Green Gate Farm
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The Painted Desert Sheep breed is quickly becoming a sought after sheep breed. The Painted Desert Sheep are classified as Corsican, or hair sheep.
HISTORY
The Painted Desert Breed has been traced back to YO Ranch in Texas during the 1900's. The original crosses resulted in the Texas Dall Breed which is one of the top influencing foundation breeds that can be found in most Painted Desert Sheep which was found on this legendary exotic game ranch which crossed Mouflon Ewes and Rambouillet Rams. The Mouflon breed of sheep are shedding sheep growing hair instead of wool and the Rambouillet breed are known for their for high quality wool.
The original breeders of the hair sheep, or Corsican group of sheep, became highly sought after because of their trophy quality horns found on the rams. During the 1946's the Mouflon sheep where crossed with more well-known wool sheep breeds. These breeds included the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep (from the Barbados Islands) and other domesticated wool sheep breeds. Which the crossing of these hybrid sheep, breeders where getting beautiful loud, disease resistant, colorful sheep which later became known as the Painted Desert Sheep.
The original breeders of this beautiful colorful sheep breed primarily for color. Over the past several decades, breeders have crossed horned breeds into the Painted Desert Sheep which has resulted in the modern day Painted Desert Sheep. Modern Day breeders are still refining the breeds to get the best in trophy horns in the rams along with exceptional loud bold color patterns.
Gold Class status starts with the measurement of 94+ inches, Silver Class status starts from 86 to 93 7/8 inches, and Bronze Class status is 80 to 85 7/8 inches.
HORN MEASUREMENT
Breeders seek to improve the breed by matching the best to the best. Gold Class status is the preferred breeding ram for a flock, since the main belief is that the Gold Class genetics is passed to offspring. Painted Desert Sheep are measured the following way for classification.
The base of each horn circumference is measured to reach a total of base circumference, note the hair can not be included in the measurements therefore it will need to be pushed back at the base of the horn. NOTE: Be sure to write all these measurements down as you go since the total measurement is inclusive of these numbers. Since each horn on a ram is different, you will want to take the largest number from your base measurements and divide that 2. Therefore, if you left horn’s base is the largest in circumference of the two horns you will take that measurement and divide it by 2.
Once you get that number you will take that number and mark it on both horns to establish the middle horn location; once this location has been marked you will measure the circumference on each horns to reach the middle horn circumference tally. Now it’s time to measure the length of the each horn, be sure that you are as accurate as possible allowing no slack in the measuring tape and measure it the same way on each horn. Below is the equation for measuring the for classification.
(Left Horn Base + Right Horn Base) + (Left Horn Midway + Right Horn Midway) + (Length of Left Horn Base to Tip + Length of Right Horn Base to Tip) = Horn Classification
