The Fleece

Ouessants may be Black, Brown or White, with some variation of these basic colours and have a thick fleece of long wool with a dense undercoat.

The base colour of Ouessant sheep, like many breeds, is black or brown. The base colour is controlled genetically; black is dominant to brown. A second gene pair controls which fibres in the fleece express the base colour (black or brown) and which fibres remain white. So a white sheep is one where the expression of the base colour has been suppressed, and the fleece appears white.

A white Ouessant can often have a reddish or tan cast to the fleece, particularly on the legs, tail and around the head and neck. This is often apparent in lambs but fades and becomes less noticeable with age.

Black lambs may be born with a white patch or spot on the head; this too will disappear as the sheep ages. And the wool colour of black and brown sheep also changes with age. Black fleeces often develop a brown cast, while the shorter hair on the face and legs remains black. The longer wool on a brown sheep can also fade to a golden caramel colour in sunlight.

Some Ouessant bloodlines display age-related greying, which produces a “salt & pepper” effect in the fleece, where white fibres grow in over time. This is linked to ageing but can appear in sheep as young as 18 to 24 months. Some black and brown sheep also carry a colour-modifying gene that produces a gradual fading of the base colour of the fleece: a black fleece fades to grey and a morrit brown fleece fades to light brown. Additionally, Agouti grey, a fleece colour variation, which is also referred to as ‘Agouti’ or ‘Schimmel’, has been introduced to some continental flocks, but this colour pattern is not recognised in either the UK or in France.

Finally, research in France has identified two further variations in Ouessant colour; both of these colour patterns, however, are extremely rare and are currently only seen in a few flocks in France.

A full analysis of Ouessant colour genetics will be available to members, in the Resources area of the website.

Breed Standard

The UK Breed Standard was based originally on the French breed society's (GEMO's) standard and was last updated in 2022. A guide to its interpretation is under development.

FEATURE	DESCRIPTION
HEAD	Fine and regular, the rams are horned; the bridge of the nose and forehead should form a continuous line. A slight bridge to the nose in the ram, flat or very slightly bridged in the ewe, not concave.
EYES	Bright and lively look, a prominent orbit to the eye.
EARS	Fine, small, short, mobile, rounded at the tip and have a tendency to be carried pricked.
HORNS	Dark for the blacks and browns, light for the whites, triangular in section, strong, curled in a single spiral, of large amplitude, not too close to the head.
NECK	Full and rounded, without dewlap. Toggles or wattles are permitted but not desirable.
TRUNK	Withers not prominent, deep chest.
BACK	A level top line from the withers to the base of the tail.
RUMP	Wide.
TAIL	Short, above the hocks.
LEGS	Slender, of medium length, well proportioned, good pasterns. Hooves dark for the black and browns, light or dark for the whites
HEIGHT	MAXIMUM Adult Ram 49cm Adult Ewe 46cm
BODY COLOUR	Solid uniform colours are black, brown and white. In each colour a range of variation is allowed: - in whites: a red base to a white fleece giving a light reddish aspect appearing mostly on the head, legs or the tail is acceptable. - in white lambs: red or tan marks on the neck, legs and tail, sometimes covering the body are acceptable; marks usually diminish with age, but do not always disappear completely. - black lambs may be lightly marked with white on the forehead (poll spot); marks usually diminish with age. - colour changes due to bleaching, genetic dilution (fading) and age-greying are acceptable.
FLEECE	Present on the forehead, and partly on the cheeks. Covering all the body, descending at least to the knees and just to the hocks. Fleece of primitive type, semi-closed, and well-packed, a staple of 8 -10cms for 12 months growth. Average thickness 25-28 microns. Rams may develop a collar or mane of longer coarser hair on the throat and nape of neck, which may be darker than fleece.
CARRIAGE	Alert and nimble with a smart active gait

Notes on the Interpretation of the Breed Standard for Breeders and Judges

To follow - this section is being developed and will be available to members in 2023