Ouessant Sheep

Ouessant sheep are intelligent, inquisitive, and renowned for their character, hardiness and for their status as the smallest naturally occurring breed of sheep in the world.

The breed comes from the small island of that name, about 12 miles off the most westerly point of Brittany. Dr Ryder (Sheep and Man, Duckworth, 1983) placed the Ouessant in the northern short-tail sheep group of breeds, because it has quite a short tail and a similar range of colours.

These charming little sheep are claimed to be the smallest in the world, with the ram's shoulder height up to 49cm and the ewes up to 46cm (a little over 18 inches). Comparable measurements for the smallest British breed, the primitive Soay are 51-61cm for rams and 49-54 for ewes. Rams carry impressive, outward turning horns; the ewes do not have horns. Tails are naturally short and are not docked.

The exceptionally small size of the Ouessant is attributed to the poor grazing on the island, which led to the selection of small sheep for breeding. The island is composed of the same ancient rock as the Land's End and Lizard peninsulas. The breed was first brought to the UK in the early 2000s and remains on the EU and UK lists of ‘At Risk’ rare and heritage breeds.

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