The Rouge du Roussillon ( ca, Roig del Rosselló) is an endangered breed of sheep from southern France.
It is primarily raised in the French Mediterranean countryside for lamb meat.
Characteristics
The Rouge du Rossillon is of
Algeria
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, capital = Algiers
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, relig ...
n descent, and came to France in the 18th century,
and was likely introduced to France via
Spain
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, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
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.
The Rouge du Rossillon is a medium fine-wool breed. The males typically weigh 75–100 kg and stand 75–90 cm tall, while ewes normally weigh around 55–65 kg and stand 65–75 cm tall.
In terms of coloration, the Rouge du Rossillon typically has white wool with red colored head and legs.
The sheep are extremely hardy, and are able to survive all year outside. They can also thrive at high temperatures, and can live in climates with temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius. However, they also do well in colder climates with scarce food supplies.
Uses
The main use of the Rouge du Rossillon is meat. Traditionally, lamb meat has accounted for about 95% of income from raising Rouge du Rossillons.
The lambs are usually sold when they are still fairly light, around 28–30 kg.
Lambs sold when they are heavier are commonly considered to be too fatty and are not as desirable on the market. The rest of the income comes from wool sales
They were historically milked, with the milk often being used for cheese production, but this is not common today.
Rouge du Rossillon are not raised by
transhumance
Transhumance is a type of pastoralism or nomadism, a seasonal movement of livestock between fixed summer and winter pastures. In montane regions (''vertical transhumance''), it implies movement between higher pastures in summer and lower vall ...
, with herds mostly being sedentary.
from mid-October to march the herds graze on residual plants left over from crop harvests. They are often raised alongside
Lacaune
Lacaune (; , meaning ''the cave'') is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France.
Its inhabitants are called the Lacaunais (los Cauneses in Occitan).
Geography
The river Gijou has its source in the commune.
History
In 1797, the fer ...
sheep.
Conservation status and efforts
Today, the Rouge du Roussillon is endangered,
largely due to a general decline in livestock raising in its native region.
There is an estimated world population remaining of around 5,900 reproductive females. However, there has been considerable improvement in recent years in terms of its population numbers.
A 1974 study estimated its population at only 750 ewes and 25 rams.
In 1981, national protection actions were implemented to protect the breed, and from 1994-2001 a conservation program was launched in
Grand Causses regional natural park in France.
See also
*
Rava sheep
The Rava is a French sheep breed originating from the Massif Central, more specifically from the Chaîne des Puys in the Puy-de-Dôme region. It is characterized by its white fleece with long locks and coarse, garlicky wool, and its bare head m ...
References
{{Sheep breeds of France
Sheep breeds originating in France