The Ouessant Sheep Society (OSS) represents UK interests across Europe and beyond, and participates in the annual meeting of international Ouessant sheep societies, held in a different European country each year. These meetings provide valuable opportunities to exchange views on Society business, registries, and breed standards with our counterparts in France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.
To support this international collaboration, the OSS has a dedicated European Representative, working closely with breeders across the continent, and a Worldwide Representative who actively engages with Ouessant enthusiasts in regions further afield, including the US, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia.
The spread of Bluetongue virus has significantly disrupted livestock movements across Europe, with wider impacts on global trade. Despite these challenges, the export of British genetic material continues to progress, led by specialists in assisted breeding who work alongside veterinary and technical experts to meet the latest regulatory requirements in different countries.
United States
There is a strong interest in Ouessant in the US, partly driven by keen craft and wool enthusiasts, and many breeders have part-Ouessant sheep. Several breeders have undertaken small-scale up-breeding projects, and several US import programmes are now underway for semen and embryos from British donor sheep. These programmes draw on both French and Dutch bloodlines represented in the UK flock and promise—for the first time—access to pure Ouessant genetics in the US.
Breeders involved in Ouessant import into the States include Karen Seo of Breton, Farm Meadow, Lincoln, MASS, Deb Gourley of Heritage Sheep Reproduction, Waukon, IA, and Ross Edwards of Oui Ouessant, Woodville, New Zealand.
The OSS is pleased to support enquiries relating to purchases, pedigrees, and breeding programmes.
We also offer an Associate Membership package here https://ouessantsheep.org.uk/join-the-society/ providing access to a wide range of member resources, including the national flock book with its extensive history of bloodlines .
Contacts:
Chiara Paolini, European Representative Europe@Ouessantsheep.org.uk
Suzy Edward, Worldwide Representative Worldwide@Ouessantsheep.org.uk