
Conservation Status:	Not listed by the *ALC Status/Rarity: Common
Health Issues?	No known health issues
Good Starter Sheep?	Novice to Intermediate farming/keeping level
Sheep Associations:	American Rambouillet Sheep Breeders Association
Sheep Clubs:	Please refer to American Rambouillet Sheep Breeders Association for more information
Note: *ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy ** LSC stands for Landscape Management – the animal is used for controlling various vegetation growth

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Rambouillet sheep breed are strong, sturdy and well-defined bodies. They have smooth faces, with a wooly cap and sometimes wooly sideburns. Their hind legs are strong and are usually covered in wool.
Color(s):	Usually white but they can come in a few other shades
SHEEP ⇒ EWE RAM Breed Weight: 68 to 90 kgs 113 to 135 kgs Breed Height: Unclear they are a large breed Unclear they are a large breed Hair: Long, dense and uniform across their bodies it springy and firm to the touch. Long, dense and uniform across their bodies it springy and firm to the touch. Ears: Medium, alert and point down Medium, alert and point down Horns: Medium thickness and curl gracefully over the ears close to the head. Long, thick, held close to the head and spiral outwards Matures at age: 10 weeks/15 months 10 weeks to 15 months Puberty Age: 5 to 12 months 5 to 7 months Breeding Age: 18 months 1 year Breeding Traits: 1 Breeding cycle per year Cover 5 to 10 Ewes in 1 season

EWE BREEDING & MILKING INFORMATION
They breed more than once a year and have a high lambing percentage with minimal birthing difficulties. The ewes have excellent maternal instincts and are highly prolific.
Breeding Period/cycle:	Usually lasts 24 to 36 hours
Estrous cycle:	Ave. 17 days/13 to 19 days
Gestation Period:	Usually, around 150 to 155 days but most gestation is 152 days
No. Lambs/Litter:	1 to 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
Milk Ideal for:	Lambs
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SHEEP MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION
They have a great meat to bone ratio with a tender succulent meat with a good grain. The lambs usually reach their ideal weight at around 10 months old. They have a lean meat that meats the current day consumer demands. Mutton is of good tender quality with a great taste.
Meat Production:	Yes, Quality: Premium
SHEEP ⇒ LAMB HOGGET/MUTTON Approx. Maturity Weight: 58 kgs 79 Kgs
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SHEEP WOOL PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Most sheep produce some form or wool. Some breeds are hair sheep and they are not used for their wool whilst other wool sheep have a low quality of wool that would be used for some form of production such as maybe Lanolin, etc. Their fleece is basically the same as Merino wool as the sheep were developed from the Merino breed. It has been said to be a bit more springy and better than the Merino wool.
Wool Production?	N/A, Quality: Fine quality of wool Spinning count of 60s to 80s
Wool is used to Produce:	Knitted garments, fine clothes, scarves, hand spinning, blankets, etc.
SHEEP ⇒ EWE RAM Age they Produce from: 6 to 8 months 6 to 8 months Approx. Length: 6 to 10 cm 6 to 10 cm Microns: 19 to 25 19 to 25 Approx. Quantity: From 4.5 to 7 kg a year From 4.5 to 7 kg a year
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GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT THE RAMBOUILLET SHEEP
A few more interesting facts to know about the breed
Child-Friendly?	No livestock should be left unattended around unsupervised children
Landscape Management?	They are good at landscape management
Where to buy them?	Please refer to American Rambouillet Sheep Breeders Association breeders/members directories for more information
General Information	The Rambouillet is known as the French Merino sheep and is highly prized for its wool They are large and rugged and adaptable to many climates and environments with no problems.

HISTORY

The Rambouillet sheep breeds history begins in Spain with their prized Merino breed of sheep. The Spanish were so guarded with the breed that any exportation from Spain of these sheep was strictly forbidden.

In 1786 The King of Spain, after relaxing the laws on importation of the Merino sheep, allowed 359 ewes and rams he had carefully selected be sent to France. This was in a positive reply to a request for permission to import them into France.

The Merino sheep were sent to the Rambouillet Farm just outside of Paris where the Rambouillet sheep breed have now been bred since 1801. Where shortly after some were imported to the United States.

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