Black sheep with white faces are rare, and most are endangered breeds. But they are more luxurious to raise as most are kept as trophy animals and for meat production.
Sheep have a long history with humans as it’s among the earliest animals to be domesticated.
Today, more than 200 unique sheep breeds exist in various colors such as black, white, red, brown, or combinations. However, breeds are as common as how useful they are to the breeder.
For instance, pure white breeds are more common than pure black breeds as their wool can be dyed and worked easily.
Let’s look at several black sheep breeds with white faces that could make great additions to your flock.
Quick Facts Of Black Sheep With White Faces
| Breed Name | Area of origin | Mature Height | Mature weight | Use |
| Romanov | Russia | Rams: 117 cm
Ewes: 91 cm |
Rams: 121-194 pounds
Ewes: 88-110 pounds |
Meat, wool |
| Zwartbles | Netherlands | Rams: up to 85 cm
Ewes: up to 75 cm |
Rams: up to 220 pounds
Ewes: up to 187 pounds |
Meat, wool, milk |
| Jacob | Middle East | Rams: up to 115 cm
Ewes: up to 90 cm |
Rams: 120-160 pounds
Ewes: 80-110 pounds |
Meat, wool, hides |
| Najdi | Saudi Arabia | Rams: up to 113 cm
Ewes: up to 90 cm |
Rams: up to 165 pounds
Ewes: up to 110 pounds |
Meat, milk, wool |
| Priangan | Indonesia | Rams: up to 70 cm
Ewes: up to 50 cm |
Rams: 80 pounds
Ewes: 60 pounds |
Meat, ram fighting |
| Painted Desert | Texas | Rams: over 75 cm
Ewes: 50-64 cm |
Rams: 180-200 pounds
Ewes: 60-120 pounds |
Meat, trophy animals, trophy horns |
| Balwen Welsh Mountain | Central Wales | Rams: around 80 cm
Ewes: about 50 cm |
Rams: up to 94 pounds
Ewes: up to 77 pounds |
Meat, milk, wool |
Popular Black Sheep Breeds With White Faces
Jacob Sheep
These black sheep with white faces date back thousands of years and are alleged to be native to the Middle East. They have distinctive sturdy bodies with small ears. In addition, they grow multiple long and dark horns.
Though the body is not entirely black, it will have sizable black spots on the body and an almost solid white face.
They got their name from the biblical figure Jacob, as he had similar spotted sheep. Their multi-colored coats could have other colors like brown and gray.
These unique sheep are raised mainly for their flavorful meat and uniquely colored wool. A Jacob sheep can produce up to 6 pounds of fleece annually, with mature males reaching a weight of 160 pounds and females 110 pounds.
Priangan Sheep
The Priangan sheep, also called Garut, is named after its origin in the mountainous region of West Java in Indonesia. It has a black body with white patches on the face and legs.
Most Priangan sheep lack external ears, and only the rams have horns. In their native region, the rams are famous fighters priced depending on their body, horn size, and fighting abilities.
This breed has relatively tiny animals, with mature males approximating a weight of 80 pounds and females around 60 pounds.
However, their fleece is famous for being thick and lustrous and finds many uses in the textile industry. The wool also contains the compound lanolin, which makes it water-resistant.
Zwartbles Sheep
Zwartbles originated in the Netherlands at the start of the 19th century. They were later imported into England and Ireland in the mid-1970.
Most Zwartbles are polled with black, gray, or dark brown faces. In addition, their faces have a distinctive white blaze from the top of the head to the nose.
The rest of their bodies will be colored either black, gray, or dark brown, with white socks on all legs.
Besides their attractive looks, this breed has good mothering abilities, easy to handle, and has a docile temperament. Zwartbles are raised for meat, wool, and milk.
The rams can weigh up to 220 pounds at maturity while ewes get to around 187 pounds. Their medium to fine quality wool is a favorite for hand spinners due to its crimp and length.
Najdi Sheep
Picture credits: wikimedia commons
Najdi sheep are popular among white face sheep breeds worldwide for their excellent adaptability, hardiness, and friendly and docile temperament. They are also easy to care for and do well even in harsh conditions.
Apart from their cute appearance, these sheep have striking coloration, including a black body with white patches on the face, belly, and legs.
Whether for commercial meat and wool production or as a companion animal, the Najdi sheep excel in any climatic condition and make great additions to any farm.
This fantastic animal originated in Saudi Arabia but can now be found in other regions such as the US. This breed is mainly kept for meat, wool, and milk production. They can grow very tall to averages of 76-86 centimeters.
READ ALSO: 11 Adorable Sheep Breeds With Black Face You’ll love
Romanov Sheep
The Romanov sheep breed is native to Russia and is named after a town in the Volga region.
This white face sheep breed is a pure gene, medium-sized, born black or white, and turns to whitish gray as the lamb matures. They have irregular white patches on their face.
They’re mostly kept for their meat and wool as they grow fast and have high birth rates. They do well in cold climates and typically reach sexual maturity by three months.
If well fed and cared for, the Romanov breed is known to produce three or more lambs at a time. At maturity, a Romanov ram grows to heights of around 117 centimeters and weighs between 121 to 194 pounds.
On the other hand, a mature ewe gets to approximately 91 centimeters and can weigh anywhere between 88 to 110 pounds.
Balwen Welsh Mountain Sheep
The word ‘balwen’ means a ‘white blaze’ in the Welsh language. This sheep breed got this name from the signature white stripe on its face, the half-white tail, and white socks.
The remaining Balwen Welsh Mountain sheep’s body is black, dark gray, or brown. Males are usually horned, and the females are polled with smaller bodies and strong mothering abilities.
Besides being cute, this black sheep with a white face breed is hardy with minimal health problems and can survive well in harsh conditions. They’re known to survive on little feeding even in seasons with high growth of pastures.
At maturity, a Balwen Welsh Mountain sheep approximates between 38 to 43 kilograms with annual fleece weights of around 1.25 to 2 kilograms. The breed originated from the Tywi Valley in Central Wales and is kept for meat and wool production.
Painted Desert Sheep
The original Painted Desert sheep was a crossbreed of the Mouflon, Rambouillet, and the Texas Blackbelly breeds. Their bodies come in various black and white color patterns, with a white blaze covering most of the face.
When mature, the rams can exceed 200 pounds while the ewes average around 120 pounds.
Though these sheep are commonly raised as trophy animals, they have started getting the attention of breeders for meat production.
People like the exotic flavor of the Painted Desert sheep meat, which doesn’t have the gameness and tough texture typical in sheep crossed from wild sheep species.
In addition, both novice and veteran breeders can handle this easy and low-maintenance animal.
The Painted Desert is a hair animal that requires no shearing. Instead, they naturally shed the coat developed in the cold season at the onset of warm months.
Conclusion
Though not so common, there are black sheep with white faces you can add to your farm. Most of these breeds can be found in the US and have unique characteristics to other common sheep breeds.
These sheep do well as companion animals, as 4-H projects, or in shows and trade fairs. Additionally, they produce good meat, wool, and milk. Whichever your personal need is, you can get a black sheep breed with a white face that works perfectly for you.
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