Sheep breeds
Find a sheep breed that suits what you want it for and whether you want to shear. Tick two or three to compare them.
3 breeds · checked October 17, 2026
Purpose
Also
| Compare | Purpose | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meat, Skins | 156–209 lb | 205–233 lb | 100–180 % | ||||
| Meat | 120–160 lb | 180–250 lb | Up to 200 % | $225–$600 | |||
| Wool, Meat | 150–200 lb | 175–287 lb | $6,000–$25,000 |
No breeds match all of those. Take one filter off.
0 selected (up to 3)
How to choose a sheep breed
- Decide what it's for. Filter by purpose first, then compare the breeds that are left.
- Decide on shearing. Hair breeds shed and need no shearing; wool breeds need shearing every year. Each breed page and the side-by-side view say which kind of coat it has.
- Read the beginner rating. The note beside it on each breed page says what earned the score and what cost it points.
- Look at who it suits. Every breed page lists who the breed is a good fit for and who should look elsewhere.
What the columns mean
Ewe weight and ram weight are for mature animals. Where a registry gives only a minimum or an average, the breed page says so.
Lambing rate is lambs per 100 ewes. Where sources give it for different conditions, you see the widest range, and the breed page explains it.
Beginner rating is our own 1 to 5 score. Five is the easiest to live with.
Typical price comes from asking prices on breeder pages. It is left empty where we found no dated seller page.