Bleu du Maine (sheep)

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A Bleu du Maine ewe at an agricultural show in Flanders.
A Bleu du Maine ewe at an agricultural show in Flanders.

The Bleu du Maine is a breed of domestic sheep that originated in western France, in the region common to the departments of Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne and Sarthe.[1] A large, prolific sheep, the most distinctive characteristic of the breed is its bald, gray–blue head which is polled in both sexes.[2] More common in France and the Netherlands, it has also been exported to the U.K., where it is sometimes used for the creation of cross–bred mules.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Race ovine Bleu du Maine (French). Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon Dept. of Animal Science. Archived from the original on 2006-11-17. Retrieved on 2008-01-28.
  2. ^ Bleu du Maine. Breeds of Livestock. Oklahoma State University Dept. of Animal Science. Retrieved on 2008-01-27.
  3. ^ Brown, Dave; Sam Meadowcroft (1996). The Modern Shepherd. Wharfedale Road, Ipswich 1P1 4LG, United Kingdom: Farming Press. ISBN 0-85236-188-2. 

[edit] External links


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