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California Red sheep
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California Red sheep

Place of Origin United States
Origin The California Red sheep is a breed of domestic sheep developed in the United States in the 1970s. It is so named because its lambs are born all red, and retain this colour in their faces and limbs in to adulthood. Dr. Glenn Spurlock of Davis, CA crossed Tunis and Barbados Blackbelly sheep, and the California Red is subsequently a dual–purpose breed with many of the qualities of its forebears. Spurlock actually set out to create a new hair sheep like the Barbados Blackbelly, but though he failed to do so — California Reds have reddish tan hairs intermingled with white wool. — he and other breeders continued to keep developing the strain anyway. The California Red can lamb out of season, thus being able to produce multiple lamb crops in a year. They also functions well in hot weather.
Purpose Meat, Fiber
Characteristics California Reds are medium-sized sheep, the rams weighing from 200 to 250 pounds (90 - 113 kg) and the ewes from 110 to 140 pounds (50 - 64 kg). The rams sometimes have manes and both sexes are polled. The breed is non-seasonal and can be bred for three lamb crops in two years. The lambs are born red, a colour that is retained on the legs and head as mature animals. At maturity the fleeces turn a beige or oatmeal colour. The legs and faces are free of wool with long pendulous ears which emphasize the animal's appearance.

The wool is silky in texture and has found a specialty market with hand spinners and weavers. The staple length is three to six inches and the wool has a Bradford count of 50 to 60.
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