The Rouge de l'Ouest (also known as ''Tête rouge du Maine'') is
breed of
domestic sheep
Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated ...
originating in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
.
[
] The breed's name, which literally translates from
French as "Red of the West", refers to its region of origin and its unique pinkish face and legs. It was developed in the
Maine et Loire department of France
In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. Ninety ...
, through crossing local
landrace
A landrace is a domesticated, locally adapted, often traditional variety of a species of animal or plant that has developed over time, through adaptation to its natural and cultural environment of agriculture and pastoralism, and due to isolatio ...
sheep with
Wensleydales and
Bluefaced Leicesters. The French registry was established in 1968,
[
] and the
U.K.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
registry was in 1986.
[
]
The Rouge was originally a
dairy sheep breed used to produce
Camembert
Camembert (, also , ) is a moist, soft, creamy, surface-ripened cow's milk cheese. It was first made in the late 18th century in Camembert, Normandy, in northwest France. It is sometimes compared in look and taste to brie cheese, albeit wi ...
cheese, but is now primarily raised for
meat.
[
] Particularly, Rouge rams are used as sires for market lambs. It has medium length wool, a
polled head, and a well-muscled body. Despite its quite different appearance, it is related to the
Bleu du Maine. The average fleece weight for the Rouge is 1.5 kg (0.68 lbs) to 2.0 kg (0.9 lbs) with a staple length of 4 cm (1.8 inches) to 5 cm (2.3 inches) and a spinning count of 58's to 60's.
References
External links
British Rouge Society
Sheep breeds originating in France
Sheep breeds
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