Diversity

About Gansu Alpine Finewool SheepAbout Gansu Alpine Finewool Sheep



Gansu Alpine Finewool sheep is one of a number of finewool breeds in China related to Xinjiang Finewool, as well as Russian Merino sheep. Gansu Alpine Finewools were initially based on Mongolian and Tibetan ewes and was developed through backcrossing to Merino type, followed by selection.  

They were developed in the Huangchen District of Gansu Province, China, which has an altitude of 2,600 to 4,000 m (8,530-13,123 ft), an annual mean temperature of 0 to 3.8C (32-39F), an annual precipitation of 257 to 461 mm, and an average humidity of 35 to 58 percent. The sheep are well adapted to this particular ecological condition. The average weight of grease fleece in ewes is about 4.6 kg (10.1 lbs), and the wool quality is 60-64's (20-25 micron).