Alai is a breed of domesticated sheep found in

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...

. This breed is a dual purpose breed raised for its meat and

wool Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool. ...

Characteristics

Rams can be either horned or polled (hornless). However, ewes are only polled. The wool is white with occasional spots on their legs and heads. The wool is semi-coarse and used in carpet. On average rams are at the withers and weigh about . Ewes, on average, are at the withers, weighs and has a little over one lamb per litter. The Alai is a fat-rump breed and is specifically adapted to living conditions of the

Alay Valley The Alay Valley ( ky, Алай өрөөнү, ) is a broad, dry valley running east–west across most of southern Osh Region, Kyrgyzstan. It spreads over a length of east–west. The valley extends in north–south direction with varying width ...

region (above above sea level). From 1992 to 2002, the population of Alai in Kyrgyzstan has decreased from 300,000 to 200,000.

References

{{sheep-stub Sheep breeds Sheep breeds originating in Kyrgyzstan