Navajo-Churro sheep
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Navajo-Churro sheep are a breed of domestic sheep originating with Churra sheep obtained by the Navajo Native American tribe. The breed is renowned for its hardiness and adaptability to extremes of climate. Their wool consists of a protective topcoat and soft undercoat. Some rams have four fully-developed horns, a trait shared with few other breeds in the world. The Navajo-Churro has also gained popularity with its low-maintenance reputation, resistance to disease, and lean meat. Some may even say they are very personable. Ewes often bear twins.
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[edit] History
Navajo-Churro are descended from the Churra, an ancient Iberian breed. The Churra (renamed Churro by American frontiersmen) was first imported to North America in the 16th century and used to feed Spanish armies and settlers. By the 17th century Churros were popular with the Spanish settlers in the upper Rio Grande Valley. Flocks of Churros were also acquired by Native Americans through raids and trading, and soon became an important part of the Navajo economy and culture. A series of United States government-sponsored flock reductions and cross-breedings decimated the Navajo flocks until the Churro sheep nearly disappeared. Restoration of the breed began in the 1970s when breeders began acquiring Churro phenotypes with the purpose of preserving the breed and revitalizing Navajo and Hispanic flocks. The Navajo-Churro Sheep Association (N-CSA) was formed in 1986 to preserve and promote the Navajo-Churro, with the name "Navajo-Churro" being chosen to indicate both Navajo and Spanish heritage. While the Navajo-Churro breed is no longer in danger of extinction, Navajo-Churro sheep are still considered a rare breed.
[edit] Horns
The Navajo-Churro breed rams can have two, four, six, or more horns. This is because they possess the polycerate gene, which is also found in old heritage breeds like the Jacob Sheep. They also have the ability to have fused horns. Ewes (females) also can have horns, or nubs called scurrs. The color can be black, white, or striped. The growth of rams’ horns is slow. A full rack takes at least four to five years to grow out. A ewe's horns can also grow large, but not to the extent of the rams. The horns often curl around to the front, and should be away, and not close to the face. The horn quality is essential to getting good genetics in a flock; bad horns in the sire will continue down through his offspring. Horns can break, and as they are living at the base, they will bleed.
[edit] Color
Churros come in a large variety of colors. The color is separated into fleece color, and the points color (leg/head). In addition they may also have different color patterns. They variety includes reds, browns, black, white, and mixes. Color Information Detail
[edit] Fleece
The Navajo-Churros possess a dual coat, which has an inner and an outer layer. The fleece is composed of an inner coat (80% of fleece), and outer coat that is hair fibers (10-20% of fleece) and kemp (a coarse, opaque fiber, <5% of fleece).
The fleece color is separated from the points color. The fleece can often change from lamb to adulthood. Blacks, for instance, often white out with age. The Churro has a large variety of colors and shades, all listed on this page.
The Navajo people have used Churro fleece in rugs and other weavings for some time. The wide range of natural colors makes it easy to have a variety of colors without the need for dyeing, although natural vegetable dyes are sometimes used to produce deeper colors and wider selection. In many weavings, bleach and black dye are used to produce whiter whites and blacker blacks. The fleece is often left unwashed before it is woven because the Churro produces very little lanolin (the yellowish, greasy substance produced by most sheep), which makes it quite clean and nice to handle.
[edit] Listings
Navajo-Churros are listed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy as threatenedand are part of the Slow Food Ark of heritage foods.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Navajo-Churro. Breeds of Livestock. Oklahoma State University Dept. of Animal Science.
- Simmons, Paula; Carol Ekarius (2001). Storey's Guide to Raising Sheep. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-58017-262-2.
[edit] External links
- Navajo-Churro Sheep Association
- Sheep is Life organization
- Diné be' iiná, Inc., a nonprofit organization (The Navajo Lifeway)
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