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Skudde sheep
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Skudde sheep

Place of Origin Prussia
Origin The Skudde is a Nordic, short-tailed heather sheep. Its original homeland was East Prussia and the Baltic States. Today a few small herds can be found in these areas.
Purpose Meat, Vegatation managment
Characteristics Features: The most noticeable feature of the Skudde buck is the imposing snail horn. The ewes are hornless or carry horn stumps. In individual cases it occurs that ewes carry chamois-like “hornlets.”. Adult rams weigh between 35 kg (77 lb) and 50 kg (110 lb). Adult ewes weigh 25 kg (55 lb) to 40 kg (88 lb). The wool mixture typical of this breed consists of fine wool fibers, dispersed with short hairs and course cover hair. The colours are white, brown, black and gray. White Skuddes have nowadays small pigment spots on the head. Lambs have a rust-coloured marking in the nape of the neck and on the legs. This colouring disappears in adults.

Performance: Skuddes are not kept for their meat. They are suited for pasturing more barren areas. The meat is held to be a delicacy in circles of connoisseurs. Skuddes come into heat aseasonally. Lambs are born at any time of the year. As a rule three lambings are possible in two years.
Other Considerations Breeding Organization and Goals: The Alliance of Swiss Skudde Breeders has set as its goal to maintain Skuddes in their original form and not to breed in any other types so that the valuable characteristics of the Skudde are not lost.

Endangerment and Distribution: The current stock amounts to approx. 1000 animals in Germany, approx. 150 animals in Austria and approx. 250 animals in Switzerland. These stocks can be traced back to a few individuals. We have a few diligent breeders to thank that this breed still exists today.

Prospects: In the future the health of the progeny must be devoted more attention (in-breeding problems). The Alliance of Swiss Skudde Breeders is decidedly against crossing outside breeds with the Skudde. Since the Skudde population in Switzerland is increasing in size and the type is held to be secured, the Skuddes here (in Switzerland) can also be selected carefully according to typical breed features.
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